“Is there any possibility that we will ever have again a president as honest, transparent and truthful as Cory was?”
by Ducky Paredes
She was, more than any other, the real miracle of 1986. The result of her actions, the peaceful end of a dictatorship and the return to Democracy, which is often cited as miraculous was not what was surprising. It was the fact that there was, out of the blue, this woman in yellow who had the guts to stare down a Dictator, the political will to resist injustice and cheating and the wisdom to test the people’s acceptance of her leadership.
She called us to join her at the Luneta and a million of us were there to show the world that this was the leader we had actually chosen, not the Dictator who was proclaimed by his legislature as the winner. In calculating her move, Cory said that if no one came to her rally, then it was clear that the fight was over. What those who came proved to her was that she was wrong to doubt her people and that she was one with them.
The true miracle was that there was such a brave woman in the midst of a people that cowered in the face of martial law. Cory Aquino was a godsend whose way was prepared by two angels – Chino Roces who put together a million signatures to convince her to run and Lorenzo Tanada, who was her mentor in dealing with the politicians of the opposition.
When the other opposition leaders agreed for her to be the candidate against Ferdinand Marcos in an election with a predictable foregone conclusion – a Marcos victory – was this on the firm belief that this “mere housewife” actually had any chances of winning and could actually win and, having won, would actually survive to rule? Or, were they feeding her to the wolves?
Of course, in the end, she did win and actually turned out to be a very good President. In fact, the question that was asked of an interviewee on a radio program during her wake was this: Is there any possibility that we will ever have again a president as honest, transparent and truthful as Cory was? One wonders. That is, of course, up to the voters in the coming 2010 elections when they choose the new President.
To the cynics who see no way to change society back to the time when Cory was President, I say: Go to the wake of Cory Aquino and see the people from all walks of life lining up for hours to see — for just a few precious seconds — the face of their former President, who they obviously love. We can change. It is worth the effort to change for the better. The way we think, our values, our beliefs and the way we view life itself will change if the President we next choose is different from the common variety traditional politician that many of our leaders have become.
* * *
Those of us who worked for President Corazon C. Aquino loved her totally. She was a caring woman and a boss who expected the best from us. She was also appreciative of the things you did for her. But, she could also be a tough boss.
I was her seventh and last Press Secretary. One time she had me called to her office as soon as she came in. Unlike other times when one would wait outside her office to be let in, everyone from the Presidential guard to the members of her staff waved me in. When I entered her room, she stood and held up a newspaper that quoted my criticism of Cardinal Sin’s recent foray into things political.
“Did you do this?” she asked, her eyes angry.
The best way to talk to President Cory was always to be totally truthful. “Yes, Ma’am,” I answered and started to explain that there was a need to remind Churchmen that there was a separation between Church and State. Even before I could finish, she abruptly interrupted: “Don’t do this again.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
And that was it. She was not one to give long lectures or to harangue her staff. It was enough that she made her point clear to you.
Of course, despite my strong held beliefs on Churchmen not minding political affairs, that was the last time I voiced my feelings on the subject, as long as I was working with Cory.
* * *
During her State Visit to the United States where she gave a wonderful speech – the best received yet by any Philippine President before the U.S. congress – I was called from Honolulu where I was the Information Officer (Tomas “Buddy” Gomez III was the Consul General) – to help out in Washington.
Everything was a mess. We could not even come up with a list of persons from Manila who were covering the event and the embassy staff looked upon us as though we were interlopers. One got the feeling that it was still Ferdinand Marcos whom they preferred. The main hall where the press would be working had a huge photo of Marcos that dominated the whole room.
Talking to some of the embassy staff and photographers from Manila, I suggested with full malice aforethought that President Cory would not be pleased to enter such a room with her opponent’s portrait so prominently displayed.
The next day, the portrait was gone. While working in the room the next day, I was asked by one of Ambassador Emmanuel Pelaez’s staff where the portrait was. I answered: “What portrait?” as they explained that the Marcos portrait should remain in that room. I truthfully answered that I did not know what they were talking about.
President Cory eventually entered the room and had a good time mixing with what the Malacanang staff called “The Brat Pack.”
After Cory left Washington, the portrait was found behind some filing cabinets but I suppose that by then no one cared to put Marcos back on the wall.
* * *
Once, sitting with President Cory at a Focap (Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines) lunch., Cory asked me to tell her all of my brothers’ names. I did. She then asked me what each one did. I thought the question curious but started to reply, Then, I realized that this was some sort of a trick question possibly set up by the hawks (possibly allies of the rebel soldiers) in the government.
As far as I knew, my youngest brother was still actively involved in the insurgency. Of course, as usual, I answered as truthfully as I could. She was curious and even volunteered that she did not know that.
Cory had sources of information that you would not believe. Everyone felt that they could tell her anything and if they heard of anything that might be of interest to her, it would surely reach her ears. This was sometimes the reason one would hear of unexpected resignations. If there were unexplained and strange resignations that you might have heard of, it would not surprise me that this was because of her informants among the Presidential guards themselves and concerned civil servants working in her government. It pays to have an honest President at the top.
* * *
By the time I joined the government, the main coup attempts had already happened. In fact, the reason why Buddy was brought in was to give Malacanang a more aggressive voice in replying to the coup artists.
When Colonel Alexander Noble was making noises in Northern Mindanao (where I once ran a rural newspaper and had a lot of media contacts), newsmen and radio reporters would call me for comments on whatever Noble would be saying.
I was very combative in my replies — the better to get the rebel mad.
Then, when Nobles’ forces went into Cagayan de Oro, there was a crisis meeting in Malacanang. President Cory decided that a group would go to the area as observers and operators. She picked me as among those who would be going. I called Mindanao only to be warned against going since Noble was extremely angry with me for my tirades. So, I was still in Malacanang trying to figure out how to get out of the possibly now dangerous assignment when Cory saw me still on the palace grounds.
“What are you still doing here?” She asked. “Why aren’t you in Cagayan?”
I immediately left for Cagayan de Oro only to see matters resolved peaceably. I decided that facing the rebels was less dangerous than getting on the bad side of President Cory.
* * *
Cory was so truthful that she once told me that I had specifically been left out of some of the meetings they had on the US Military Bases because I was openly for kicking them out. I told her that I would speak out my mind during discussions but once her mind was made up and gave the marching orders, I would follow the party line and do or say whatever needed to be done or said.
I remember a discussion among military officers and cabinet members during the earthquake in Baguio. The U.S. Seventh Fleet offered its help. It could deploy its helicopters and other aircraft to ferry supplies to stranded barangays and pick up stranded residents as well as provide medical help. This was during the time that the Senate was still in the process of deciding on the U.S. Military Bases. The group’s immediate reaction was to reject the offer. Were they just trying to influence the vote?
I was glad that someone suggested that we ought to call President Cory to inform her of our decision before we gave it to the Americans.
That immediately changed the situation. After further discussions, the decision became one to inform her that we were in favor of accepting the offer.
* * *
There were times when I would earn the ire of the press because my President would tire of them. During the time that the Senate abrogated the Military Bases Agreement with the United States after we had marched to the Senate to try to convince them to give the US a few more years, I asked her to allow a few interviews by US media. She told me to go ahead. After several interviews, however, I saw that she was tiring of answering the same questions over and over again.
Then, she said that that was it. No more interviews. What could I do with those who were still waiting? Nothing. My weak excuse was that she had other things to attend to. Of course, this was not acceptable but what could they do?
The same thing happened during her State visit to Canada where I was in the advance party and had again set up too many interviews for her. What else can you do but take the blame for the snafu? Better they get mad at me than at my President.
* * *
Before answering questions from the press, I would always consult with President Cory if it involved her family or if I did not know the whole issue. Almost always she would discuss it with me and explain what it was she wanted said. Once in a while, however, she would actually say that she did not want to discuss that matter.
That would be when I would say that I did not consider the matter important enough for comment.
* * *
On running for re-election because according to some she was not covered by the constitution’s prohibition since her presidency preceded the Constitution, she asked what we thought, My thought on this was that if she found an excuse to run again, so would every one else who would become President after her. I am glad she did not want it; but if she had ran again, I would have done everything I could to help her win.
* * *
Cory had a sense of humor. She laughed long at jokes and other funny things.
I remember a cabinet meeting where she spoke about a woman complaining about a cabinet member. As she began to relate the story, one cabinet member started to explain his side. Cory stopped, bemusedly looked at him and allowed him to go on. Then, after hearing him out. she consoled the man while laughing that his explanation was interesting but that this was not the case she was talking about but another one concerning another cabinet member. Sometimes, cabinet meetings were fun.
* * *
Working for President Cory was a great honor but I also knew that I could never work with any other President. I needed one who would regard me with respect and who I could rely on to always be truthful. Cory was that.
That now, in death, people regard her as a personal friend and more is not surprising. She devoted herself to us and to this nation.
* * *
When we had what we now call Edsa Uno, we all hoped that succeeding government would give us all a better life. It has not turned out that way. In fact, politics complicates everything and those ambitious to take power that now present themselves to us seem no different from those we kicked out in Edsa Uno.
* * *
Summing up, Cory Aquino was the miracle we had been hoping for in 1986. That she even became the pick of the opposition was almost a pure stroke of luck. Imagine if it had been anyone else; would we have had a chance to end the dictatorship? Wouldn’t the loser have made a deal with Marcos, the winner, in order to feather his nest?
Certainly, another losing candidate would not have taken the chance of inviting the people to the Luneta. As some of them told Cory then: Nobody holds a rally after an election. Imagine if she had followed their advice, where would we be?
Sadly, today, what we see available to us are mostly leaders without the political will to do what needs doing.
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hvp 08.02.09)
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