January 28, 2002
Metro ManilaWhen Cervantes was killed he was a consultant of National Security Adviser Roilo Golez and Vice President Teofisto Guingona.
Since the Chavit exposé Cervantes had been a close associate of Boy Saycon of COPA, the self-styled psywar expert utilized by both the Cory and Ramos administrations. COPA is one of the EDSA II groups who are complaining that they were ignored by GMA after she assumed the Presidency.
Sometime before the end of 2001 Cervantes publicly warned the Arroyo administration that it will be swept away from power if it fails to reform soon.The Arroyo administration reacted by insisting that any attempt to topple the government by force will not succeed. Coup rumors persisted since then and the usual suspects were named in various media reports - the RAM, the YOU and the multitude of Erap supporters.
Cervantes served two purposes: to steal the thunder from the mainstream RAM-YOU and to intimidate GMA. Only COPA and its allies in the Arroyo administration could possibly pursue such a combination of objectives. Golez apparently agreed with only the first objective and was getting wary about Cervantes' penchant for personal publicity. Guingona was simply gullible and swallowed hook-line-and-sinker whatever stories Cervantes passed on to him.
Claiming that if not for Chavit Singson, a leading COPA personality, Erap would not have been overthrown, COPA believes it deserves larger share of the EDSA II spoils. Intimidating GMA with coup threats while implying that they can control the coup plotters was one way COPA leaders wanted to deliver that message. (No less than Cardinal Sin recently exposed the plot of COPA to install a "collective leadership" in lieu of GMA that to most smelled like a coup plot to install a junta. - April 26, 2002)
However COPA soon found out Cervantes could not muster any significant following within the AFP nor outside it. His make-believe stories and impersonation were being realized by more and more people. So COPA found the necessity of linking with the mainstream RAM-YOU, those factions amenable to a critical collaboration with a remix of EDSA II forces. This move appeared to belittle the role of Cervantes who by then was already threatening to issue press statements damaging to COPA and its military allies.
Saycon tried to pacify Cervantes who felt abandoned by COPA's overture to the mainstream RAM-YOU. Cervantes in return tried to personally deliver to Saycon another report on an alleged coup plot to prove his value. Saycon avoided to see Cervantes in person to receive that report. Cervantes had to leave the report with the maid after fruitlessly waiting for Saycon for four hours in the latter's house.
Shortly afterwards Cervantes was shot dead.
The group of Bert Gonzalez and Abe Purugganan, working for GMA, soon outmaneuvered COPA and assembled a bigger group of former RAM-YOU members to neutralize coup threats nurtured in the minds of the people. In collaboration with pro-GMA NGO's the former rebel soldiers declared support for the government. COPA's Boy Saycon retreated and was back to licking boots of the administration. His counterparts from the People's Consultative Assembly likewise fell silent after FVR reportedly scolded them for dragging his name into the fray.
CERVANTES HAD ADVISED GUINGONA TO REJECT THE ENTRY OF AMERICAN TROOPS SAYING THIS WILL JUST TRIGGER NEW COUP ATTEMPTS. -Jan. 25, 2002
The Arroyo government mobilized its entire force to capture urban poor leader Ronald Lumbao, but was completely ignoring the case of Cervantes who was believed killed by the real destabilizers of her government! Now the PNP claims it has arrested the triggerman, actually a suspected kidnapper who is reportedly a member of the Guardians and described to be a former close-in bodyguard of Erap! Initial reports were insinuating that a RAM faction identified with retired General Abenina could be implicated.