Lessons learned from the
‘People Power’ revolution
The 1986 “People Power” events in the Philippines are now little known in the U.S., but relevant and inspiring.
Martial law had been declared in 1972, the Philippine Congress dissolved, and political opponents arrested.
Although martial law was lifted in 1981, when former Senator Benigno Aquino returned to the Philippines in 1983, he was shot on the tarmac by the military.
The Philippine economy was contracting in severe recession. An early February 1986 “snap election” yielded widespread reports of violence and tampering of election results.
Finally, the Catholic church of the Philippines declared that when “a government does not of itself freely correct the evil it has inflicted on the people then it is our serious moral obligation as a people to make it do so. … Now is the time to speak up. Now is the time to repair the wrong. The wrong was systematically organized. So must its correction be … that depends fully on the people; on what they are willing and ready to do.”
As many as 2 million Filipinos gathered in the streets of Manila. Nuns holding rosaries knelt in front of tanks, and men and women linked arms together to block the troops.
A general gave orders for lethal force, but a colonel balked.
As the tide turned, another general asked for permission to strike, and the president said, “No … disperse the crowd without shooting them.” By late February, the deposed president was evacuated to Honolulu.
A dictator was overthrown in days, without a single casualty. May we be inspired by the same “People Power” to peacefully assemble and show mercy to each other in prayer.
Kathleen Friday
Hilo
Commission should accept
Moszkowicz’s resignation
I have deep concerns about police Chief Ben Moszkowicz’s apparent resignation and decision to rescind it a few hours later.
He was asked by Mayor Rick Blangiardi to be the interim police chief in Honolulu. The problem is Blangiardi doesn’t have the authority to take that action. As a result, Moszkowicz rescinded his resignation request after being informed the buck doesn’t end with the mayor.
I believe this whole affair raises questions about the chief’s commitment to serving Hawaii Island’s police chief.
He obviously has designs to become Honolulu’s chief of police. This is what I see reading between the lines.
This raises questions about this affair’s impact on the morale of the Hawaii Police Department and his ability to lead it going forward.
I strongly feel the Hawaii County Police Commission should accept Moszkowicz’s resignation and start the process of selecting a new chief of police.
Aaron Stene
Kailua-Kona
