HARD FACTS OR MERE PROPAGANDA?

While it may be admitted that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is in possession of verified intelligence reports of attempts to unseat her and such attempts were to coincide with the Edsa I anniversary, I still find it ridiculous for Secretary Raul Gonzalez and company to recycle the 36-year old “red scare” propaganda with a new twist: that elements of the extreme Right represented by the Magdalo soldiers entered into a political alliance with the extreme Left represented by the CPP-NPA-NDF. Even if there was such a conspiracy, it is not a sufficient justification for issuing Proclamation 1017 which, as we now all know, is substantially similar to Marcos’ Proclamation 1081. Allow me to explain why:

1. The CPP-NPA has always been desirous of changing the structure of government and therefore it’s no secret that they want to overthrow the current system. The same goes for the Magdalo soldiers who have already made known their intention to oust the present occupant of Malacanang. More importantly, I share the general view that both the NPA and Magdalo forces have not reached a magnitude capable enough to mount a direct attack against the government. The real threat, I believe, comes from the group of Brig. Gen. Danny Lim of the Scout Rangers and Col. Ariel Querubin of the Marines. GMA and her military propagandists probably chose not to emphasize the Lim-Querubin angle so as to create the impression that the AFP is still solidly behind its Commander-in-Chief.

2. The AFP through Col. Tristan Kison told reporters in a press conference that the alliance between the NPA and the Magdalo is not only tactical but also political. As for the tactical alliance, it is understandable for these groups to temporarily unite against a common, formidable enemy in the person of President Arroyo. But political alliance? I don’t think so.

If the “mainstream” Left headed by Joma Sison cannot even reconcile with the “rejectionist” faction of the late Popoy Lagman, then more so with the disgruntled soldiers. Besides, do you really think that the likes of Capt. Antonio Trillanes, Captain Nick Faeldon, Former Senator Gringo Honasan, Brig. Gen. Danny Lim and Col. Ariel Querubin can stomach the maoist rhetoric of Joma Sison? Highly improbable.

3. The CD and other documents confiscated from 1st Lt. Lawrence San Juan upon his capture allegedly disclosed the purported agreement among the NPA, Magdalo, NGOs and some opposition personalities to launch a coup d’ etat against the duly constituted authorities. Firstly, in this day and age, it’s so easy to come up with a document and call it an “agreement”. Secondly, these people are not that dumb as to actually prepare a written understanding of their intention to bring down the Arroyo administration. For what purpose? So that the military will not be hard pressed to search for evidence the moment they get caught? I may not have first hand information on these matters but certainly they defy all standards of logic and reason.

4. Finally, the warrant of arrest issued against Honasan was based on his alleged involvement in the 2003 Oakwood mutiny while that of Rep. Crispin Beltran was based on a 1985 rebellion case. Unbelievable! If government really has a solid case against Honasan and Beltran relative to the recently foiled coup attempt (assuming there was one), then why resurrect cases as old as 21 years ago? Since both Beltran and Honasan are said to represent the extreme Left and the extreme Right — if we are to use Malacanang’s words — is there clear and present danger in a rebellion that later became Edsa I or to a mutiny of an entirely different set of facts?

From a bystander’s point of view, clearly there is no factual basis for declaring a state of national emergency in the sense of an NPA - Magdalo alliance. What I know of is a state of emergency in the office of the President — in the sense of a Gloria-Garci alliance — hounded by continuing doubts of legitimacy.