February 21, 2006 · Posted in: Edsa Special, Podcasts
Edsa 20/20: Gregorio ‘Gringo’ Honasan
‘THE military, once it intervenes, cannot go back to the barracks’
Seen at Edsa as the dashing, rifle-bearing colonel who was supposed to have led the assault on Malacañang, Honasan is the face of military rebellion. The leader of several unsuccessful attempts to topple the Aquino government, Honasan articulated the military’s resentment against civilian authority. Briefly detained before escaping from his floating prison in Manila Bay, he served in the Senate from 1995 to 2004. He now heads the Guardians, a military brotherhood, and is still the most compelling symbol of the politicized soldiery.
In this podcast, Luz Rimban interviews Honasan.
Length: 00:30:36
File size: 21 MB
3 Responses to Edsa 20/20: Gregorio ‘Gringo’ Honasan
malayang ibon
February 24th, 2006 at 9:35 am
Am posting this on behalf of some of my friends who joined past coup. Mga pangkaraniwang kawal na ginamit ng mga nakatataas ang ranggo upang maisulong ang kanilang pansariling interes at kapakanan. Mga sundalong wala na ngayon sa serbisyo sa kadahilanang iniwanan ng kanilang mga superior na di man lang ipinaglaban o tinulungan. If I were one of these soldiers, babalikan ko at uusigin ang konsensiya (kung meron man) ng mga nang-iwan. Para sa mga KAWAL NG SAMBAYANANG PILIPINO na ina-akit ng mga matatamis na salita upang sumali sa paga-aklas… MAG-ISIP.
INSIDE PCIJ: Stories behind our stories » Gringo and Oakwood
February 24th, 2006 at 6:35 pm
[…] Last December, in an interview I had with Honasan for PCIJ’s EDSA 20/20 project, I asked Honasan about his alleged involvement in coups against various governments since Cory Aquino’s presidency. He admitted involvement in only three — 1986, 1987 and 1989 — of the many that he said he was being blamed for. He also talked about how government has been linking him to the Oakwood mutiny. Below is the excerpt from that interview, referring to Oakwood. "Let’s bring to mind, for example, recently the 2003 Oakwood incident. Just because I talked to some officers because of the National Recovery Program which they actually drafted, ini-implicate ako. What is worst, nung mag-Oakwood incident, Malacañang asked for my help. Ako naman, si gago, punta naman ako. If I did not go, not even Biazon or Cimatu or Tito Sotto or the other personalities would have been allowed by the young officers. "When I went in, I asked them, “You want indefinitely to stand up or to dialogue?” Sabi sa akin ng mga opisyal, “the dialogue sir.” Cimatu came in. After I did that, Malacañang set free the dogs of war. Joey Lina started coming out in public, Roilo Golez and some others, including I must admit some individual in my own organization. Now the question Luz, is where are they now? Joey Lina has been keeping quiet. His brother was part of the Hyatt 10. Roilo Golez has done issues and acrobatics. And the others are quiet so sabi ko, ‘Where’s the consistency? Where are you now? Where are the attack dogs?’ […]
sam g
February 26th, 2006 at 8:32 am
Honasan is nothing but a demagogue, in love with the sound of his own rhetoric. His sorry track record is a damning testament to how his words are at odds with his actions:
– 2 terms at the Batasan spent supporting trapo legislation
– he talks of willingness to let the law take it’s course but led several coups, and abandoned his troops when defeat became obvious, hiding everytime to avoid taking responsibilty for the carnage his ambition has wrought.
– he talks of the deaths caused by his coups in a cavalier fashion, like shooing away insignificant flies at a feast.
– the members of RAM that he speaks so highly of used their subsequent positions in government, not to represent the cause of the downtrodden, but more to participate in their plunder and oppression.
He may forvever attempt to paint himself but a great idealist and patriot but history will portray him as a great manipulator who fed and prospered on the blood and hardship of his men.
Rather than his grandiose words in this interview, he should be remembered as a scoundrel who managed to (so far) get away with murder.