A diary of Cory’s political birth

Whenever I think of EDSA I am reminded of the 1978 Interim Batasan Pambansa campaign. Ninoy had convinced Monching Mitra, Soc Rodrigo, Nap Rama, Neptali Gonzales, Tito Guingona, Alex Boncayao, Noli Santos, Charito Planas, Anding Roces, Gerry Barican and other patriots to participate in the elections with him. Ninoy, incarcerated, wanted to awaken the Filipino from lethargy. Brave candidates embarked on their mission to speak against martial law and the restoration of our freedom. Ninoy asked Peping Cojuangco to be their campaign manager. He set up a stage with lights and a sound system. All they attracted were children playing at the plaza and stray dogs as audience. Nevertheless, none of the candidates were discouraged and continued with their speeches as if they were talking to thousands.

At one meeting Peping roamed around a plaza and noticed that fearful municipal folks were trying to listen from their windows. Seeing that, he had the speaker wires extended and the sound system face the houses instead of the front of the stage. Then one day a man came out from hiding then another and when folks saw no one arrested (yet) they were emboldened to stand before the stage.

All rallies were at night from six to 12 midnight simultaneously. This required tremendous coordination so that all the candidates could speak at every rally in Metro Manila. The culmination of the campaign was a noise barrage that will probably never be duplicated. Peping had seen a newsletter and picked up the suggestion, distributed fliers at churches after Sunday Masses and in marketplaces, inviting everyone to join in. The noise barrage from honking cars and clashing pots and pans lasted ‘til one a.m. and quieted down when men in uniform began to interfere. Soc Rodrigo, Lorenzo Tañada and Peping had gotten tired anyway from beating the steel fence of Senator Tañada’s house. It had such an impact on President Marcos that he called an emergency meeting that very evening (or so we heard).

In the meantime, the result of the Metro Manila election was 21-0 with unknown Kilusang Bagong Lipunan or KBL candidates beating the likes of Ninoy, Monching, Nep, Tito, Nap, Anding and Soc. From that election the LABAN political party was born. After the famous (or infamous) electoral fraud wherein the Chairman of the Comelec was branded as illiterate in mathematics, Peping reported to Ninoy at Fort Bonifacio. His words were, “Mission accomplished.” They had awakened fellow countrymen and the cheating was now immaterial. So what was the next strategy, Peping asked Ninoy, who answered, “Just wait and see.” Ninoy then told Peping we should never remove the dictatorship through armed rebellion using  Nicaragua as an example.

When Ninoy was assassinated, we thought it was the end of the opposition. No one else could be our rallying figure. Apparently we had underestimated the consequences of Ninoy’s death. So many were willing to join every effort to fight for freedom — and bring down the dictator!

Early in 1985, a Comelec employee whom Peping had recommended during his term as Congressman reported that Comelec was canvassing pencils, paper and election paraphernalia.  To him, this could mean snap elections for the presidency. If that were so, chances were Cory would be forced to run for president against Marcos. Considering the unorganized state of the opposition, we were facing a disaster. Armed with that information, Peping called a meeting with his Sumulong cousins Ding and Bambi and his campaign buddies with Paul Aquino explaining his suspicions. They came up with an organization. He did not include politicians at that early stage because their motivation was based on speculation. But friends and relatives were willing to take a chance. They recruited regional coordinators from each of the 13 regions who in turn chose their provincial and municipal coordinators. Some of the  enthusiastic freedom fighters were Nene Pimentel, Tony Cuenco, Emil Ong, Dodo Cagas, Raul del Mar, Tarzan Lazatin, Raul Daza, Romy Santos, Simeon Garcia, Bren Guiao, Mamintal Adiong, Tarhata Alonto Lucman… to name a few. By the time the snap election was announced, we had covered all the provinces. I took charge with Jun Simon of the most dangerous areas, Regions 9 and 12 in Mindanao. 

Our first organizational meeting was in September with Rely German and Billy Esposo as our PR men who played their Cory jingle. Much to the appreciation of our neighbors’ maids who were peeping from their cement wall they clapped their hands in glee. Meanwhile Cory still had no idea about the preparations for her candidacy. The mere suggestion of her running angered her.

Finally, Peping remembers, “Before the snap election, I played golf with American Ambassador Steve Bosworth. He assured me that as far as he knew, Washington had no objections to Cory’s leadership. He was curious as to why this was an issue because no election had been called yet! Meanwhile in Washington we were assured of the support of the US Secretary of State Schultz through my friend, Mr. Robert Trent Jones, Jr.”

How did Cory finally become the candidate, I asked Peping. “We were at the office one morning and she burst into my room fuming. Apparently Assemblyman Tarzan Lazatin had paid her a visit to lecture her about the harm that would be done to Ninoy if she ever decided to run for president. Assemblyman Lazatin obviously presented his negative opinion quite effectively as I had never seen Cory so angry. That same day Cory was a guest speaker and announced she would run for president if she were presented with one million signatures endorsing her candidacy. That was no problem. Don Chino Roces handled the signature campaign with Joey Lina.

 “There we were, a ragtag organization with a candidate, running against a well-oiled machine that was the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan. The next step was to get the other opposition parties to support Cory. Most of the 60 assemblymen were members of the UNIDO, a political party under the leadership of the Laurels. The problem we faced was Doy Laurel wanted to run for president. So Ninoy’s sister Lupita and I started negotiations.”

My Peping contacted Macario “Peping” Laurel and explained victory was certain for Marcos if both Doy and Cory ran for president. Worse, history would be unkind to both because of the stubbornness of both families. Cory’s support came from the people and Doy’s from a political organization. Could they join up?

Peping Laurel promised to convince his family that Doy should run for vice president. The situation improved every time. The Laurel family agreed. Peping Laurel personally fetched Speaker Jose Laurel at the airport to make sure no one tried to convince him otherwise. The Aquino, Cojuangco and Laurel families met at Maur Aquino Lichauco’s residence early that evening. Speaker Laurel, Ambassador Laurel and Doy presented their side while Doña Aurora, Cory and I presented our side. Speaker Laurel then assured us their family had consented and they would support Cory. However they suggested Cory run under UNIDO, which was readily accepted.

Peping handled the gratifying campaign for Cory. The crowd overflowed and coins and bills were handed to Cory at rallies! Shall we ever experience a show of sincere generosity like that again?

I was prompted to write this article from my diary because, as time goes by, few will remember the sacrifice and valor of the millions of people who risked life and property for the cause of democracy against the silence and death of martial law.