MANILA, Philippines - The son of two democracy icons yesterday called on Filipinos to make the forthcoming presidential elections "people power" day, pointing out that the wrong choice of leader could make the situation of the country worse.
Liberal Party standard-bearer Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III told lawyers supporting his political party that the first EDSA people power revolt – whose 24th anniversary would be marked tomorrow until Friday – should have ended the "one-person, one clique" regime.
"I thought Martial Law was really bad. The situation today is also as bad. The situation – if we are not able to repair the changes come May 10 – will be infinitely worse," Aquino warned.
Aquino's parents, former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. and former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino, fought for the restoration of freedom in the country.
The first bloodless revolution in 1986 installed Cory, being the widow of slain senator Ninoy, also a national hero, who fought the Marcos dictatorship. He was assassinated upon his return from exile in the United States in 1983.
The peaceful uprising inspired other revolutions in the world where people felt oppressed by their governments.
"What is our obligation at this time? I was 12 years old when Martial Law was proclaimed in the middle of the night. We were awakened, father was taken from us, he was incarcerated. That began the journey into the darkness, the journey into the unknown, a journey where the future was topsy-turvy," Aquino said.
"What was right became uncertain whether it was right, where wrong together with might was the prevailing atmosphere, mood and practice of the land. It is sad. The first EDSA should have taken us out from that quagmire of one person, one clique, their interests alone are important to the detriment of everyone else," he said.
Aquino stressed this was the reason why the people must rise up again not by going to the streets but by using their power through the elections.
"Think about it. (President Arroyo's) depredations had a certain amount of resources. The basket had really been ravaged... suppose 10 years of her administration and the next person who follows her continues the methodology of the interest of one person and one group, you have then an even worse situation to those who are not parties or members," Aquino added.
"We have to make them feel that one true master in a democracy are the people themselves. They are the one and only master, to those who forget," Aquino said, stressing that only vigilant citizens could enjoy true democracy.
Aquino expressed gratefulness that he was running now through a "people's campaign" to continue what his parents started.
He said if his father felt alone in his fight before, it was a different thing for him now.
"Since we began, I never felt alone because of all of you. Here we can see (that the people) no longer want one interest, one group (to perpetuate the system)," Aquino told the lawyers who volunteered to help guard his votes and that of his running mate, Sen. Manuel Roxas II, along with the other LP candidates.
Aquino said studying the country's problems would make one realize that solutions "would not be magic."
"But we do not have to find them, they are here we just have to (implement) them," Aquino said.
He said the people must not be swayed by "packaging" or "imaging" or the black propaganda against candidates who were advocating for change.
Aquino said the country's problems remained the same, particularly in the administration of justice.
He said it would take six years to adjudicate a case in a lower court, another six years in the appellate court and then another six years in the Supreme Court.
"If you are lucky, you will have a decision after 20 years. Through the years we had so much frustrations," Aquino said.
He also cited the plan of Mrs. Arroyo to appoint the next chief justice of the Supreme Court when the Constitution is clear that she is banned from making appointments two months before the end of her term.
Aquino said the changes that the country needs must start with credible elections.
He said he is happy that lawyers are with him to fight against the likes of former election officials Virgilio Garcillano and Lintang Bedol, who both got involved in poll fraud.
Aquino thanked the lawyers for their initiative, saying their move was another sign that his was a people's campaign.
Some 120 volunteer lawyers gathered in Pasig City Saturday night to tackle ways to protect the votes of Aquino and Roxas on May 10.
The PiNoY Lawyers group is the legal arm of Team Aquino-Roxas.
"I am honored to present to you the PiNoY Lawyers at your service... In the best legal way we will protect your votes and the causes you are fighting for," PiNoY Lawyers spokesman Jose Amor Amorado told Aquino and Roxas at the gathering, adding that many of the lawyers are from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Amorado told reporters that so far, the group has 118 volunteer lawyers nationwide who are acting as coordinators in highly urbanized areas.
"We are not alarmed but knowing things might happen, we are focusing on our contingency plans," he said.
He said they are now looking for municipal coordinators in 1,634 areas, so the group would have at least one lawyer for each canvassing area.
On the other hand, at least 50 more lawyers will be stationed at their headquarters for ready deployment anywhere in the country.
During the Saturday night meeting, Commission on Elections spokesman James Arthur Jimenez answered questions from the lawyers on the automated poll system.