Jesus M Elbinias
IT is very thorough of chief of staff Michael Defensor in planning about the format and place of the dialogue between President Arroyo and the soldiers such that he said he would need more time to finalize the details of the plan in setting the dialogue to clear the air regarding whatever issues that will be leveled against the President by the opposition. Mike Defensor has made it known that despite her being the Commander in Chief, Gloria still goes down to the level of her soldiers in this forthcoming dialogue to seek openly what they are nursing in their heart.
Defensor emphasized that the dialogue is between her and the soldiers without their commanding officers.
With those officers present in the dialogue, the soldiers may not reveal the true grievances they have in their heart.
* * *
Since certain officers and men affected by the crackdown in the AFP have sought a meeting with President Arroyo to explain their side, Defensor’s emphasizing that the dialogue is between her and the soldiers without their commanding officers is well taken. After all, as Defensor surmised, "the crack-down is not aimed at making an example of a few officers but will cover all enlisted personnel and soldiers who participated in the supposed coup plot."
With those officers present in the dialogue, the soldiers may not reveal the true grievances they have in their heart. The same is true with respect to the officers if they would be present in the meeting together with the soldiers. Together, the officers and the enlisted men might contradict each other to absolve themselves.
* * *
If it is true that the military officers who planned the move perceived to be a coup (which they insist it’s not so) were aware that a junta or a military-run government would face strong resistance from the people. They finally agreed that calling for an immediate elections was the key to have another person than President Arroyo to govern the country, toying with the idea in the future of making Senate President Drilon head the caretaker government once the circumstances showing there is resistance on the ground that the caretaker is overwhelmingly ruled by military people. If an immediate election would be the key for stability as they said, why didn’t they demand it in a negotiation instead of attempting to start a coup.
* * *
Did the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), the Church’s local policy-making body, mean that by having decided to ignore the Proclamation 1017 issue now, they would maintain the same stand in the future? As they said, Arroyo had already lifted the order, and that this body only tackled internal issues concerning the church. The CBCP president, Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, said that the CBCP did not even have enough time to discuss the concerns of all dioceses and commissions; thus, he said, there was really no time for them to talk about politics. This statement of the good Archbishop should be welcomed by the public. Henceforth, we don’t have to argue with those Archbishops on the immorality of politicians and politics.
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