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The following is the unedited text of emails received from Manila based Raoul during Friday's events in Manila. It will be updated every few hours today and tomorrow... Last Update (scroll to the bottom) 6:30pm Manila Time: Live TV shows Defense Sec. Orly Mercado and General Reyes (I don't remember which branch he is, maybe Air Force) making their way through the crowd towards the stage at EDSA Shrine. Heard earlier they were going to pull their support from Erap before he ordered them to fire when the crowds make their way to Malacañang later this weekend. This is probably a huge story, CNN might have it by now..... time is 4 pm in Manila. (almost got hit with a flying brick this afternoon by Ayala in Makati, though)------ Raoul is tapping on his laptop in the crowd, hunkered down under the stage... The photogs from the intl new mags got there just in time (they flew in the last 24-48 hours in a stunning display of parachute journalism), I hope they still allow Marissa -- the top Generals are being introduced one by one, heads of each branch of the service, leading up to General Reyes (head of Armed Forces of the Philippines), Defense Sec. Orly Mercado, and FVR. They are surrounding Glora Macapagal-Arroyo. The crowd is screaming as others continue to make their way through the crowd. One of the Generals is General Defensor, brother of crony Senator Miriam Santiago-Defensor (she of the bizarre Visayan accent and bitchy demeanor, the one who got the three innocent spectators ejected in a fit of anger). Ironic that the only reason he got his star was because it was part of a quid pro quo in kind payment from Erap to Miriam (she was originally quite a critic of the administration, turned around pretty quickly when the balato started to flow in). Medala (National Economic and Development Authority) and Pardo (Finance) just resigned, as did key Usecs in Finance, the edifice is crumbling fast in real time. News con about to start, should be on CNN, they were live with Marissa a minute ago (talk about making your career and thanks to circumstances!)... The exchange rate is rallying, just heard to peso zoomed to 47.5 (from 55 or so), a huge swing... the confetti is flying -- breaths are being held as we wait to hear the reaction from the Palace... looks like People Power II is real and powerful, miracle in the making 21st century style. Someone is approaching through the crowd, the crowd is craning their necks to see who it might be -- is it Ping? is it Ping? people are screaming . . . the guy in the middle is definitely in khaki -- The international reporters are falling all over themselves trying to see who it is (and hollering at their just-assigned local guy/gal Fridays "who the heck is that?" == no, it's not, tis another General -- Orly is taking the stage, now speaking (that press conference must be coming up shortly)... Orly just introduced the new fellow, he is General Calimlim,, Vice Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines -- "this completes the entire hierarchy of the Philippines military," he says in booming voice. Calling for recovery and national healing, as if there were a new administation already in place (but still no news from Malacang). The introductions are being made -- Vice Admiral Guillermo Wong of the Philippine Navy -- now a key figure from Philippine National Police (but not Ping Lacson, he must be on the way) -- now one, now another -- the entire military apparatus is on stage, looks like (preliminary assessment) we can breath a sigh of relief that blood will not be shed in the streets after all. GMA now taking the stage for inspirational words, many references to People Power 1986. Looking around the crowd, the choice of color this EDSA season has shifted from Cory yellow to mourning black. Orly is dressed in a spiffy combo of black denim and turtleneck black shirt. GMA for some reason is in a rather odd orange-y pants suit. Now 4:44 pm Manila, may be on CNN, not sure FVR just took the mike. "I confirm everything GMA just said about EDSA I. But this time, let me tell you that EDSA II was done better by our professional armed forces and professional national police " Looks like it all came down to an issue of bloodshed and wish to avoid same. They are all standing up together (the generals and GMA and associated on-stagers) to sing the Philippine national anthem a capella), patriotic as hell. Question is: What will Erap do? Looks like he has no teeth left, I don't even know who would fly the helicopter to get him out of Malacañang. And if he says "shoot" there's nobody left to pull the trigger. US Embassy here this morning said no problem with him hightailing it stateside, open arms just like when Marcos fled to Hawaii. But this time the US has less vested interest (no Nixon-Marcos buddy buddy relationship), and Clark Field is caput, no Uncle Sam evacuation. Erap must be stewing, maybe he'll have a heart attack. Hey, that would be a good dramatic device! The mood on stage is celebratory. General Reyes on stage now: "We would like to request that we start the healing process and that we allow President Erap and members of his cabinet to exit with dignity. Let us now be persecutive -- " *The generals are taking turns with the mike, what a movie! Estrada should be making a statement soon, question is which way it goes. I'd like to think da bum would finally butt out, but you never know. He may still stonewall, since he's been living in fantasyland so long why should he stop now? If he tries to hang on, he would presumably have to be removed extra-constitutionally. The military and police are gone. **Wonderful Filipino moment == Booly Booly, boogie music on stage, the whole crowd is cooking, swaying from side to side... Booly, Booly... looks like a huge party, I hope CNN shows some of this. Good band, but sounds like it's on tape, I think it's the original (was it Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs? don't remember) -- 5:02 pm, Manila time...Instead of blood on the streets we're ending up with urban lovefest... 5:45pm Things have calmed down considerably, more Cabinet members are giving up, including DILG Alfredo Lim, Buenaventura (Central Bank), etc. Two of the "keep the envelope sealed" senators (Honasan the ex-military coup guy and Jaworski the ex-pro hoopster) joined the EDSA rally and added their names to the list. On the one hand, you could ask what the heck they waited till now for. On the other hand, it's a good thing, 'cause if they would have voted to open envelope #2 the other night that stupid trial would still be dragging on and the defense would still be making idiotic objectives to any and every piece of evidence. But, one suspects their names will live in infamy.. Bottom line is the hubris and huge egos of the 11 Senators caused them to make the world's biggest strategic error. Talk about egg on the face! They also did the country a favor, as the implosion of the Estrada adminstration has been complete and apparently total. 6 pm: Just got word that Aventajado has resigned. He's the guy who was in charge of negotiating the Muslim hostage thing and who, according to Stern, took a chunk of the ransom money. 6:23 pm: Jeezus!~ Can you believe he's not resigning? What a bastard...
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