“The political atmosphere has been poisoned to such an extent that even the presence of President Cory and her contribution to the struggle for democracy is being questioned,” Makati Mayor and opposition vice presidential bet Jejomar Binay said.

As the nation celebrates the 24th anniversary of the February 1986 EDSA Revolution this week, Makati Mayor and United Opposition (UNO) vice presidential bet Jejomar C. Binay lamented the “flurry of poisoned political statements” that even questioned the presence of former President Corazon C. Aquino in the people’s revolt.

“President Cory was at EDSA. I was a witness to her being there,” he said, referring to Aquino’s historic speech at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) Building in the afternoon of February 24.

“The political atmosphere has been poisoned to such an extent that even the presence of President Cory and her contribution to the struggle for democracy is being questioned,” he said.

“It seems everything is fair game to political operators, even the memory of a democracy icon, and I find this appalling,” he added.

Binay, a human rights lawyer who was also a volunteer member of Aquino’s close-in security team during the 1985 snap presidential elections and the EDSA revolution, specifically pointed to notes posted on the social networking site Facebook.

“We may have disagreements over our choices in the coming elections. But we should remember that if it were not for EDSA and the sacrifices of all those who fought against the dictatorship, we would not be having elections at all, or be free to express our opinions,” he said.

As Binay recalled, Aquino met with her senior advisers in the morning of February 24, a Monday, to discuss concerns about a move to create a civilian-military junta and how to assert civilian supremacy under a democratic government after the revolution.

There was a heated discussion whether to allow Aquino to appear in public, with most of her senior advisers against it, Binay said.

“President Cory spoke and said, ‘Ang akala ko ba ang usapan natin, kung kailangan nating gumawa ng supreme sacrifice gagawin natin.’  The room fell quiet, and then Cory asked Peping (Cojuangco) to look for a spot where she can speak. Peping, in turn, asked me to look for the place,” he said. (“I thought that what we talked about was if there’s a need to offer supreme sacrifice, we have to do it.”)

Binay said he decided on the POEA building because the structure provided ample protection from sniper fire.

Mrs. Aquino spoke from a makeshift stage at the building’s front steps, in the presence of family, supporters, and some priests and nuns. The program was over in 15 minutes, he added.

The event was reported in several newspapers, along with excerpts of her brief remarks where she appealed for “compassion and healing” now that victory was at hand, Binay said.

In a related development, a television show assessed the gains and lessons from EDSA I and EDSA II.

“We are in a vicious cycle of euphoria, disappointment, discontent and rejection that has held the country down in the years between EDSA I and EDSA II until now.”

This was the general assessment during the launch of the Ituwid Natin discussions aired over ANC recently.

“We are in a vicious cycle. Mag u-unite tayo, mag-ooverthrow ng corrupt government, pagkatapos nun, papasok na naman weakness, allegations of corruption, ang nagiging resulta, rejection of government, not only by the people but even the allies,” noted Ateneo Law School Dean Cesar Villanueva who co-hosted the show with TV personality Toni Gonzaga.

Chief moderator was respected TV host Boy Abunda who was joined by a panel composed of Patricia Sto. Tomas, chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines who served under three administrations; retired Col. Red Kapunan, a top official of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM); and urban poor group leader Apolina “Ka Poneng” Tolentino.

The forum, the first in a daily series of discussions, covered the gains and lessons learned from EDSA I and EDSA II. It noted that nearly half of the Filipino population now, between ages 18 to 40, may not have a full grasp of the events that led to the People Power revolutions – more so the lessons they left for the people to learn from.

“Bumabalik na naman tayo dun. May cycle of discontent. Bumabalik na naman tayo doon na nagdududa tayo sa lahat,” said Kapunan.

Kapunan, however, explained that the RAM’s own show of “discontent” with the Aquino administration, which came in the form of six attempted coup d’etats, was borne out of their disappointment on how the then Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) “started raiding the Marcos cronies only to find the treasures, cars, jewelry in the pockets of some (Aquino administration) officials.”

The discussions also tackled the problems that saddled the Ramos, Estrada and Arroyo administrations.

Sto. Tomas, who served as Civil Service Commission chair under Aquino and Labor Secretary under President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, expressed her frustration that “all the distrust has already traumatized the Filipino people.”

Meanwhile, the Philippine Military Academy, Class 1980, has adopted the four daughters of former President Aquino as their classmates.

The four sisters – Maria Elena “Ballsy” Aquino-Cruz, Maria Aurora Pinky Aquino-Abellada, Victoria Elisa Aquino-Dee, and Kristina Bernadette Aquino-Yap – were adopted as classmates by the members of the Mapitagan

Class in honor of the ideals, work, sacrifices not only of former President Aquino but also former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., whose lives are constant reminder to the soldiers and the Filipino people to have the honor and duty to serve the people with courage, integrity and loyalty. (With a report from Dexter A. See)