Give it up, Mike: It’s too late for more tape debates

BY THE WAY By Max V. Soliven
The Philippine Star 08/14/2005

The plight of 70,000 commuters miserably stranded by an unexpected strike at London’s Heathrow airport which paralyzed inbound and outbound flights of British Airways for days is just another reminder of Murphy’s Law: "If anything can go wrong, it will go wrong – and at the worst possible time."

The strike began with the walk-out of employees of caterers to the airline and snowballed (an odd term to use, admittedly, in Britain’s hot summer of discontent) into a strike involving ground personnel, airport reception clerks, and ultimately other sectors of the unfortunate airline. Think of all the billions of pounds, euros and dollars (RMB and yen, too) in terms of business lost by everyone utilizing both airline and airport. Consider the hopes, plans, and holiday time of travellers devastated by the ridiculous walk-out.

This is a world of woes and terrible happenings. You don’t even need terrorists to inflict such widespread disruption and dismay. Alas, it’s the human condition. Of course, there was stubbornness and stupidity on all sides.

I detail this anecdote in order to remind us that catastrophes, palpaks, debacles and acts of insanity are not, to invoke the knee-jerk term we so dearly love, repeat: Not "only in the Philippines." * * *
Secretary Mike Defensor, the former Spice Boy when he was in Congress (now re-tooled into the Defender of Glory Be), fell flat on his face in his too-late attempt to explain the "Garci tapes" as digitally altered. Probably all the tapes were spliced and digitally altered but what the heck. That debate is long over. Those who believe they were genuine won’t change their minds at this point, nor will those who feel they were maliciously spliced find themselves "more" vindicated.

What Defensor did, in fact, harmed his idol, La Presidenta. He may claim till the shrimps learn to whistle that GMA knew nothing of his initiative, nor did she order it undertaken, but many people I’m sure are shaking their heads and cluck-clucking: "Methinks the lady doth protest too much."

The American voice "expert" whose spectrographic data he waved around on television should have been trotted out weeks ago, not just now. Even Defensor’s assertion that he spent his own money to pay for the analysis sounds funny. Geez, he even "paid" in dollars.

What’s worse is that another fellow, sound engineer Jim Sarthou, whom he dragged into the press conference to back up his claim, didn’t even know what he was there for, much less did he suspect he was going to be plonked in front of the TV cameras during the press conference sitting beside Secretary Defensor.

A somewhat indignant and truthful-sounding Sarthou was put the following day on ANC/ABS-CBN to express surprise at his having been dragged onstage when he had merely been "invited" to watch the show. I think it was to Jim’s surprise, anew, that Defensor was brought in by the talk-show hosts to try to explain the discrepancy. I must say, Mike is glib – his boyish rat-tat-tat in both fluent English and Tagalog is engaging, even when the viewer knows he’s making bolas.

Apparently taken aback by Mike appearance on that program, Sarthou conducted himself with aplomb, listening patiently to Mike’s assertions, but he couldn’t suppress a twinge of skepticism fleetingly showing on his face at a couple of the Secretary’s sallies.

Anyway, Defensor tried. GMA doesn’t need enemies to attack her. Sometimes, defenders and supporters do more damage. In Mike’s case, he’d better decide whether he’s Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources – an important job – or still Campaign Manager of GMA. He can’t do both things, and if he persists in doing so, he’ll be a flop in both. What Defensor managed was to make himself look like was Toting Bunye, Part II – the Press Secretary was the original "Splice Boy". * * *
In these days of disillusionment and disappointment, it’s heartening to recall that there are many Filipinos – the vast majority, I believe, truth to tell – who are constant and true.

One of them was Colonel Leon Hernandez – he never made General – who was once chief of the now-controversial ISAFP (Intelligence Service Armed Forces of the Philippines). If you’ll recall, the "Doble" wiretaps of the "Hello Garci" conversations allegedly came from ISAFP files, whether spliced or doctored.

Leonie Hernandez ran the ISAFP with confidence and diligence during the regime of President Diosdado Macapagal. His wife, Pie, was an American, she never induced him to be pro-Am. She was a wonderful lady, loyal, supportive, and with a great sense of humor.

Colonel Hernandez, was fiercely patriotic. I’ll never forget what he said one day, during one face-up with the Americans on policy. He told this writer: "Max, the Americans in the basketball game of life are our friends, and our allies, but always and without confusion there is for us only one Team – the Philippine Team!"

Was he a man of honor? Just look at this: When Ferdinand E. Marcos, then Senate President and President of the Liberal Party, jumped over the fence and got the Presidential nomination of the Nacionalista Party to fight Macapagal who was running for reelection, Colonel Hernandez was approached by Macoy.

He was asked, in seductive terms, to "tip" Marcos off about President Macapagal’s moves and movements, clandestinely, of course. It was hinted that his reward would be on earth, not in heaven.

Hernandez replied to FM: "Sir, if you get elected and become President, I will be your most faithful officer but as long as President Macapagal is our Commander-in-Chief, it is my duty and honor to be loyal to him as the Constitution mandates."

When Marcos beat Cong Dadong to become President, Leonie knew his career was over. He quietly resigned his commission, then went to work for Philippine Airlines in Honolulu, later in California, after which he retired. I last heard from Leonie a year and a half ago, when, after a long silence, he sent me a note to say that he had learned I though he was "gone," but that he was very much alive. Alas, I never got the opportunity to go and see him.