Why JPE couldn't quite convince me.
By eileenleyva
@eileenleyva (27555)
Philippines
September 21, 2012 5:21pm CST
The recent spat at the senate floor opened again a can of worms.
Timely, wasn't it, that the 40th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law was being remembered, so the new generation would know, and the Filipino would not forget, the grim and dark days when the writ of habeas corpus was suspended, and freedom was like a drop of water to a parched throat. Many actually hanged on to that last drop of water, till their lives were brutally taken, by soulless soldiers, under the command of a ruthless dictator.
History had it that the ambush on JPE was what made the president turned dictator declare Martial Law in '72. JPE, right after the EDSA Revolution in '86, admitted that his ambush was staged to give the president a reason to declare Martial Law. That is what I heard distinctly in the news, and of course I couldn't forget how lamely JPE said it, as if he was coerced by conscience to tell the truth.
This time though, as another senator invoked that incident, JPE claims that Martial Law had been declared when the ambush happened.
Well, he only knows what the truth is. What I'd like to know is why he kept mum when all the killings were being carried on.
2 people like this
5 responses
@rsa101 (40976)
• Philippines
24 Sep 12
JPE is the only relic that was symbolic of martial law. I think he would not openly admit that he is part since he was able to escape that twist during the EDSA revolt which made him instant celebrity and almost a hero to our country.
Now that the past is being reviewed by many historians we are opened to a new angle about JPE's participation in that event in history. Of course after being on public service for that long I think he was able to sneak in and out of various administrations without being investigated with regards to his participation in the Martial law era. I guess he has a very good tactics on how to do this for the past several decades and even remained in government this long.
1 person likes this
@eileenleyva (27555)
• Philippines
25 Sep 12
Excellent perception, rsa. I am glad you saw that angle which everyone else, except perhaps de Quiros of Inquirer, had been afraid to speak about. He was Defense Minister during Martial Law, and he had generals, that's why there were so many who were afraid.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
22 Sep 12
Well, I really wonder why people are voting for JPE. I never and have never voted for him even for once. People do easily forget history or maybe some are really stupid to believe false promises of candidates like him. JPE has been really lucky. Since the time of Marcos and up to now he is still enjoying good position in the government. Now... blame it to stupid voters.
1 person likes this
@eileenleyva (27555)
• Philippines
22 Sep 12
Neither have I.
What is that Filipino proverb again... Ang masamang damo... I can't get the exact saying.
@LetranKnight25 (33117)
• Philippines
22 Sep 12
Hello Eileenleyva, He should have admitted what happened was just part of a machinery to declare martial law. I have watch all the speeches of Marcos and none of them were quite convincing and merely a good rhetoric, but proven a real puppy of United States. I don't want this kind of Military Rule, though we are on a struggle now, but i think freedom of speech shouldn't be disregarded.
1 person likes this
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
22 Sep 12
People mellow and tone down with age, perhaps he is different now or have different needs than during the time of the dictatorship ( just guessing), anyway, the people already forgave him for he's role in the Edsa I revolution that's why he keeps getting voted into office and to be fair he's very bright, perhaps he used he's intelligence differently during the time of Marcos than how he used it during the Edsa revolution to the time of CJ Corona!
@eileenleyva (27555)
• Philippines
22 Sep 12
Has he asked for forgiveness? No, I have not forgiven him. And time is running out of his side. I don't think he will receive forgiveness, in all his intelligence, he must be missing on this one word.
@jeanneyvonne (5500)
• Philippines
24 Sep 12
Stayed late and watched it. I think that I can only agree with what his editor/biographer has said. Hate or love JPE, it's his story, whether you agree or not. At least it brings some pictures into light for everyone to consider. He will be judged by history and time (and in his own admission by God). I can only say that it is good that some people are speaking up. 40 years and some facts still remain in the dark. It is just one man's story and it's up to the people whether they want to hear it or not. I don't know whether I am lucky that I lived today because there is so much clash when it comes to history and details of the past.
@louievill (28846)
• Philippines
23 Sep 12
Did you watch the JPE story last night? I'm not sure but I think I heard him sort of apologize, well we should not take his story hook, line and sinker but there's just something to it that I think is very truthful and formed him to what he was and to what he is and to what he would be, honestly while just listening ( i was not watching cause i was doing something else)you suddenly crossed my mind my friend and this discussion. Yeah goo ol "Manong" Johnny.
1 person likes this
@yahnee (1243)
• Philippines
22 Sep 12
It looks like you were not born during the Marcos regime and martial law years? I was still very young then but I remembered the adults in the house discussing that no one is allowed to speak against the government. If JPE did speak at that time, perhaps we would not be looking at him right now. I remembered mom and my grandparents always talked in whispers about what is happening in the country. They were quite skeptical about the Enrile ambush and if he was guilty of that, he has made the turnaround at the right time since he was one of those instrumental in the ouster of the Marcoses. Whatever wrong he has done was perhaps outweighed by his role in the EDSA revolution. The Marcos years were not exactly grim and dark. It was was a regime of discipline where everyone followed the law. The economy was quite good then and the infrastructures we are enjoying at the moment were all products of that regime. What people then did not enjoy was the freedom of speech and expression which we now have an excess of.
@eileenleyva (27555)
• Philippines
22 Sep 12
yahnee, you must have your lions crossed. Study the history in-depth and explain why ever not extermination of freedom fighters not grim and dark. Your folks whispered because they feared for their lives, that was not discipline at all. Did you mean the narrow infrastructures that now cause flood, had those thoroughfares been well planned, our highways would have given us better paths.
@yahnee (1243)
• Philippines
23 Sep 12
Each of us have our own perceptions of history but it is very difficult to judge circumstances not unless you are an actual eye-witness and not basing your opinions upon those of others. While it is true that many atrocities were committed during that regime, let it be history who will judge. What is now emphasized were only the grim details from people who did not even gain the actual experience of those days.
@eileenleyva (27555)
• Philippines
23 Sep 12
Did we have to be eyewitness to Hitler's genocide to understand his persecution of the Jews? Now yahnee, we can judge dictators, they took lives as if the power they had made them gods. You wouldn't want to be eyewitness to someone undergoing electrocution in his or her genitals, let alone being raped. Could you endure that?
