Austero doesn't speak for majority of Filipinos who want Arroyo out

... but I do agree with some that he and that hypocrite Winnie Monsod speak for many (former) Edsa Dos supporters who once backed an extra-constitutional coup to oust Erap -- but are now vehemently against using the same method against Gloria Macapagal Arroyo -- the person they've installed into power.

Many of them are now having "regrets" about people power. Well, of course, because they started this precedent of removing a democratically elected presidents via edsa dos -- a blatant misuse of people power... and now that their idol (who stole the elections in 2004) is in danger of being removed in the same manner herself, they now lecture us about "following the rule of law" and "using only constitutional means" to remove GMA.

(Btw, nabasa ko na naman ang bagong post ni Austero sa blog ni Kuya Manuel.)

It's nice that the likes of Austero and Winnie Monsod are now asking us to respect the democratic processes. No more extra constitutional solutions raw. No more coups raw.

The problem though is that these two people are probably the worst people to deliver that message.

I think these phonies would be more credible if they did not support Edsa Dos.

And now, they prance around and lecture us about following the constitution?

As for me naman, I was very disappointed nung i-abort ng anti-erap opposition ang impeachment at nag edsa sila. They should have followed the constitutional process instead of going into a tactical alliance with the military and the communist/leftist groups to oust estrada.

Arroyo's political rivals and the opposition OTOH, tried to unseat Arroyo the constitutional way via the elections in 2004. Ang problema lang nga, pati yun dinaya pa. Tapos, ni-railroad pa ang proclamation ni GMA ng mga kaalyado niya (using their superior numbers, not at all dissimilar to what happened at the batasan when marcos was proclaimed by his allies as president in 1986), while denying all of the opposition's numerous request for a recount. but the opposition still did not call for "people power" to oust Arroyo.

Tapos, nung namatay si FPJ, pinatay na rin ng partisan na PET/SC ni Arroyo ang petition ni Susan Roces na ituloy ang kaso laban sa illegitimacy ni ARroyo, because Susan was not a "real party of interest" in the election fraud case raw.

Then, nung sumabog ang GLORIAGATE scandal, arroyo dared the opposition to file impeachment complaint against her. But when the opposition did take up her challenge, she had her allies kill the impeachment complaint on a technicality.

Anyway, balik tayo kay Austero at Winnie Monsod. I'm glad they've finally seen the light, and they now talk about the Filipino's need to "obey the constitution" and "follow the rule of law." I've been saying that all along myself, since 2001 pa.

But while I agree that only using legal and constitutional methods to remove her (like the 2004 elections, asking for her resignation, impeaching her) are the way to go, my personal belief is that the only way this illegitimate president can be removed from power is via people power. I say this after seeing how she and her allies rigged the presidential elections in 2004, how they railroaded her proclamation and how her allies killed the impeachment complaint, and how her administration wields tremendous corrupting influence over the COMELEC, SC, the CONGRESS and DOJ.

UPDATE: I feel for Austero:

Writing for this blog used to be a walk in the park. I could write about anything (theoretically, I still could since this is my space). Since my brush with pseudo fame, I had to watch what I write about because it seems anything I write is now open to a lot of interpretations. There is always someone out there watching out for a simple grammatical slip or a mixed metaphor that they can throw at my face with all the righteous indignation they can muster.

I admit I made fun of his comment about "we are prepared to lose our freedoms and our rights just to move this country forward."

UPDATE:From Dean Jorge Bocobo on the Austero interview:

But it was disappointing...Bong Austero is actually for IMPEACHMENT, just like me. In fact, if things get worse I'm pretty sure we'll see Mr. Austero at the barricades too, at least figuratively...

I thought he would actually have something interesting to say, some solid manifesto for ideological apathy. Not just another wishy-washy liberal who told Carandang he BELIEVES GMA cheated but is perfectly fine with it.

Austero's for impeachment, eh? Good.

But notice though that Bong has not called for Arroyo's resignation even though he believes Arroyo cheated.

(BUT he's for impeachment raw! - ed) Probably for the same reasons Arroyo, bunye, sassy lawyer and every other pro-arroyo types wants impeachment too, LOL.

And to refresh austero's memory, we already did this impeachment thing, bong, pero pinatay ng mga kaalyado ng arroyo admin ito sa House.

you guys were so quick to support people power nung hindi nyo nakuha ang boto sa senado laban kay estrada… pero nasaan kayo nung pinatay yung impeachment complaint vs. arroyo? i didn't expect you hypocrites to join another people power to oust the criminal president you've installed, PERO AT LEAST MAGALIT NAMAN KAYO sa panggagago na ginawa ng mga kaalyado ni arroyo sa pagpatay ng impeachment complaint AND CALL FOR HER RESIGNATION.

but instead of doing that, these people are calling for us to “move on” na lang raw...

UPDATE: Comment from Pinoy:

There is a statement from Austero’s letter that has been conveniently missed out by his critics. That is, But you have not been able to offer me any viable alternative.

Bullshit. Three step process.

1) Get Arroyo out.
2) Clean up arroyo's COMELEC
3) Hold Special Elections

There are many alternatives to replace arroyo like Mar Roxas, who a US thinktank believes is the most viable alternative, Serge Osmena 3, Bayani Fernando, Ping Lacson, Dick Gordon, Franklin Drilon, Biazon, and Magsaysay are all much better alternatives than GMA.

So it is nonsense to say na there are no credible alternatives to replace Arroyo. In fact, it is the easiest thing in the world to find a replacement for her, since finding a replacement for the most criminally corrupt, unfit, and illegitimate person currently holding public office right now in the Philippines is not exactly a difficult thing to do. I know many officials from the opposition and the administration who are more deserving and qualified of the presidency than her.

We're starting at a low point here, peeps, AND ARROYO IS THAT LOW POINT.

besides, the fact that you're asking us to find a "credible alternative" for her even though you know that she cheated shows that you don't take democracy seriously and has in fact approved of arroyo's methods to steal the elections from her rivals.

It is this same attitude displayed by the arrogant arroyo admin and it's supporters that made GLORIAGATE possible. They needed to cheat raw because their opponents are "not credible alternatives." They cheated "for the good of the country."

And it is the same attitude that Marcos had, kaya he unilaterally decided to stay in power for 20 years because he thinks the anti-Marcos opposition are not "credible alternatives".

Marcos cheated Cory in the 1986 elections precisely because he thought Cory, like the rest, are "not credible" enough. It is that kind of mentality that convinced marcos that he is "indispensable". It is that kind of mentality that made him want to stay in power for 20 years (and more if edsa 1986 failed).

To those who want GMA out now, what is your guarantee that whoever will replace her will not be as corrupt and not a cheater like GMA?

I cannot guarantee you 100% na her replacement will be better, but I think there's a 99.99% chance that he or she will, since I believe Arroyo has the most corrupt, abusive and criminally minded admin since marcos, and I think it will be difficult to top that. where lahat na ng institution ay na-corrupt ni GMA, including the AFP, COMELEC, SC, PNP, DOJ, CONGRESS etc. etc...

GMA is so bad that even erap's a better alternative at this point (which isn't much of a complement to Erap since he was a mediocre president to begin with)

And I can guarantee that the next president will have the LEGITIMACY and CREDIBILITY your president don't have, and will have a much better chance at improving and reforming our country... after we clean up the COMELEC and have special elections.

You're president NEVER had legitimacy Pinoy, not in 2001, AND not in 2004.

Yes GMA cheated but ousting her out now will not make things better for us. We have all become moralists that correcting what was wronged has become the primary task. But are we laying the foundation that the wrong act will not be repeated? Aren’t we just correcting a mistake for the sake of correcting it?

Again, you're making excuses for election fraud. This is the kind of attitude from some ARroyo apologists that continue to allow GMA to get away with her crimes.

And if there are any "foundations that are needed to be laid" or reforms that are needed to be done, GMA is the least credible person to do it. We need somebody better and legit to do that job.

And yes, we need reforms -- sa COMELEC. And we don't need CHA CHA to do that. And I don't trust GMA to do the "COMELEC reforms" herself, since If i recall correctly back in her rizal day speech, one of her promises was to have "clean and honest elections" in 2004, and we all know how that turned out. LOL.

It happened in 1986, then in 2001. And now you want it to happen again? Let us not just correct the mistake. What is more important is preventing the repeat of the same mistakes. That is how we move forward. Oust Gloria now and we will just go in circles.

Pinoy, edsa 1986 was no effin mistake asshole, unlike edsa dos. the filipinos suffered for 20 years under martial rule. tapos nung nag snap election, ninakaw pa ni marcos ang election at na-proclaim siya ng kanyang batasan. it was about effin time democracy was restored to our country.

Edsa 1986 is the only legit people power in my eyes, where we ousted an overstaying and illegitimate ruler/dictator who cheated in 1986, but was proclaimed "winner" anyway by his Congress/Batasan.

More from Pinoy:

So if you really want GMA out, start campaigning for all anti GMA congressional aspirants. Impeaching her in 2007 will be a walk in the park.

Wish the anti-erap opposition have done that in 2001. at least malinis pa ang COMELEC under erap from 1998 to 2001.

The problem with Arroyo's COMELEC is that it has become a major dagdag bawas department for Arroyo.

And if she used the COMELEC in 2004 to help herself steal the elections, why would she not use it again to help her allies "win" the election or get her constitution "ratified"?

Remember sa "hello garci" tapes, it was not only arroyo's voice that was heard or name that was discussed re plans to steal the election, but other Arroyo allies in Congress too.

And when GMA and Garci met with some low level COMELEC officials to bribe them into rigging the elections for the admin, they also talked about helping other admin candidates "win" their elections.

So why would she and her COMELEC allow her allies to lose the majority sa House at Senate?

Can Noli clean up arroyo’s COMELEC. I hope so.

if you remove the corrupting influence of arroyo? Yes. that's what i wanted all along. duh.

Noli as acting president while special elections are being prepared.

3) Hold Special Elections
That is if Congress will pass a law calling for the holding of a special election. Well, that won’t happen until the opposition gets majority of both chambers.

And the opposition won't have a chance as long as Arroyo controls the COMELEC and the SC.

Brilliant!