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PROBING FOR SENSE AND SENSIBILITIES The Manila Peninsula Incident on Hindsight n By PERCIVAL CENDAÑA HE MANILA Peninsula incident of November 29, 2007 has Ttaken on quite a myriad of names. It has been called a take-over, a stand-off, a walk-out, a mutiny, a criminal act, a foolish adventure, a farce, a MUTINOUS: did he walk or did he stroll? comic opera, a power grab, a coup, an insurrection and another destabilization plot. Even the supposedly mundane task of grappling for a name to label the report that they “strolled out” Manila Peninsula incident reflects the many different of the Makati RTC. These two ways of how people are making sense of it and from words denote different things: where they are looking at it. the first is forceful while the On the one hand, a label is reveals what already is obvious latter is leisurely. Whichever of extremely crucial in finding the about the politics of this country the two verbs is correct, two meaning that might eventually and everything that is wrong things remain constant. One, lead to a plausible and with it. they were not restrained from acceptable explanation. Three leaving the courthouse; and months after the incident, many “Dissent without action two, their security detail joined them in their unhurried march questions are still left is consent”1 to the Manila Peninsula. unanswered. But on the other Even the verbs used to refer hand, even without the The first hour of the incident to what Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, gave the impression that a definitive answers, making Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and sense of what happened is painstakingly well-planned other co-accused did on that scheme was unfolding because interestingly possible especially ON CALL: Director Geary Barias of Thursday morning court the plotters even went to the if juxtaposed with the national the National Capital Region Police hearing vary. Some accounts say extent of winning over their political context. This in the end they “walked out” while others Office (NCRPO) 8 Human Rights FORUM SMASHED: By late afternoon of November 29, Lim and Trillanes’ caper was over. They were teargassed. Photos by LITO OCAMPO guards. But then again it is not them—not much arms to defend surprising. As columnist Randy themselves with, only a handful David puts it, General Lim and of followers, the February 2006 Senator Trillanes “are highly unsuccessful bid wherein Lim regarded by their men and by allegedly expected soldiers to their contemporaries in the march with Anti-Arroyo forces officers corps.” Professor David and the repeated failure to even stressed that “few senior muster massive public outrage officers in the military today can against the Arroyo match their popularity among administration. soldiers.” The two are not only Pundits and observers point well regarded, they are also not out to two plausible greenhorns in the field of explanations, each with a quite military mutiny. complex plot involving other One of the first questions allied military forces. that begs to be answered is why The first theory says that they did it given that the odds Manila Peninsula is a were heavily stacked against smokescreen, a necessary Human Rights FORUM 9 diversion to take away the the brazen use of force when the attention from the synchronized military rammed a tank through military operations of their the main entrance of the hotel, allies aimed at toppling the was the line of media people in administration. The targets of plastic handcuffs defiantly the offensive could have been raising their restrained hands. the chain of command loyal to The military said that they were the Arroyos, key government just being “invited” to Bicutan officials and the residents of for processing, an invitation Malacañang. that they cannot possibly refuse. The second theory identifies No wonder, in a hour’s time Manila Peninsula as the signal, after the surrender of General the commencement of Lim and Senator Trillanes, the concerted efforts of their allies spotlight of media coverage in strategic military camps in shifted to their fellow what could be described as practitioners being held for “mutiny in place.” Basically, the “processing.” The president’s troops in various camps will instruction to government declare that they are A SWAT team take cover behind a TV network’s vehicle. Photo by LITO OCAMPO officials on how to handle the withdrawing support from the media came two days late. Arroyo administration. behind the incident. What Veteran journalist Amando In the early evening of Doronila captured the November 29, after the “Fighting this righteous happened indignation of journalists when 2 surrender of Lim, Trillanes and cause” was a great he said that “never in the past company, it became apparent Government spokespersons have media people been that none of the two scenarios during the day of the incident miscalculation arrested, handcuffed and materialized. Whatever it is described the issues being manhandled for covering they were planning fizzled out raised by those in the Manila on the part of conflict and investigated for and their action joined the Peninsula as both trite and stale. Lim and involvement in an insurrection, country’s long list of failed They dismissed the grievances regardless of where the purely military-led attempts to of Gen. Lim and company as Trillanes. sympathies lie.” Doronila also overthrow the regime in power. recycled opposition rhetoric. debunked the administration’s Observers point out that The destabilization plot, claim that the presence of media what happened was a great according to them, disrupts the was obstructing military miscalculation on the part of economic development that is of the NBN-ZTE deal, the operations. Lim and Trillanes. In the end, a being espoused by the bribery scandal in Malacañang After the incident, the repeat of February 2006 administration. and the sham impeachment Arroyo government earned happened. The other actors in Fr. Joaquin Bernas complaint filed against another enemy. The battle for the plot, whoever or wherever characterized the public’s President Arroyo. Some contend the freedoms being waged by they may be, did not deliver reaction as “while indicating that it was a logical conclusion media institutions drags up to their part in the supposedly disagreement with the means to the abuses committed by the now as the government grand plan. used by Trillanes and Lim, administration, from the continues to try to restrain More severe critics argue that shows a widespread desire for repeated dismissal of media from covering events like the two were delusional to an end to corruption that has impeachment complaints to the the Manila Peninsula incident. expect their action to spark weighed down the current clampdown of democratic and The hardline stance of the massive defections in the administration.” In calling for constitutional processes in administration as reflected in a military which the plotters say the ouster of the regime haunting atmosphere of recent government memo- is consistent with their premised on the illegitimacy of impunity. The destabilization randum on the coverage of constitutional mandate of being the Arroyo presidency, Lim and plot was a result of the refusal events like the Manila Peninsula the protector of the people and Trillanes have laid down their of the government to address incident is effectively laying the state. Critics even went to the case that in effect reminds the allegations of fraud and bare its persistence to have its extent of saying that the plotters public of the wrongdoings and corruption squarely. way in such situations without missed an important logistic ills of the current The Manila Penisula media documenting their point if they expect civilian administration. They also incident in effect is a actions. support for the simple reason reminded the public of how the repercussion of the crisis of That single image of that the incident took place a day various legal processes have institutions. And an institution handcuffed journalists says a lot ahead of the Bonifacio Day closed down for the airing of in a self-inflicted crisis is prone about the attitude of this rallies. grievances and exacting to incidents like this. administration towards The post-Manila Penin- accountability. This leads to an people’s rights. It is also a very sula discussions revolved appreciation that the Manila Do “not unnecessarily rile the concrete manifestation of the mainly around this matter, Peninsula incident should not media at this point in time”3 government’s disregard of the thus skirting and/or shroud- be at all surprising. One of the most powerful citizens’ fundamental civil ing the more substantial issue The Manila Peninsula images from the Manila liberties. This is further of the compelling reasons incident happened in the context Peninsula incident, other than emphasized by the imposition 10 Human Rights FORUM WHEN THE TANKS CAME ROLLING IN: The posh Manila Peninsula hotel at the height of the November 29 incident. Photo by LITO OCAMPO of a curfew in the evening of even worse. appreciated not only in the Manila Peninsula incident November 29 without a context of the current political would not be the last. As long proclamation of national Better to die for the nation and conjuncture but also on a more as the political crisis persists emergency. not because of some illness4 structural perspective. A flawed and our democracy remains The imposition of the Gen. Lim explained to the democracy like the Philippines flawed, some forces will always curfew, the government said, public their actions on that is prone to events like this. The view military intervention as an was to prevent other mutineers fateful Thursday morning by experience of some Latin option to rectify societal ills from launching another attack.

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