Fed up with destabilizers

The President should thank her lucky stars as the majority seemed fed up with attempts to destabilize the government.

Although there was an estimated 20,000 who attended the Day of Mourning and Protest in Bacolod yesterday, it was a silent protest that did not include an attack against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo or a statement asking her to quit Malacañang.

There were the usual clamor for her and Congress to scrap anti-people laws a such as the oil-deregulation law, privatization and others. But Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra must have known beforehand that these were pronouncements that go beyond the understanding of the average tao.

He made it very clear, though, that "this is not a call for the ouster of Arroyo, but a concentrated appeal of the people for her to change the system of the government."

The Bagong Alyansa Makabayan-Negros Felipe Levy Galla said they were asking for the immediate ouster of Mrs. Arroyo and for the installation of a National People’s Council to be composed of members of the Church, militant groups and businessmen. This council, he explained, will discuss patriotic programs and true land reform and nationalization of industries.

United Negros Drivers and Operations Center’s Jessie Ortega called on Bishop Navarra and the Bacolod Diocese to launch a demand to scrap the Oil Deregulation Law, liberalization and privatization.

In contrast to the Metro Manila scene, the Church-sponsored protest March drew a big crowd from the three dioceses of Negros Island, but it was a subdued affair.

Apparently, majority felt that something could happen if the situation were to deteriorate further in the metropolis and they did not want to add fuel to the fire.

Jueteng payola

Gilda Pey-Locsin, a Spanish-language teacher, pointed out that the jueteng probe is causing so much problems. "Why don’t they present the evidence and just file the cases in court against the so-called recipients of the jueteng payola? "What happens, for example, when somebody goes to the Senate and testifies that you, Rolly, receives money from jueteng lords? Even without proof, you find your reputation tarnished and you’ll find yourself reduced to having to explain yourself before the Senate," Locsin stressed.

But the most important development is that local government officials and the "silent majority," composed mostly of businessmen, sugar farmers, and the middle class came out openly asking for unity and to stop the destabilization move.

Confed Negros-Panay Chapter published a one full page ad in the local dailies warning that "we cannot keep changing our public officials through extra-constitutional means."

"Let us be democratic and follow the principle of separation of powers and the institutions entrusted by our Constitution," the statement said.

Francis Trenas, Panay Federation of Sugarcane Planters president, and one of Iloilo’s leading businessmen, stressed the need not to allow the situation to set back the take-off of the economy.

Trenas pointed out that further erosion of the situation could only bring down the national economy.

The groups came forward with almost the same plea for sobriety and an appeal for peace.

In short, the public is just tired of everything and will not go along with the idea of ousting the President from Malacañang. After all, there seems to be no possible solution to the problem.

The Confed Negros-Panay Chapter stressed that we "must rally behind our government and our President — fight the enemy which is poverty – and together, bring our country back to economic prosperity."

Put aside self-interest

DOTC Assistant Secretary Ricardo Tan, guest speaker of the Bacolod City Independence Day celebration, stressed the need to love our country since it is the only nation in the Asia-Pacific region which is free.

"Let us use this freedom to move forward and not find fault with our leaders since they are not perfect," he said.

Well, whatever is the outcome of the current turmoil, which seems to have subsided, there is only one thing sure: If this goes on some more, the country is going to be in trouble and all of us will suffer.

But Negrenses found themselves startled by the role played by Susan Roces Sunday. The widow of the late Fernando Poe Jr. briefly dismissed attempts to drag her into the destabilization move by pointing out that her "candidate" is already dead and she expects nothing would come out of the taped conversation purportedly in the hands of former National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) deputy director Sammy Ong.

In Bacolod City, Mayor Bing Leonarida stressed that "we must free ourselves from the bondage of self-motivated or vested interests so that we can work together for one common cause for this country and for Bacolod City that we love most."

Soldiers targeted

The most alarming piece of news, however, was the admission by the 303rd Infantry Brigade that certain groups are involved in the destabilization attempt against the government, even targeting soldiers in Negros for disinformation and recruitment.

This was revealed by Col. Jogy Fojas, the brigade commander, who said that they have received reports of attempts by former military men to recruit and influence soldiers in Negros to join the destabilization plot.

But he immediately stressed that they "pledged our unconditional support to President Arroyo, the duly constituted government and the AFP chain of command."

He also vowed to throw the full force of the law against those recruiting his men to help the destabilization efforts.

Lechon festival

While the national capital region was in the grip of jitters, Silay City residents celebrated Independence Day with a lechon festival where 105 lechons were served Saturday to some 740 Silaynons.

The roasted pigs were paraded in the city’s major thorough- fares in the morning before they were served to the public for free.

Kiosks were set up in front of the City Hall where Silaynons lined up and waited patiently to be served their lechon lunch.

Many parents brought along their children and despite the intense noon-day heat the grassy portion of the plaza was filled with people.

Silay City Mayor Carlo Gamban said the lechon festival, celebrated there for the first time, was launched in lieu of the search for Lin-ay Sang Silay or Miss Silay City.

The food was served freely to anyone who wished to partake of the lechon lunch without having to pay for anything.

The P350,000 budget for the lechon, Gamban said, came from payments for the kiosks and rental of other spaces in the public plaza during the celebration.

That was certainly a more satisfying celebration of Independence Day.