By Ermin Garcia Jr.

 

THE action-filled drama and suspense last week on the “kidnapping” of former President Rodrigo Duterte ‘will certainly create an opportunity for an independent filmmaker to produce a two-hour blockbuster documentary movie.

It had all the ingredients – deception by Marcos Jr. about involvement of foreign entities (International Criminal Court and Interpol), arrest and confrontation at the airport, flight to The Hague, detention at the ICC detention, admission and denial of Marcos core team on the plotting, the predictions of both prosecutors and defense teams on the case, then end the cheering of both those who love and hate PRRD.

The movie won’t ever need to scout talents to play the roles PRRD, PBBM, CIDG chief Nicolas Torre, Honeylet Avanceña and Kitty Duterte, VP Sara Duterte, ex-Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, lawyer Harry Roque, DOJ Boying Remulla and his brother DILG Sec. Junvic Remulla. To do so would greatly devalue the significance of the movie.

The suspenseful events had many glued to their laptops and smartphones.

In fact, scenarios were playing out so fast that I could hardly keep up, posting my reactions to the events on my Facebook public account as they unfolded. For the first time, I found myself posting 22 reactions in all 5 days, from the day of the confrontation at the airport to the denials of the two Remulla brothers of any plot to surrender PRRD to ICC.

Truth is, I felt the same way from day one of the People Power in 1986. I had to see and feel the protesting people’s reaction to call for support from Cardinal Sin – to protect then PNP chief Fidel Ramos and then Defense Sec. Juan Ponce Enrile – the reactions of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr and his AFP chief Fabian Ver to the growing protests, the occupation of the Malacanang Palace and the flight of the Marcos family to Hawaii to the swearing-in of Cory Aquino as interim president.

But there were only few episodes of the events that led to the historic event that led to the celebration of the victory of the People Power Revolution.

Today, most of the Generation X and the Millennial generations may only recall what the fuzz about the People Power was except that a bloodless revolution happened and Cory Aquino became president. God help the Generation Z if they cannot relate to it all, but thankfully, they will have recollection of the plotting in Malacañang that resulted in PRRD’s detention in The Hague’s International Criminal Court.

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IMEE FOR THE RUTH. A rather surprise development in the Duterte ‘kidnapping’ was the decision of Sen. Imee Marcos to call for a senate hearing on it.  While many were suspicious and skeptical about her decision to hold a hearing, being the sister of PBBM, others welcomed it as a chance to hear and witness explanations of cover-ups if any.

Her statement days before the hearing was ominous:  “Sabi nila, batas ang dapat manaig. Tama! Pero kaninong batas? Sa atin o sa kanila? Kailan pa naging probinsya ng The Hague ang Pilipinas?”

True enough, Sen. Imee zeroed in on the revelations of DILG Sec. Remulla in his earlier interview with Pinky Webb immediately after PRRD was flown out to The Hague. He was emphatic he didn’t want to take full credit for the episode and instead named DND Sec. Gibo Teodoro and NSA Sec. Eduardo Año, and PBBM as part of the “planning”! Wrong mistake!

The hearing became a scene of lies, deception, and defiance. The four who thought they could get a “clearance” from Sen. Imee were suddenly seen anxious and uncomfortable in their seats. Their hopes were dashed for redemption when lawyer Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano started shooting questions that showed they didn’t strictly follow the protocols in implementing the arrest warrant. Then Sen. Jinggoy Estrada would not be contained in asking why Gen. Torre didn’t extend basic courtesy to allow VP Sara to approach her father. 

Cheers for Sen. Imee for daring to put her brother’s confidantes’ on the spot. In fact, reports have it that FL Liza was mad at PBBM for allowing his sister to stage that hearing. Methinks, she had it all wrong. Sen. Imee would not be stopped, not even by her brother.

If that hearing would be an indication of how the proceedings in ICC will go, ferreting out the details of the crime against humanity, an acquittal is likely. 

As things stand today, I’m already inclined to vote for her, too, like I want  Ping Lacson, Pia Cayetano, Rodante Marcoleta, Vic Rodriguez and Gringo Honasan – all independent minds –  in the senate. (I still have six blanks…hmmm.)

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CRIME AGAINST THE FILIPINOS. As the country continues to be embroiled in the discussion of crimes against humanity during Duterte’s war on drugs, we are seeing the return of the expansive network of drug syndicates with a vengeance.

In our news this issue, a minor, a high value drug target, was caught in PDEA’s buy-bust operation recently. That’s only one so far. I can only  imagine how far the drug syndicates have expanded their operations with renewed arrangements for protection from corrupt politicians and cops.

During the drug war, many minors who were peddling or were addicted to shabu were quickly surrendered by their parents for rehab by the government. Meanwhile, we continue to receive many reports of successful buy-bust operations when there were only a few in the past that mattered then.

I have long been supportive of a nailed fist policy (kamay na bakal) in fighting drugs to a point I’ve been labeled as a “Dutertard”. Nothing can be father from the truth. I don’t agree with some of his political points of view and I did not approved his foul mouth but I fully supported his drug war because it made millions of families safe.

In fact, I wish the PBBM administration can do more to prove itself to be the worst enemies of the drug syndicates, but didn’t. Truly very disappointing. He has not done enough to protect families like PRRD did, and I consider that a crime against Filipinos.

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BRIAN LIM’S RECKLESS IMPRUDENCE. I watched a recent video clip of former Mayor Brian Lim, candidate for vice mayor this time, in his regular program at 90.3 Energy FM.

He was asked why he, as mayor in 2019, canceled the Waste-to-Energy contract that then Mayor Belen Fernandez worked out for the city to finally clear the 60-year-old dumpsite.  That was a truly relevant question! Why!!

Mr. Lim hemmed and hawed, citing what he claimed that based on his studies the energy-to- waste program in all other countries failed. He conveniently did not cite the countries. Then came his reckless imprudence.

He said that knowing that the program failed in these countries, he said it’d be a “waste of time and money…! Boom!

Surely, he was aware that the program was absolutely FREE, NO COST TO THE GOVERNMENT the biggest come-on for the city!!

I can understand why he was quick to dismiss the project. There was nothing to earn for the barkada from that program, but there would be millions to be earned monthly from the continuous daily dumping of the city’s wastes.

I refer to the average monthly P30 million to  P50 million contract for hauling the garbage by local governments from the dumpsite to sanitary landfills!

Indeed, garbage hauling services were worth their time and money!

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