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EDSA I & II EXPERIENCE SHARPENS PEOPLE’S ABILITY TO CHOOSE LEADERS, SAYS IMPEACHMENT AUTHOR
January 20, 2004
Former Sen. Heherson T. Alvarez today expressed hope that the experiences that led to the two EDSA People Power revolts have sharpened even more the capacity of the Filipino people to choose their leaders intelligently in the May 10 elections.
Alvarez was the initiator and principal author of the impeachment complaint filed against
former President Joseph Estrada which eventually led EDSA II. He was also one of the most vocal opponents
of the Martial Law regime that brought about EDSA I.
In a statement commemorating the third anniversary of EDSA II, Alvarez, who is running for
senator as an independent, also called attention to the “critical role of political parties in choosing
the right leaders to man the ramparts of the government that they seek to set up in the service of the people.”
“The twin upheavals raised the awareness of the Filipino people to the errors of the past and significantly decreased their level of tolerance for
abusive community leaders.
“Thanks to EDSA I and II, we now have a more informed people with a set of standards for making correct judgments in choosing leaders who can
improve the quality of their life,” he said.
Alvarez likened the EDSA revolts to the “Cry of Bastille” of 1789 when the people of Paris
stormed the Bastille, the prison which was the symbol of brutality and absolute monarchy under King Louis
XVI which France had been suffering under for so long.
“These challenging, dramatic experiences like EDSA, improve our capacity to make intelligent
choices. This learning process, like the Cry of Balintawak against colonialism or the Cry of Bastille
against the monarchy, could be the most powerful tool for stamping out the abuse of democratic leadership,” Alvarez said.
But he cautioned that EDSA is “only the beginning of a process in our continuing struggle.”
“Democracy, with its inherent weaknesses, should be continually strengthened with appropriate reforms as we march toward full liberation. Such
reforms must be imbedded in our institutions, especially against the blatant abuse of the public coffers,” Alvarez added.
ON FORMER PRESIDENT ESTRADA:
“It is not for him (former President Estrada) to forgive. It is for him, and the likes of him, to perform an act of contrition so that never
again will EDSA be needed to cleanse our society of debauchery and oppression,” Alvarez said.
“Former President Estrada and his supporters continue to cover up their tracks by statements that seek to perpetuate the lie they are spreading – that they did nothing wrong. They are
systematically eroding our social values, dislocating constructive tendencies and spawning in the process negative and destructive forces in our society,” he said.
Earlier, Alvarez resigned as Lakas-CMD spokesman after expressing displeasure over the inclusion of Estrads loyalists in the administration’s K-4 Koalisyon Senate slate.
He noted that the Estrada stalwarts were the very same people who opposed the impeachment, questioned President Arroyo’s legitimacy, condemned EDSA II and the constitutional processes, and supported Estrada in defying the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan over the plunder case filed against him.
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