A QUESTION has been plaguing me ever since the different tallies of the results of the 2007 elections became public.
Why is Antonio Trillanes so popular?
The truth is that I didn’t really believe he would make it to the final 12. I thought he was just filler for the Genuine Opposition (GO), a candidate they included in their slate just to fill the role of Rebel Leader. Yet here he is, No. 9 in the latest Comelec count, with 1, 260, 295 votes. Over 1.2 million people want Trillanes to become a senator!
I voted for him, for the following reasons.
1. He has principles. (The reason for the Oakwood mutiny was the corruption in the upper echelon of the military. Most of us like to deny that this corruption exists, for who wants to believe that the nation’s defenders are the paid goons of politicians who cheated their way into power? But it does exist. And Trillanes fought against it.)
2. He has courage. (Seriously — he didn’t just risk his career, he risked his life and freedom to do what he did. That took guts. Some would call it stupidity, since he ended up in jail, but hey, he’s running for senator anyway.)
3. He has leadership qualities.
4. He has made his antipathy towards an increasingly dictatorial government clear.
But I’m not one of those people who only vote for the candidates they think have a shot at winning. The rest of my votes went to Ang Kapatiran candidates, Kiko Pangilinan, and Joker Arroyo. I knew when I voted that only Pangilinan and Arroyo would win — or at least, that’s what I thought then. Now I’m really hoping that Trillanes wins too.
After all, since when has having principles or being courageous proven to be a formula for success in politics? Legarda ditched her principles, and she’s doing just fine. Escudero’s never had the guts to pass a single law while in Congress, and he’s doing great, too.
I think Trillanes is winning because he reminds people of everything that’s wrong with the GMA administration — while serving as a reminder that such wrongs can be corrected. Let’s face facts. GMA cheated. GMA lied. GMA either orders or tacitly condones the murderous activities of her generals. GMA takes credit for an improving economy, holding up as proof the stock exchange and the peso-dollar rate. All that shows is that the rich are getting richer, while the poor — well, you know how the rest of the saying goes.
Trillanes may lose once the votes in Visayas and Mindanao are counted. After all, Visayas is a much-vaunted bailiwick of the administration, while Mindanao is where large-scale cheating occurs without anyone in Luzon batting an eye.
But here is the truth which GMA will not be able to deny. Even if Trillanes loses, the very fact that he came so close to winning shows that far too many people hate her. A vote for Trillanes is a vote against GMA. That’s what he has represented, all along — rebellion. It doesn’t have to be bloody. That’s the difference between a revolution and a rebellion. All Trillanes wants, what he has come to symbolize for the 1.2 million who voted for him, is change.
August 23rd, 2007 at 9:38 pm
antonio trillanes iv needs your support to never tire of the truth about systemic corruption in government. his tenacity should be fired up, not doubted. his fight is not a singular fight, we should be fighting corruption as a nation. don’t ask him to win over this one, because his passion already tells us that he has won.he cannot win it alone in the bulwarks of trapos (big bucks, plus control of law to protect their own businesses) and vested interests (big business profit)–we must deny the trapo government the tyrannical ease with which they pocket tax money. Corruption and greed by the powerful are the architects of our poverty. antonio trillanes iv made his move, when do we make ours?
July 7th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Kabayan
Umpisa na ang paggigipit kay Trillanes para di niya magampanan ang kanyang tungkuling bilang Senador:
Trillanes petition to attend Senate sessions opposed
By Mike Frialde
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Government prosecutors vowed yesterday to stop Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV from attending Senate sessions and from holding office in his cell at the Marine stockade in Fort Bonifacio.
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o yan, dito natin masisilayan ang galing ni trillanes pati na ang mga abogado niya’t sympathazers, kung kaya niyang ilusot sa mga prosecutors at hukom ang kanyang mga kahilingan……
good luck, deals are not allowed…….
July 6th, 2007 at 10:01 am
Yanyan
10,922,692 votes for Trillanes so far. Two thumbs up to all the Filipinos who made the right choice.
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ganyan lang yan sa umpisa, savor the sweet taste of victory while it lasts, congratulations……….
hehep, horay……
hehep, horay……
hehep, horay……
baka sa umpisa lang kayo masaya……
itodo na ninyo, sana may victory rally para mas masaya……..
July 5th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
Fr: Salina.
Kim: You’re on target. Amen, Amen, Amen. To that….Godbless us all to those who voted for the oppostion. Mabuhay!
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yung tatlong bugok namely villar, cayetano, escudero, nadenggoy na tayo, ayon nakipag alyansa na sa administration……….
sayang ang boto ko kay villar at escudero, wala palang principyo, hindi pa nagbubukas ang 14 congress eh bumaliktad na……….
si cayetano, ah hindi ko binoto yan, ala talagang principyo yan……..
na 2 out of 3 ako ah, kayo ano score, kudos sa mga 0 out of 3………
July 5th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Fr: Salina.
YoungPatriot: Yes, There is OFW in Erap time but not thats much. Compare now,. Today OFW leave Philippines by Million’s, Not by hunder’s….And Yes, I remember the envelope of Jose Verlarde. Who can forget that.
If we all remember the Envelope wasn’t open until later on. After they open the envelope Erap, Is not the owner of that envelope and you knew it too.
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natatandaan ko rin, kawawa si erap no, isang envelope lang ang katapat, hindi pa nabuksan……..
dali, dali, palagay ko maraming envelope sa 7 kahon evidencia ni cayetano, hingi ka ng 10 para siguradong talsik si gloria……..