‘Fire in the hole!’

At first, I thought it was “old news” being reposted on Facebook, so I scrolled past the statement that large groups of people were assembling along EDSA, effectively blocking northbound traffic.

About an hour later, the same “report” started to stream all over social media until one item stated the Who, What, When & Where, plus the Why people were gathering at EDSA.

As we now all know, the people were members of Iglesia Ni Cristo conducting a show of force, taking a stand and declaring they were fed up with the selective and politicized application of justice in the Philippines.

The INC questioned why their member, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta who actively pushed to investigate the ghost projects, was being targeted regarding campaign contributions, while the controversial congressman Martin Romualdez continued to be untouchable if not protected regarding the ghost flood projects.

The issues raised by the INC are all valid. But something was off!

What caught my attention was how the hyper vigilant NCR police officials securing the portal to People Power on EDSA ended up being caught off-guard or unawares?

The EDSA Shrine is second only to Malacañang in terms of being secured against rallyists and political threats.

One official was quoted as saying that “they had received intelligence reports that a rally was being planned. What they did not know was when.” To be fair, even the usually hyperactive rumor mongers of Metro Manila had no idea that a rally would be staged.

There was no gossip of any kind claiming or talking about a rally on EDSA. And if we are to believe the MMDA/PNP leadership, they were all simply caught by surprise.

That the INC was able to pull off the movement of an estimated 7,000 to 10,000 people at the break of dawn and bring them, by the busloads, to EDSA is impressive, albeit perhaps frightening for the military and the police.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and undermine the capabilities of our law enforcers. I honestly don’t believe for one minute that the police and the MMDA were fooled or caught off guard.

What I find more plausible is that we are about to see a “script” unfold, where the theme song is “My Way” and the movie title “The Beginning of The End.” Just who ends up singing “My Way” is yet to be seen.

Yes, this sounds like a conspiracy theory or perhaps clutching at straws, but try explaining why, in spite of “intel reports,” the authorities did not take precautionary measures as they often do when activists move towards EDSA or Malacañang.

At the very least, PNP NCR would have posted a platoon or two of police officers alongside force multipliers from the AFP and the MMDA. But they didn’t.

Did the INC really catch the PNP-MMDA off guard? The question begs to be asked, considering the INC leadership are such sticklers for rules, laws and organizations, so much so that sneaking up to the EDSA monument and causing traffic chaos violates their ethics.

So now we have two inconsistencies: first the PNP-MMDA were caught off guard and second that the whole of the INC would act with rebellion and deception. Third would be, why go through so much trouble when phone calls and public statements or “letters from the INC” have sufficed in the past?

In the fertile regions of my imagination, I cannot help but think that a political strategist suggested the “public display of indignation” on EDSA. Make it look like a sneak attack, limit the issue to serving justice fairly by including Martin Romualdez for arrest, and declaring “Hell no, we won’t go.”

The optics and messaging of what happened on EDSA and what the INC declared pushed the administration against the wall.

Perhaps certain parties came to an understanding that in order to clean up our political Pandora’s box, while protecting PBBM, someone needed to drop a match or a grenade and shout “Fire in the hole!” thereby giving the President cause to take drastic action. The INC did that.

One way or another, those in power have to take sides, whether it’s for public interest or for self-preservation. People close to the President have time and again suggested the philosophy of Caiaphas that “it is better that one man dies than for an entire nation to perish” (John 11:50-52).

In our present political situation, flesh and blood Filipinos, not trolls and hacks, want nothing less than the truth, a proper investigation of all contractors, CongTractors, DPWH and political proponents, congressmen and senators involved.

If that means that all of the suspects and accused need to be arrested and take up residence in jail or detention, tough. Them are the rules and laws these legislators crafted and passed. Not every President gets the full backing of the people to clean house, both houses of Congress.

I can understand that PBBM may be traumatized from the People Power protest of ’86. But he should also remind himself of the untold story of “the flight from Malacañang.” The betrayal his father and family experienced during that time when the relatives they were counting on for help abandoned them to make a deal and save themselves. Now would be a good time to return the “favor.”

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