A different revolution

What will this day bring? This is the 22nd anniversary of the original bloodless revolt staged by our citizens at the now historic Epifanio de los Santos Highway, better known as EDSA. Instead of parades and merrymaking, preceded by religious ceremonies offered in thanksgiving for the gift of liberation that EDSA I brought us, we will again see massing of people, and yes, religious rites as well, but the participants will not be rejoicing, they will be mourning for what is happening to their beloved country, and agitating for transparency and truthfulness from their officials.

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Will all this lead to another EDSA? We cannot quite be sure whether it will be EDSA IV, or just EDSA III, considering the last massing had not been officially acknowledged to be of the same caliber. Whatever will develop after today’s protests and accusations, we do not know. Everybody seems to be praying, but, obviously, with different supplications sent up to heaven. Yesterday, the President was shown at a mass said in Malacañang, among her supporters and staff, and it was there that she very emphatically declared, “I am the President, and no other”. One wonders though, why she was presiding at such a gathering wearing a stark black outfit, as if she, too, were in mourning.

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I wish she had not worn that, since it may only lead her own people to call her another name. She has already been tagged as “evil” allegedly by her economic adviser Romulo Neri, she has also been (jokingly kuno) a “bitch” by a favorite student Joey Salceda, and “tiyanak” by a not-so-friendly senator Jamby Madrigal. The black dress with the low collar might tempt another to call her a “vamp”. Well, she has shrugged off the name-calling, and I’m glad she goes by the old nursery rhyme that says: Sticks and stones may break my bones, But words can never hurt me. And, indeed, she also told the media, that none of these are affecting her sleep. Still the sleep of the just, eh?

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I’m sure many others noticed that the President, while speaking, almost made a slip of the tongue. Referring to the new head of the House of Representatives, she said, “Speaker de V…” and quickly corrected herself “Speaker Nograles”. Force of habit. In the meantime, the man she had replaced, and sent into detention at his own resthouse and then pardoned, is having a fun time, going around the country, renewing acquaintances with his old political friends and getting crowds of people swarming around him. I was surprised when I heard him say that he does not want President Arroyo to resign. I thought he had made a deal with her. But no, he followed that up by saying that he wants her to also go through an impeachment trial, as he did.

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Well, different people have different reasons for not wanting the President to let go of her post. That was Erap’s reason, but Senator Loren Legarda obviously has another. With the resignation or ouster of GMA, who would take her place? Oh no, it would be her nemesis, the one she believes stole the vice presidency from her. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court didn’t think so, and now VP Noli de Castro is gloating over his legitimacy. But who could be spreading all that black propaganda against him at this point?

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Meanwhile, it’s no longer a crying Lozada that we are seeing these days on TV. If anything, we see a smiling and joking man, who looks more relaxed, even if he seems to have lost more hair since he first showed up at the Senate. Yesterday, he revealed the extent of the demolition being waged on him – he disclosed that his siblings and his wife have been slapped with charges. “They may soon file charges against my dog,” he said. Don’t laugh, Jun. Stranger things could happen to you.

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It is very clear that those who are angry at Jun Lozada are doing all they can to discredit him, by digging up all the sins he had committed, to show that he is no saint, either. The difference between them, however, is that Lozada was struck by the light on the road to Calamba, Cavite and Libis, and decided to not only tell the truth, but also to admit his wrongdoings. Remember, he even defanged La Miriam when she had focused her glaring eyes and twisting lips on him by softly telling her “Mea culpa”. I remember Miriam even told him, “At least you are humble”. As they say, “A soft answer turneth away wrath”. Jun Lozada must have heard about that.*

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