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Velasco writes new book "Silver Linings" on EDSA People Power Revolution

by Miguel Verzosa

To commemorate the 26th Anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power and the founding of the Special Action Forces (SAF) under the Philippine National Police, a definitive coffee table book entitled “Silver Linings” has been in the making in the last two years and is scheduled for release in May 2012. Spearheaded by former Philippine President Fidel V. Ramos, founder of the Special Action Forces and former AFP chief of staff, and authored by veteran author and biographer Melandrew T. Velasco, “Silver Linings” tells the story of the EDSA Revolution of 1986 and what it really means from the perspective of the “few good men” who have literally put their lives on the line in order to propel People Power: the heroic military defection from the dictatorial government, led by then Marcos’ Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and Armed Forces Vice Chief of Staff Fidel V. Ramos, along with the Special Action Forces (SAF) which Ramos has founded with Gen. Renato S. de Villa. The book also recounts the remarkable journey to People Power Revolt by the three Edsa 1 icons – President Corazon C. Aquino in the eyes of Senator Agapito “Butz” Aquino and her son Benigno Simeo Aquino III, Jaime Cardinal Sin in the eyes of Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas and FVR in the eyes of former AFP and PNP officers. The book puts together valuable, never-before published accounts from the surviving members of SAF, largely from the main points of view of co-authors Gen. Reynaldo Velasco (ret.), the first SAF Commander, and former DILG Secretary Raffy Alunan III, himself a SAF honorary member. These accounts straight from the men in action during the late 1970s to 1986 series of revolts to take down the dictatorship, all the way to the years 1986 to 1989 when they were tasked guard and defend the newly-established democratic government --- will take the readers on an unguarded journey down the travails of the Armed Forces and PC-INP, Malacañang, Camp Crame and all other facilities, hideouts and headquarters where important events leading to the revolution took place. The comprehensive story telling of Silver Linings also provide never-before seen details on the foiled coup attempts on the Cory Aquino government—at least nine of them—and other acts of terrorism that SAF was able to place under control during the post-martial law years with minimal, if not zero casualties. Silver Linings also gives readers an authoritative analysis of the events of modern-day Philippine politics, all the way to the economic revival years when former AFP Chief of Staff FVR became President from 1992 to 1998; to yet another overthrow of President Joseph Estrada in 2001 dubbed as EDSA DOS; to the repeated government ills seen in the Macapagal-Arroyo administration; to the rise of President Noynoy “P-Noy” Aquino III, son of one of the major icons of People Power in the person of Cory Aquino, as well as the challenges confronting his administration. “Silver Linings is a definitive book on the quest for good governance, the heroism of the uniformed men that fought for democracy, and ultimately a story of hope, more than 25 years after the 1986 EDSA People Power that looks forward to a better, brighter future for the Philippines—with history’s gains despite the odds,” says FVR of the book upcoming definitive book on EDSA People Power Revolt. Silver Linings is co-sponsored by the Lopez Foundation, Metrobank Foundation, San Miguel Corporation, Bank of Commerce, Vice President of the Philippines Jejomar Binay, SM Foundation, and Friends of General Velasco in the PNP and AFP. It is co-published by the Ramos Peace and Development Foundation (RPDEV) and Media Touchstone Ventures, Inc.