A Hope Betrayed

All of us remember the dramatic events that occurred in the Philippines in February 1986. "People Power" swept Ferdinand Marcos from power and installed Cory Aquino as the new president of the Philippines. The extraordinary and unexpected success of "People Power" inspired great hope among the people of the Philippines; and the nonviolent character of this amazing transformation astounded many and seemed to strengthen the potential of such possibilities elsewhere.

During those momentous days, Filipino church worker and grassroots theologian Karl Gaspar was in Washington, D.C., for a scheduled speaking event and to visit Sojourners. The day Marcos fell from power, Karl shared the fresh hope of his people for justice and freedom. But he also raised a number of concerns.

The role taken by Marcos' Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and Gen. Fidel Ramos did not bode well for the future. Through their influence to that point and their expected role in the new regime, Karl could see the hand of the United States, which had dominated his country for so many years.

Perhaps the most unfortunate consequence of the involvement of the "dissident" generals was the quick end to the so-called revolution. The "People Power" movement, instead of spreading across the Philippines and into the rural areas, was over before it got beyond Manila. It has to be asked how much more might have been accomplished if the grassroots movement had swept the country.

Almost from the first days, the military began to reassert itself. Five coup attempts weakened the new government, forcing Aquino further to the Right. With each new consolidation, the military made demands, such as the removal of progressives from the government, the strengthening of the military's role, and the resumption of the counterinsurgency policy. Ceasefires and negotiations with the rebel forces, the popular organizations, and the political Left were soon replaced with a new military strategy against the opposition.

Before very long, alarming reports of new violations of human rights began to trickle out of the Philippines. The trickle has now become a flood, with the emergence of military-sponsored vigilante groups and increased combat between government forces and the rebel New Peoples Army (NPA) in many parts of the country.

Meanwhile, the social and economic structure of the Philippines remains intact, and the poverty of the majority of the people is unchanged. A feudal system of land ownership still prevails, with the military backing up the enormous wealth of a few families and substantial U.S. investments.

The presence of the U.S. military bases remains a central issue. Early government statements indicating potential opposition to extending the leases on the Subic Bay Naval Base and the Clark Air Force Base have been replaced by Mrs. Aquino's desire to "keep my options open." The present strategy seems to be to force the U.S. government to pay dramatically increased rent for its bases.

The stated purpose of the U.S. bases is, of course, to defend global security. The real purpose, however, is to protect U.S. strategic interests in the region and American investments in the Philippines, valued at four billion dollars.

The new Philippines constitution bans nuclear weapons from Filipino soil and territorial waters. U.S. government policy is neither to confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons aboard its ships or aircraft, though everyone assumes there are nuclear weapons at the Philippine bases.

I went to the Philippines in response to an invitation from Karl Gaspar. My brief journey took me to cities and towns, to rural areas and small barrios, and to the U.S. naval base at Subic Bay. It was not the usual fact-finding trip. Traveling with Karl afforded me a rare opportunity to see and experience the life of ordinary people in the Philippines.

My hope is that the trip and this issue of Sojourners will help to focus attention on the struggle for justice in the Philippines, a struggle that can only become more critical in the days ahead.

Jim Wallis is editor-in-chief of Sojourners.