What really transpired during the hostage-taking?

Quirino Grandstand Hostage Taking @ Yahoo! Video

Statement read by Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim

Statement read by Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim

with Former LtSG and now Senator Antonio Trillanes IV

and Former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Jr.

The Manila Peninsula, Makati City

29 November 2007

"Today, we address all and decent Filipinos, to announce that NOW is the time to end the sufferings and miseries inflicted upon us by the illegitimate Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Government and start a new life and a new Philippines.

The die is cast.

Pursuant to our constitutional mandate as “protector of the people and the State,” and by this act, the patriotic officers and men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, supported by the masses of our people and the various political forces, give substance to the constitutional provision which says, “The Philippines is a democratic and republican state. Sovereignty resides in the people, and all government authority emanates from them.” Thus, we take the fateful step of removing Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from the Presidency and undertake the formation of a new government.

Mrs Arroyo had occupied the Presidency under a questionable mandate, publicly disputed by the vast majority of Filipinos. She stole the Presidency from President Joseph Ejercito Estrada through unconstitutional and deceitful means, and later, manipulated the results of the 2004 elections to perpetuate herself in power.

We have individually and collectively tried all means to resolve this legitimacy issue through the normal electoral, judicial and congressional processes. But Mrs Arroyo used naked power through the issuance of EO 464 and other executive proclamations, and the sheer weight of numbers to paralyze the impeachment process—procured at the people’s great expense – to frustrate us at every turn.

After all these had failed, our people tried to air their grievances in peaceful street assemblies. They thought they were exercising a combination of constitutional rights, which no official or agency of government may legally abridge. But they were stopped and dispersed violently with water cannons from firemen and truncheons from the police.

The abuses of her government continue. The deliberate refusal or failure of the dubious leaders to investigate and prosecute the people responsible for the scandalous “Hello Garci” electoral cheating, the Jocjoc Bolante multi million peso fertilizer scam, the IMPSA bribery scandal, the “Jose Pidal” and the jueteng scandals involving billions of public funds, the Northrail Project scandal, the Venable contract scandal, the NBN scandal, wholesale bribery of congressmen and governors in Malacanang, as well as the unabated and resolved extrajudicial killings of citizens, particularly journalists and members of the judiciary, and the use of military and police officers for some unlawful missions, among others, are clear proof her failure of good and decent governance. There are numerous illegal and immoral activities and transactions conducted by this government with impunity that betray the citizens and the State of their pristine right to exist as a people with decency, dignity and integrity.

With all the avenues closed by the use of naked force, no other means remain but for the officers and men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police to exercise their constitutional mandate take the side of the sovereign Filipino people against the illegitimate ‘president’.

We beg your indulgence and apologize for any temporary disruptions attendant to fighting this righteous cause. We are confident that the will of the sovereign people will prevail. The end of the corrupt and vicious government and its bogus leaders is long overdue.

We support the political and economic reforms that will be initiated by the new government, regardless of the personal cost it may impose upon each one of us.

We, therefore, call on all our people and all the governments around the world to give the constitutional rescue initiated by our patriotic brothers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police a chance to work.

To the task of organizing a new government, and pursuing a program of total and no-nonsense reform we commit our full support.

We shall do whatever we can do to prevent any backsliding to the corruption and abuse of power of the immediate past, and advance the cause of truth, freedom, justice, peace and progress for all Filipinos.

God bless the Filipino people, Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!"

“Groups of people resort to armed uprising when all avenues for peaceful reforms have been closed to them. This administration needs many reforms and people have been trying to accomplish them through legal means— through Congress, through the courts, through peaceful marches and demonstrations—but the administration is deaf and refuses to reform…With all the avenues closed, what are we to do? By preventing the people to use peaceful, legal means, the government is actually forcing the people to use violence. By preventing the people to air their grievances through peaceful street marches and demonstrations, it is denying the people an outlet for their resentment and anger. And if it does that, this anger is bound to explode like a volcano.” – NEAL CRUZ, PDI Columnist.

“For it is hard to believe that the soldiers barricaded their barracks would not care less about what was going on in Makati last Thursday. If they saw what the rest of the nation saw, and they remained silent, I would consider that meaningful silence. In a time like ours, when images from live media packed more power than the most stirring moments, what might the silence of citizens and soldiers possibly indicate? Are there senses stunned and their will paralyzed? Or are their souls shaken and courage awakened in their hearts? Who knows? Who would know what it means for a soldier or a citizen to see a young senator of the republic filled with idealism, being shackled and handled like a sack of potatoes by his captors as he is led to a waiting police bus? Who would know what it means for any viewer to see an 81-year old prince of the church, hobbled by age, his left hand tied to the right hand of another priest, being led to a waiting police bus after having just said a prayer of hope? Who would know what it means for someone to see a whole line of media people, their hands. I only know that one would need to be blind and insensitive to view those snapshots as achievements of the rule of law. You take a look one look at Gen. Lim and Sen. Trillanes side by side Gen. Esperon and Col.Bacarro – and you can tell at once who among these soldiers have their ideals intact. You take one look at Bishop Julio Labayen and former Vice Pres. Teofisto Guingona side by side Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno and Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye – and you know at once who the liars are.” – PROF. RANDY DAVID