Senator Gregorio Honasan. INQUIRER/RICHARD REYES
MANILA, Philippines – Inspired by Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile’s book, Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan and his comrades in the Rebolusyonaryong Alyansang Makabansa (RAM) are planning to write their own story to correct the alleged “lies” and “falsehood” written about them.
“It’s a work in progress,” Honasan told INQUIRER.net over the phone on Thursday, “This is our contribution to history.”
He said he and other RAM members started talking about writing a book two or three years ago, which they intend to leave for their children, grandchildren, and the young generation, who would like to know their side of the story.
Honasan lamented that 90 percent of what was written about the group was wrong.
“For example, (some people said we launched) seven coup attempts. That’s a total inaccuracy. Kasinungalingan yan [That’s a lie],” the senator said.
“I have the amnesty diploma. I was given amnesty for 1987 and 1989. O ngayon, kung isama mo yung 1986 for the sake of argument, e di tatlo [If you include the 1986 uprising, that’s only three],” he pointed out.
Honasan said they have records and pictures to back up their story.
And for the record, the senator said what RAM did in 1987 and 1989 during the time of the late President Corazon Aquino were not coup attempts but military uprisings or rebellions.
“Alam mo yung [You know, those] coup attempts, again that’s a misnomer,” he said.
“A coup attempt is a swift military action designed to go against specific military targets so you can grab power. Isa yan sa mga pinagsusulat ng mga walang alam, yung mga nagmamarunong, nagmamalinis na hindi naman.”
When they organized the group (which was then called the Reform the Armed Forces Movement) in 1986, Honasan said, the plan was to put up a National Unification Council that would oversee the gradual transition to democracy.
The council, he said, would have included former President Cory Aquino, the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, and other “credible” personalities and representatives from various sectors in society.
The RAM, he said, was guided by the original plan when they launched two failed military uprisings in 1987 and 1989.
“We are not out to grab power for ourselves or to install minister Enrile as the dictator. That’s what being propagated di ba? Hindi, we’re always guided by the original plan in 1986, that’s what we had in 1987 and 1989 ,” Honasan said, referring to then Defense Secretary and now Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile.
Another wrong impression about their group, he said , was that they were like a “cornered pack of rats in Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Crame during the 1986 revolt, who were afraid to be ‘annihilated’”.
“Actually that was not true because in the years before that, when the RAM was being organized, our ultimate fear in 1986 was a civil war by accounts yung rapid defection during the four days indicates that we had a massive support from the young officers,” he explained.
“So our fear was not that we would be annihilated. Our fear is the civil war,’ the senator added.
Asked why they would want to tell their stories now, Honasan said, “So that our children will know our story. The children of our children, not for anybody else. Of course for those interested Filipinos, the younger generation of Filipinos who want to know our side of the story.”
“This is our contribution to history. This is not to inspire anybody to do the same thing. In fact, we give credit to people power, not to any personality or self-proclaimed icon,” the senator said.
And those who would refute their story, Honasan said, must also present proof to back up their claims.
“This is our story. If anybody thinks otherwise, we don’t really care,’ he further said.