BY JOVE!

CONTROL
(a running story)

The Malacanang Press Corps members were situated in two areas outside the Main Palace. One group was in front of St. Jude’s Church. Another group was at the Nagtahan-JP Laurel gate in front of Max’s. Nobody is allowed to stay in the Press Working Area at the Kalayaan hall anymore. Pinalabas na lahat.

Last night, I was with GMA7’s Ruth Cabal and ABS CBN’s Tony Velasquez inside the PWA. Evidently, we all got instructions from our respective networks to “be alert” and “on standby”. Personally, I felt the same “feeling” I felt during my past stake outs and sleep overs in Malacanang due to “threats”. Déjà vu of Edsa Dos and Edsa Tres (May 1 siege).

Today, I saw myself with my team mates (Jun Lontoc and Luther Suarez) and co-reporters up and about and around the Malakanyang complex, covering yet another political (military?) crisis.

Reporters, including myself were busy chasing cars, bargaining with the PSG, talking over our celfones and contacting sources inside the palace.

Huge “container vans” or Twenty foot Equivalent Units went over our heads as they were strategically positioned to block the gates of Malacanang against those who want to grab power.

The PSG (ilang days ko na notice, ibang mga mukha sila, meaning another team, a more trained team, kasi kahit sobrang strikto, sobrang polite din nila, kahit tedious ang inspection, di mo sila kakainisan) — in full battle gear.

After the TEUs were put in place, buses filled with Palace employees emerged from inside. Some of them waved goodbye from the windows, one guy told us, “Pinauwi na kami.”. Sec. Mike Defensor will later confirm that the employees and all the vehicles inside the Palace were asked to leave the premises.

At one point, I had to stop covering because I realized: what a sight! Employees on an exodus like exit, while the SUVs of Cabinet officials and elected officials, worm their way into the gate. Traffic nightmare, especially because the passageway was already constricted by the TEUs.

Then, the PSG told all of us to proceed to the Arlegui residence.

It was another “media stampede” usually seen only during tense coverage. Di na pinansin ang layo ng Arlegui mula sa unang gate. I told my cameraman to shoot scenes, so I carried the bag and tripod for him. Good thing the media vehicles were allowed to enter too, naabutan kami halfway sa takbuhan kaya sumakay kami lahat.

At the Arlegui residence, Defensor gave us his briefing.

Yes, even if we are inside the complex, we were STILL situated outside the Main palace. So the big question that minute was: How is the President?

Mike: “puyat, pero kalmado!”

Other points discussed:
-PGMA knew before hand but was informed of the real danger 11pm last night (hmmm parang mas alam pa ng mga nasa media? Ganun ba? No, same lang ata), by two AM, some of her cabinet officials were already in the Palace to meet her.
-people will be arrested (civilians and military)
-two names mentioned Gen. Danny Lim and Col. Ariel Querubin.
-Mike acknowledged that what was happening is a COUP. Stress on WAS, past tense. They nipped it in the bud, he claimed. The situation though: is still “a clear and present danger”, he added.
-NSC recommendation: highly confidential.
-The ERAP issue, (later)
-Sorry sa media (for the control?)
-With the President inside the Palace: Querol, Senga, Esperon, Mayor Atienza, JDV, Congressmen, Cabinet Secretaries.
-Palace tact: talk with Cardinal Rosales, leaders of INC, El Shaddai etc. Talk to Diplomatic Corps, Business leaders too.
-1st family inside the palace.
(will give some more details later— cut muna blogging— work muna)

We were advised, PGMA will address the nation via NBN 4 and Radyo ng Bayan. We were tipped off that a STATE OF EMERGENCY or something to that effect is looming.

Instruction: Media will watch the presidential address from Arlegui, then we will be allowed to cross the street and go inside the Palace “to interview” guests who are STILL SUPPORTIVE of PGMA. (Yup, just like the Oakwood mutiny coverage)

Contain the MPC in one area, expect discussions. We all agreed that this administration already “learned” their lessons in past “threats”. They know how to “control” the situation. Control even the movement of MEDIA. Hay.

Admittedly, we also found time to “laugh” and “joke around”. Kantiyawan, kodakan. “Anuba ito? Eto na naman tayo!”

We also laughed about the “miscues”. We were all in front of this single small TV, waiting for PGMA’s address, but what we saw were the ff: Home TV Shopping, June Keithley, Fr. Reuter, Jolina and PGMA “replays”. One TV network nag hook up agad sa PGMA replay, akala yun ang PGMA latest address.

Then we got calls from inside the palace. We can now enter daw. Turns out, the President already TAPED her message inside the Blue Room. Ala “I AM SORRY SPEECH”.

After the taped message was aired, Sec. Defensor held a quick presser.

Then, he marched to the Main Palace with the members of the Malacanang Press Corps. Tinawid at binagtas ang JP Laurel Street. Sa init ng noontime sun. The armed but polite PSG members, of course, checked all of our IDs. Some of us, were doing live reports via phone patch, wala kasing OB VAN na pinayagan sa loob ng complex.

Then we all proceeded to the Heroes Hall inside the palace where the LAKAS or administration congressmen were already (predictably) live on TV, professing (tarannnn, surprise!) their loyalty and support to PGMA and her declaration.

Parang fiesta!

Contrast sa nakikita sa plasma TV duon na mala police state na kalagayan sa mga rally points.

Saw most of the members of the first family except for Luli and FG Mike Arroyo. But Bunye said, they are in the palace.

Then Secretary Bunye’s presser began, he read this:

PROCLAMATION NO. 1017

PROCLAMATION DECLARING A STATE OF NATIONAL EMERGENCY

WHEREAS, over these past months, elements in the political opposition have conspired with authoritarians of the extreme Left represented by the NDF-CPP-NPA and the extreme Right, represented by military adventurists–the historical enemies of the democratic Philippine State—who are now in tactical alliance and engaged in a concerted and systematic conspiracy, over a broad front, to bring down the duly constituted government elected in May 2004.
WHEREAS, these conspirators have repeatedly tried to bring down the President;
WHEREAS, the claims of these elements have been recklessly magnified by certain segments of the national media;
WHEREAS, this series of actions is hurting the Philippine State–by obstructing governance including hindering the growth of the economy and sabotaging the people’s confidence in government and their faith in the future of this country;
WHEREAS, these actions are adversely affecting the economy;
WHEREAS, these activities give totalitarian forces of both the extreme Left and extreme Right the opening to intensity their avowed aims to bring down the democratic Philippine State;
WHEREAS, Article 2, Section 4 of our Constitution makes the defense and preservation of the democratic institutions and the State the primary duty of Government;
WHEREAS, the activities above-described, their consequences, ramifications and collateral effects constitute a clear and present danger to the safety and the integrity of the Philippine State and of the Filipino people;
NOW, THEREFORE, I Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Republic of the Philippines and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested upon me by Section 18, Article 7 of the Philippine Constitution which states that: “ The President…whenever it becomes necessary,…may call out (the) armed forces to prevent or suppress…rebellion…, “ and in my capacity as their Commander-in-Chief, do hereby command the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to maintain law and order throughout the Philippines, prevent or suppress all forms of lawless violence as well any act of insurrection or rebellion and to enforce obedience to all the laws and to all decrees, orders and regulations promulgated by me personally or upon my direction; and as provided in Section 17, Article 12 of the Constitution do hereby declare a State of National Emergency.
IN WITNESS HEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.
Done in the City of Manila, this 24th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, two thousand and six.

GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO
President
Republic of the Philippines

And then the “heated” Question and Answer portion began.

(you have all seen it on TV, all stations 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 13 ANC carried it) (the media issue and the proof issue and the guidelines issue)

Bunye, Defensor, Gonzales and Nachura all had a mouthful to say.

But how come, when the presser ended, the media still ambush interviewed them?

Because, we didn’t get the clarification we needed. How about you, did you think they were able to explain all the issues?

Sec. Gonzalez was even pikon, sabi nga ng iba kanina idinaan niya sa galit galit.

The media issue mismo hindi nila ma explain. At least Mike was candid enough to admit na may probability ng take over pag di nila nagustuhan ang inilalabas.

Chilling huh?

3:00 PM

(after attempting to make an appearance earlier) an all smiles President Arroyo entered the Heroes Hall to press the flesh of her “loyal minions”. (of course ang admin solons ang narito. one reporter said: news ito pag sina Nene or Ping or Noynoy ang narito)

The President’s smile didn’t vanish as the media hounded her from the Hall’s end to end, until she turned her back on us and climbed the main stairs of the Palace.

Nope. No rising of her arms, this time. Just her usual smile.

+++

Will update this if I’m no longer busy with our live reports.

But sadly, I won’t be blogging from the Press Working Area. The Palace will be closed to the media from 6pm to 6am daily…. As long as the proclamation is in effect.

Control.