Unity At Last?

Posted by Alecks Pabico 
PCIJ

OUT of tonight's inter-faith prayer gathering called by the De La Salle Brothers at the school's Greenhills campus, a broad coalition of mass movements, political parties, civil society organizations and religious groups invariably clamoring for Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's resignation, impeachment and ouster has been formalized, all uniting under the banner of truth.

Calling themselves Bukluran sa Katotohanan (Coalition for the Truth), a name unanimously adopted from the theme of the event, the new movement significantly unites disparate groups that have not come together until this evening, as well as brings the so-called "middle forces" (students, professionals, the business sector) into the fold of the Arroyo resign-impeach-ouster (RIO) campaign.

"Our unity is anchored on principles and our aspirations for change, a change that is in turn anchored on the clamor for the truth," said Rep. Etta Rosales of the Akbayan party list.

The occasion marked the first public appearance together of former Pres. Corazon Aquino and Susan Roces, widow of Fernando Poe Jr., the opposition's presidential candidate in the 2004 elections.

Addressing the crowd who came to listen to the Catholic mass and the Christian and Muslim (Duwa'a) service, Mrs. Aquino, now 72, vowed to give whatever she can to the campaign for the truth.

"Pasensya na po kayo dito sa matanda niyong kababayan. Akala ko ay maaari na akong magpahinga. Pero siguro ganyan talaga ang buhay. At ako naman, habang kaya ko pa ay iaalay ko ang lahat nang aking makakaya para sa inyo, " she said.

For the first time, too, the key personalities in the RIO campaign have come out in public together. Aside from the country's two most famous widows, also in attendance were 26 of the pro-impeachment congressmen who received the loudest and longest applause of the evening; Bro. Eddie Villanueva of Bangon Pilipinas; three of the resigned Cabinet members who came to be known as the "Hyatt 10"; former senators Wigberto "Bobby" Tañada and Leticia Ramos-Shahani; Reporma's Renato de Villa and Frank Chavez; Mayors Jejomar Binay and JV Ejercito of the United Opposition; and leaders of recently launched mass formations like the Laban ng Masa, Black and White Movement, White Ribbon Movement, Unity for Truth and Justice, and the Gloria Step Down Movement.

Satur Ocampo, Bayan Muna party-list representative, however, said that the coalition's message is still muted.

"Tonight, prayer is the main expression. What remains to be seen is the unified call for protest actions in a more dramatic way," said Ocampo, though he disclosed that the different groups are now in talks.

But do expect the coalition's initial show of force next week in anticipation of Tuesday's plenary vote on the House justice committee's decision to throw out all the impeachment complaints against Arroyo last Friday.

"And if they will kill the impeachment," Rosales said, "we hope it will be the signal for the people to come out and join us in waving the banner of truth."  

Following are excerpts of Mrs. Aquino's brief remarks:

Unang-una, nais kong magpasalamat kay Bro. Armin (Luistro) for organizing this event.

Salamat din kay Bishop (Antonio) Tobias for the mass and all the priests.

Salamat sa inyong lahat. Salamat din kay Susan at narito siya ngayon upang makiisa sa atin.

Ito po ang kauna-unahang pagkakataon na makunan kami ng litrato ni Susan. Nagkita na po kami noong ibang araw pero private lamang po iyon. Pero ngayon siguro ay nararapat na nga na magkaisa tayong lahat upang manalangin sa panginoong diyos na ibigay sa atin ang katotohanan.

Salamat din sa Hyatt 10…At salamat sa ating mga congressmen…Ang hanap natin ay 79 at balita ko ay nadagdagan na dahil si Congressman (Antonino) Roman ay narito na rin…

Ano ba ang kailangang gawin para dumami kayo at para makamit natin ang katotohanan na hinahanap natin?

Kanina naisip ko na kung minsan matagal ang pagsagot sa aking panalangin. Alam po ninyo noong 1972, panahon ng martial law, ang aking panalangin palagi sa Diyos, kung maaari po sana i-release na lang Niyo si Ninoy.

Naghintay po kami nang matagal. Nakita ko nga rito si Rita Rodrigo Sevilla, na kasama ng daddy niya si Ninoy. Nandito rin si Bobby Tañada na katulong namin at katulong natin ang kanyang magiting na ama.

Noong 1975, nag-hunger strike si Ninoy for 40 days. Tapos 1978 sumali ang laban at katakot-takot ang dayaan noon, at talo silang lahat. Inisip ko nga, wala na bang katapusan ito? Kailan kaya sasagutin ng Panginoong Diyos ang aking panalangin?

But God does work in mysterious ways. And in 1980, Ninoy suffered a heart attack. And it was that heart attack which gave us the passport to freedom.

Kaya kung minsan po hindi natin naiintindihan, bakit natatagalan ang paggsagot sa ating panalangin. Katulad po nang nangyari sa ating Batasan Tuesday. Nag-walk out. At inisip natin, ano ba ito? Wala na tayong pag-asa?

But because of that walkout, I think, Bro. Armin, you were  inspired to call all of us together to pray. So let us continue to pray for each other, to support each other. I am sure that if more and more of us pray and ask the Lord to bring us closer to the truth, He will do that and he will grant us not only 79, but more than 79, although  we will be happy with 79.

So maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat. Pasensya na po kayo dito sa matanda niyong kababayan. Akala ko ay maaari na akong magpahinga. Pero siguro ganyan talaga ang buhay. At ako naman, habang kaya ko pa ay iaalay ko ang lahat nang aking makakaya para sa inyo.

Maraming salamat.