‘People power all about peaceful fight for democracy

MANILA, Philippines - Mindanao should not be left behind in the peaceful fight for democracy and progress, which was what people power was all about, President Aquino stressed yesterday as he warned those plotting to derail the peace process that they would not succeed.

Speaking at the commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the EDSA people power revolution, the President said all those who experienced being part of a peaceful uprising would know the good outcome of being circumspect, as he acknowledged the need to regain trust among all parties involved in the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“We know the positive fruits of exercising sobriety and remaining calm – of allowing reason, faith and love for one another to take precedence – instead of allowing ourselves to be carried away by anger and our emotions. If back then God guided our nation towards peaceful change, I have faith that in spite of these new challenges, our trust in each other will prevail,” Aquino said in a low-key celebration at the EDSA Shrine in Ortigas Center for the bloodless revolution that ended the Marcos dictatorship in 1986.

Cabinet members, including Vice President Jejomar Binay, were present along with some movers of the first EDSA revolution. The President delivered his speech before the final blessing at a mass celebrated by Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. Some of the attendees wore yellow shirts but there were no other festivities – a stark contrast to past celebrations.

Aquino said Filipinos must remember that conflict in Mindanao could cause instability for the whole country and so it is everyone’s obligation to pursue peace in the south.

“But we are all aware that the path to peace is not easy,” he said.

“The characteristic we all needed to display… was trust. The good sincere exchange between the two sides that led to an agreement that was acceptable to all was a product of trust,” Aquino said.

The President said the country is still going through a lot of challenges 29 years after the first EDSA revolution, as he referred to the Mamasapano incident, which led to the deaths of 44 members of the elite Special Action Force (SAF).

But Aquino said Filipinos must not forget that the police commandos did not go to Mamasapano to sow violence but to enforce the law.

“They sacrificed so much so that we could attain peace; it would not be just if what they gave for peace became the spark that ignited further violence,” Aquino said.

He said he wished he could guarantee that nobody would take advantage of the Mamasapano incident as they were exerting every effort to maintain order, pointing out that it would be ideal if those opposed to peace would be able to propose solutions instead of hurling criticisms.

The President also assured the public that his concern for peace and development in Mindanao is genuine, stressing that he never used the situation in the region to command votes or for any selfish interests.

“We will not allow this to happen. It is only by realizing a just and lasting peace that we can say that the sacrifices of those who fought in EDSA – together with those who gave their lives to put an end to the sowing of fear and violence in society – were worth it,” he said.

Faith and compassion

The President said there was an image from the People Power revolution that had been branded into the national consciousness: nuns on their knees who, despite being confronted by the sight of guns, continued to display faith and compassion.

“Through the rosaries and flowers we handed to armed soldiers, through the human chains we formed to stop the advance of tanks, we were able to prove that compassion is the most powerful response to anger; there is no greater weapon than love,” Aquino said.

He then recalled the assassination of his father, Benigno “Ninoy” Jr., in 1983 and said he thought of seeking vengeance. However, he said his perspective changed when he saw thousands of people gathered outside their residence in Times Street, Quezon City, “their fear completely gone… and it was the Filipino people who taught me that achieving my father’s dream of peaceful change was still possible.”

This year’s celebration was made simple in view of the mourning period for those who died in Mamasapano last month, said Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., chairman of the EDSA People Power Commission.

“For the first time in five years, the holding of a mass was a focal point of the celebration. This is to acknowledge that the Filipinos’ faith in God was a major element in the peaceful revolution. A bigger celebration is planned for the 30th anniversary celebration next year, which will be the last to be held in the Aquino administration,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a statement.

Noy ouster

Protesters from Southern Tagalog gather at the Welcome Rotunda in Quezon City yes- terday to call for President Aquino’s resignation.  STAR/Edd Gumban

Speaking at the People Power commemoration, Vice President Jejomar Binay said he is not supporting calls for Aquino’s resignation, contrary to reports linking him to destabilization plots.

“I’m a product of EDSA, democracy must prevail (and we should) respect the Constitution,” Binay said.

Last week, former Tarlac Gov. Tingting Cojuangco said Binay had agreed to form an advisory council in case the President resigns.

Binay’s spokesman for media affairs Joey Salgado, however, denied that the Vice President agreed to the creation of any such body.

For his part, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II said differences in opinion and beliefs among and between the government and the public are healthy because these are part of democracy. – With Robertzon Ramirez, Rhodina Villanueva, Mayen Jaymalin, Helen Flores, Non Alquitran, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Evelyn Macairan