THEY WERE HOPING FOR PEOPLE POWER

The crisis is over. The rebels have surrendered and have been returned to their barracks. But hours before that, their spokesman,Lt. Sg Antonio Trillanes was talking about exactly why they were doing what they were doing.

For a long time Trillanes and many of his peers have been frustrated by the corruption in the government and the Military. They tried to do something about the corruption within the law and when that did not work out, in desperation, they seized OAKWOOD hotel in Makati, planted bombs in the perimeter and in the hotel itself, and demanded that GMA and the AFP leadership step down. Did they take hostages and threaten to kill one every hour until their demands are met? No, they let all the people who were staying at the hotel, as well as the employees go. Were they threatening to send a missile or blow up some installation somewhere if their demands are not met? No, all the explosives they had were set around the perimeter for their own protection.

They have let go people, including some dignitaries from foreign nations, which they could have used as bargaining chips to both prevent the military from rushing in, and for their demands to be met. And yet they have not done that.

They have refused any negotiation, and repeatedly threw the ball at the people. It's up to the people who to believe, the corrupt military and government, or them, who they insist are the good guys. They took over the hotel without harming anyone, without firing a single bullet. And they said that the first shot will not come from them, and will fire only in their defense.

If they wanted our attention, they certainly got it. And when they did, they told us just what was on their minds. They said that the military is selling bullets and ammunitions to the very same Communist and Moslem rebels they are fighting against. Apparently, when they clash with insurgents and capture their camps, they discover ammunition and weapons that came from the military itself. They claim that the military was responsible for the bombing of the airport and wharf terminals in Davao. They claim that the military was responsible for the bombing of Moslem mosques. They should know, a number of them were ordered to throw grenades at the mosques but they had refused. I have no doubt that they believe all these with all their hearts. They believe it enough that they are willing to risk their own lives for it. They believe all this was done with the permission of GMA because Trillanes himself approached GMA about it and nothing was done. What else could he have concluded except to believe GMA was part of it? Although this leap in logic is somewhat hard for me to swallow personally, I could readily believe their other allegations. But what I confidently believe about them is this: That they are not acting under the orders of some higher power, that they truly believe in their cause, and that they would die for it.

Believing that the President herself is part of the corruption, they could no longer trust any institution within the government to air their grievances. Left with no recourse, they captured OAKWOOD, exposed the corruption within the government to the public, and hoped against hope that the people will believe them and rally with them, as the people rallied with Gringo Honasan, Juan Ponce Enrile and Fidel Ramos against Marcos back in 1986. They were hoping that the people would be so indignant of the lies and corruption that they would flock in the millions to protect them and oust GMA from power.

But that didn't happen. The day ended with the rebels' surrender, and Trillanes' disappointment that the corruption will go unabated, the guilty parties not judged, and that the people wanted it that way.

Trillanes and his people risked their lives and careers to expose the truth about the corruption in government, but he feels that the people will not hear of it, and worse, not care. He will go on believing this, and with the exception of thwarted love, there is no pain greater than knowing you fought for what you believed was right and then lose in the end.

I fear that a seed has been planted in the minds of these young officers and soldiers, a seed that tells them that the people don't know what's good for them, that they are blind to corruption, that the people are no longer worthy to place their trust in. I fear that the time will come when the choice will be taken away from us, that in order to set this country straight, they will no longer trust us to do the right thing, but rather impose it on us through force.

Military Rebellion In Makati

I was woken up at 4am today by a phone call from my mom, telling me to open the TV and watch the news. Still very sleepy after having been up all night inking Superman and turning in at around 1am, I groggily opened the TV. In the back of my mind I knew it had something to do with the rumors of coup d'etat in the news for the past week. I wasn't wrong.

I was immediately awake. On the TV were a group of very young soldiers airing their grievances against the governent, among them the allegation that the military sells weapons and ammunition to the very Communist and Moslem rebels that they are fighting against to elongate the war to the benefit of certain people/businesses, that Martial Law will be declalred by the government in August to keep it in power, that the President and the military themselves were responsible for the bombing in Davao so they could gain US aid in defeating the rebels.

Strange that the first allegation and the 3rd actually contradict themselves. Why on earth would the governent ask for US aid in defeating the rebels if they really want to elongate the war by providing weapons and ammunition to them?

In any case, I think I can believe the notion that the rebels would be in possession of weapons and ammunition from the goverment, but I seriously doubt that the President, the governent, and the Military is doing this consciously and as a matter of course. I would more readily believe in a very ingrained corruption within the ranks who sell these weapons to the rebels. And I really don't believe that GMA would be responsible for the deaths of innocent people in Davao for whatever reason.

But I think these Military rebels do have legitimate grievances, and I really hope that GMA and the government don't dismiss them as crackpots who just want to destabilize the country. The question they have to ask is WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? Why do these soldiers feel like they have to DO THIS. They have to find this out before they move on.

To all our friends abroad, I really doubt you guys have anything to worry about. It's business as usual here. I'm still inking, and I expect to be fedexing pages in a couple of days. The malls are still open (with the exception of Glorietta, Rustan, SM and other commercial establishments in the Makati Commercial center which the rebels have taken over. But they are restricting themselves to those places, nothing more. Foreigners caught in the hotels, including an ambassador, are in the process of being let go, and the rebels assure the public that violence will not start with them.

Hopefully, this will be resolved peacefully....but this better not be swept under the rug and dismissed just like that.

Larry Alcala

THE JUDGE'S HOUSE

I ran really late on finishing this story, 17 pages where I pencilled, inked, and lettered everything. It was so late, the story was very nearly given to someone else. I had to hunker down and just do it, ignoring literally everything else (aside from Superman) just to finish it. So if there is anyone out there who is feeling ignored, and I know there's at least a couple of you out there, this is the reason. What can I say? I wish God gave us 36 hours in one day so I can at least attend to other things aside from this, but as it was I really had no alternative. If I didn't do it, I'd lose it. I also couldn't ignore Superman because that is what's keeping this roof over my head. So aside from drawing The Judge's House, I was also inking Superman, working like crazy for nearly 18 hours a day everyday including Sunday.

I've finally done with the Judge, and I'm happy with the results. I would have rushed it, but I really couldn't. Check it out when it's released along with Graphic Classics: Bram Stoker out in a few months. One would think I could get a short breather, but I can't afford to. I'm back to inking Superman full time with another deadline that's looming very close.

I'm glad for the jobs because I earn from it, but there are projects put on hold because I've had to prioritize. This is not to say that those other projects are not important to me, as a couple of you who feel ignored feel I'm not giving due importance to our projects. All of these projects are important. I've already invested TOO MUCH on those other projects for to just forget it just like that. It would be stupid. It's just that I had to prioritize which I needed to do first. I will attend to all these projects eventually...but at this point, I'll be busy with Superman for the next couple of weeks.

SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT #1 (MAY030162), the debut issue
of the 12-issue maxiseries, has sold out at DC Comics
only nine days after its on-sale date of July 2. This
special issue features a 40-page story by Mark Waid,
Leinil Yu and Gerry Alanguilan at the regular-issue
cover price of $2.95.

"Superman, Leinil Yu, Gerry Alanguilan, Dave
McCaig...I feel like I'm playing in the greatest band
ever, and that retailers and fans have embraced
BIRTHRIGHT is just terrific," says Waid. "As for my
part, all I ever promised was that I'd show readers
who don't love Superman exactly why I do. I'm thrilled
they're enjoying the show, because it only gets
better."

"From the time we first heard that Mark was going to
write this project and Leinil was going to draw it, we
knew fans were going to have a strong response to this
series," says Bob Wayne, DC's VP - Sales & Marketing.
"Even with a significant overprint, we ran out faster
than expected. As always, we urge retailers to
increase their orders."

Well you say that you've made up your mind it's been such a long, long time since it's been good with us
And that somewhere back along the line you lost your love and I lost your trust
Now rooms that once were so bright
Are filled with the coming night

I don't wanna fade away
Oh I don't wanna fade away

I don't wanna be just another useless memory holding you tight
Or just some other ghost out on the street to whom you stop and politely speak when you pass by
Vanishing into the night
Left to vanish into the night

I don't wanna fade away
Oh I don't wanna fade away
Tell me what can I do, what can I say
'Cause darlin' I don't wanna fade away

****************
Sometimes it seems I'm the only one who likes Bruce Springsteen's music, at least in the circle I move in. I just heard this song again as I was turning the radio and I was quite surprised. Surprised that someone was playing a Bruce Springsteen song OTHER than Born In the USA, Dancing in the Drak or Glory Days and surprised that they were playing THIS song, one of my favorites which I'm sure 99% of you visitors to my journal have never heard of. But I have, many many times. And I just love this song to death.

I just got home from Leinil and Yai's wedding. All the old gang was there, Efren "Jay" Anacleto, Philip Tan, Edgar Tadeo, Gilbert Monsanto and Ryan Orosco. I hope to have some pictures up here soon. Damn, I really REALLY ought to get myself a digital camera. With those things I can upload pics with impunity almost immediately.

I'm so sleepy and tired...but I can't sleep yet. I have to work and finish this Bram Stoker page tonight and continue drawing it before I start inking Superman again. And then that is another tight deadline. Fun FUN July!! :)

Yes, to you DC Message board posters...That's really Leinil Yu and that's really me posting over there...:) Thanks for the feedback and support and we just want to let you know that for our part, we do listen to what you all have to say.

JUST ADDED!!

Click here to see pics of Leinil's wedding:
http://www.edgartadeo.com/duh/archives/00000080.shtml
Thanks to Edgar Tadeo!

:)

CONGRATS TO LEINIL and YAI!

My old pal Leinil Francis Yu, who just happens to be superstar artist of comics like Wolverine, X-Men, Highroads and now SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT is getting married today to his longtime girlfriend Yai Maniquis. I'll be there doing the cord thing. The pic on the right is a sticker picture of them from around two years ago which got stuck in my sticker-laden art portfolio case. The surface of that case is rather glossy, so no matter what kind of sticker I stick on there it always comes off, at least most of them. But this Nil-Yai sticker always stayed and just refuses to come off. Just like Nil and Yai themselves. I'm pretty sure that they'll be stuck together for the rest of their lives. Congrats!!!

SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT #1 by Mark Waid, Leinil Francis Yu, colored by Dave McCaig and inked by me has just been released. I'm relieved to finally see this book as we had been working on it since last year. I remember working on #1 back when I got married last December.

Working on Superman has been something else. I have inked on some high profile books in the past, even X-Men and other X-Books with writers like Chris Claremont, Warren Ellis and Grant Morrison. Amazingly talented people all...but there's just something about Superman. He's THE one. The one who started it all. Holding the issue in my hands and seeing my name on the cover...it's just simply unbelievable. And they even got my name right!

I received my complimentary copies today straight from Quebecor and I did something I rarely do with comics I had worked on. I sat down and read it. You see, I was a huge HUGE comics fan back before I started working in comics. In many ways, I'm STILL a fan, but it's not like it was before. When I worked on Wolverine or X-Men or X-Force, I couldn't bring myself to read those issues because I had been so involved in creation of the art that it was difficult to immerse myself in the story. I couldn't see Logan battling for his life or Sam punching through the ground from the sky or Scott blasting a building with his eyes. All I could see were the ink lines I had put down. Maybe it's got to do with working behind the scenes and knowing how the magic is done...that I lose the appreciation for the magic myself.

Not so with Superman. I sat down to read it and at the end of it, I completely forgot I had worked on it and just enjoyed it.



That's me and Ilyn at the Exotik Restaurant from a couple of months ago. I just got the picture from my mom and I really like this picture. I think it's the best picture of me and Ilyn together.

It's been a busy month, June was. I'm still desperately trying to finish The Judge's House for Graphics Classics. I'm running late and I also got Superman to ink. I manage to do both at the same time, but it leaves me with very little time for anything else. If I haven't been posting much to this blog it just means I had been working on those books.

My pal Leinil Francis Yu, artist on Superman, will be getting married this Sunday and I'm one of the secondary sponsors. With his marriage and a deadline in three weeks, I'm curious to see how he will pull it off. Actually, I'm curious how I will pull it off. Ha! ha! I'll let you all know how it goes...