Gringo dares Joma: Come home and lead Arroyo ouster

MANILA, Philippines - A former rightist rebel leader advised a former leftist leader Sunday to return to the Philippines and personally lead the "people power" activities he had "ordered" from Europe. Sen. Gregorio Honasan scored Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison for issuing orders from the comfort of an air-conditioned home in The Netherlands. "Kung mananawagan ka ng ganoon pumunta ka rito doon ka sa harap. Ikaw ang manguna and you take responsibility, huwag kang pasigaw-sigaw (If you are serious in calling for people power type activities, come home and lead them yourself, and you take responsibility instead of mouthing slogans)," Honasan, who led seven failed coup tries against the Aquino government in the 1980s, said in an interview on dzBB radio. Honasan was referring to Sison's statements calling on "patriotic" Filipinos to gather in the streets and oust President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from Malacañang. According to the former rightist rebel, he had learned his lessons and is now trying to avoid another mistake that would lead to armed confrontation. "Tayong mga nag-uudyok are we willing to take responsibility in case of an armed confrontation, pag naging madugo ang bunga nito? (For us who are calling for mass action, are we willing to take responsibility in case of an armed confrontation?)" he said. "Ako gagamitin ko halimbawa sarili ko. Marami rin akong aral natutunan dito kaya ayaw ko padalos-dalos pumunta for or against na hindi pa ako handa panagutan kung anong sasabihin ko kung ma-misinterpret na naman na nag-uudyok ako (In my case, I've learned my lessons. I do not want to hastily call for any course of action that will go out of control)," he added. He said that while he agrees with the call for truth and accountability in the wake of a $329.48-million telecoms deal scandal, it must be through peaceful means. On the other hand, he said Sison should go beyond running the leftist movement in the Philippines by remote control, from an air-conditioned house in The Netherlands. Sison had been living in self-exile in The Netherlands since 1987. "Buti ka nasa centralized air-conditioned ka na bansa. Pumunta ka rito, doon ka sa harap at doon ka manawagan (You're lucky you're in a house with centralized air-conditioning. Why don't you come here and personally lead the activities you're calling for)," Honasan said. Honasan also said it is time the Filipino people define what they are for, not just what they are against – apparently referring to the alternative for President Arroyo, whose ouster many sectors had been seeking. "Once and for all let's define as a people ... what we are for, not what we are against, in terms of personalities or groups. Linawin natin ano ang gusto natin mangyari ito (Let's be clear on what we want to happen)," he said. - GMANews.TV