Revisiting Edsa

Ric Maulion .

THERE was no color coding, yellow became red, white and blue — the colors of the flag. It was a simple government-sponsored anniversary celebrated with a meager budget of P2.5 million. President Duterte observed it in Davao. Vice President Leni Robredo celebrated it in Naga. PNoy was not invited, and only key Edsa 1986 figure president was FVR. The number of participants relatively dwindled.

Fine but it doesn’t matter. That is not a problem. What is essential  is  the spirit of the People Power of 1986 is still pervading in the atmosphere, and the “Never Again” cry against dictatorship is still being collectively sounded. Most importantly, and let everyone remember this: we regained our long lost freedom and democracy after decades of Marcos dictatorship!

That’s the Edsa legacy to Filipinos. Millennials,  take note. Never mind the traditional politicians who, because of they have gone nuts, callous and ambitious, are now hailing the same dog with a different collar of dictatorship.

We, Filipinos, are now enjoying the democracy Edsa restored, and it should be our resolve not to allow tyrants to trample on it again. Over our dead bodies!

Through Edsa, Filipinos showed the world how to use Gandhi’s non-violence teaching. We have seen how our People Power influenced the rest of the world. For that, the world honored us. It boosted our morale as Filipinos.

Once ruled by a tyrant, the people became emboldened and united to redeem the democracy that he took away from them. Of course, it came with a price. Freedom and democracy are never given on a silver platter — you have to risk and fight to earn the right. That was Edsa.

Above all, Edsa 1986 proved that not all Filipinos are dumb and cowards. Yes, it took many decades to overthrow the dictatorship. People Power forced him to flee Malacanang to Hawaii until the Marcoses were allowed to return, and now, the new Palace occupant facilitated his burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Whatever happened to that 32 long years after Edsa? What we have become is a continuous drama. Some are rewriting and twisting the Edsa history but then again, let us be reminded that what happened on Feb. 25, 1986 gave us back democracy. How we made use and contiue to make use of that democracy is what matters now.

It is unfortunate that there seems to be a deliberate effort by the Duterte administration and the minions to glorify dictatorship.

“I’m a dictator,” Duterte once said.

Let us examine the number of extrajudicial killings since he came to power, his mishandling of our territorial dispute with China and his suggestion or “joke” for the Chinese to turn the Philippines into a China province, the number of other human rights violations, and the signs and tales of corruption. What we have is authoritarianism slowly but surely at work here.

Then there is martial law in Mindanao. There is an effort, of course, to stifle dissent. Members of the political opposition, legislature, judiciary, including the ombudsman, legislature, human rights watchdogs are being harassed. These are all indications of a creeping cruel dictatorship.

Look at what happened to Sen. Leila de Lima. She is still languishing in jail for what really appears like trumped-up charges. Or the case of the embattled Chief Justice Sereno. And lately, there has been an attempt at booting out deputy ombudsman Melchor Arthur Carandang from his post. He was given a 90-day suspension order for allegedly being the source of Sen. Trillanes on the alleged Duterte bank accounts.

And what an atrocious double standard  this administration has towards mainstream media. I’m sure the media community was stunned more than any ordinary concerned tax payers, witnessing the sitting President berating at will Rappler’s Pia Ranada. Why can’t he just refute the Rappler reports on the frigates deal?