Senate chief Enrile: Another revolt always a possibility

MANILA, Philippines — "You cannot predict the future." This was the reaction of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on the warning aired by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that the world will no longer embrace another Filipino mass upheaval. "In our temporal world that is acceptable. But things like these are not always under the control of men… So, you cannot predict the future," Enrile said in interview with reporters. In February 1986, Enrile, then defense minister of President Ferdinand Marcos, broke away from the late strongman's administration together with then Armed Forces vice chief Lt. Gen. Fidel Ramos. The civilian-backed military uprising resulted in Marcos' ouster and catapulted Mrs. Corazon Aquino to the presidency. Enrile’s remark came after President Arroyo on Sunday warned that the world will no longer forgive a third EDSA revolt - a warning she made in the midst of accusations by her critics that she was planning to stay in power beyond 2010. Meanwhile, Church figures who played a key role in the EDSA1 revolt expressed the same opinion. Retired Novaliches Bishop Teodoro Bacani said President Arroyo does not have the right to claim such because "no one could tell except God." Bacani added that the rest of the world will welcome another upheaval as long as the reason is justifiable. Sisters Ping Ocariza and Terry Burias of the Daughters of Saint Paul congregation shared the same view. "Only God knows it... No one knows the future, not even the President," said Ocariza. Burias, for her part, warned that they are ready to face the challenges they faced during the first EDSA revolt "if needed or if the time calls for it." The nuns were some of the key figures among the Catholic religious who, during the 1986 revolt, were seen holding rosaries while kneeling in front of the military tanks. - GMANews.TV