Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Capt. Nicanor Faeldon surrenders

Captain Nicanor Faeldon, one of the original founders of Magdalo has surrendered. He just presented himself before the AFP today. He has been hiding for so many years. There is no reason why he just suddenly felt that he now has to give himself before the authorities.

Days prior to the elections, Faeldon re-surfaced and granted an interview with my good friend, Jay Ruiz. He warned that should elite groups defraud the people in the May 2010 elections, a segment of the military will be forced to oust the Arroyo government. It did not happen, because there was no massive fraud that took place. The transition of power went smoothly as many hoped it would be.

With Faeldon's surrender, does this mean that the Magdalo struggle is over? That the conditions which forced them to go out of their barracks to militate against the duly-constituted authority are now gone?

It has been just seven days after Noynoy Aquino's oath taking and there is still a long way to go.

Honestly, nothing has really changed, except, perhaps, those disgusting faces that sit in that long mahogany table in Malacanang have since left and new fresh ones are now there to amuse us.

What worries me the most is that, it is just seven days, yet, the new administration is really showing signs of just continuing those old and despicable practices of the discredited dispensation.

A veteran player in the freight business is now Customs chief, dashing all hopes for a thorough cleansing of this much maligned agency of misgovernment. This Customs chief plays golf, and once committed a grievous fraud at the Alabang Country Club.

During the turnover ceremonies, the new Chief promised to rid the agency of scalawags. The Customs people just smiled. These people are experts in the art of deception and they know when they are being fooled or not.

Another one just assumed the helm of the DPWH, and in his first day in office, he flashed that sign of " Business as usual." Everyone thought that Noynoy will put new faces in these two agencies, people with integrity and strong political will who will not back down and will fight the smugglers and the thieves in barong that cause our billion peso malady.

There are signs that old officials who once occupied sensitive posts in the Arroyo administration are to be given back their old posts, so much for hoping for a "new Philippines".

I am desperately trying to put a brave face, trying to convince myself that I am now seeing a new Philippines. Yet, things remain the same.

I just got my electricity bill and it still shows Meralco asking me to pay 7,000 pesos for a few hours worth of electricity.

I just had my tank filled with diesel, and I can only afford 300 pesos since the price is still too expensive, even for me. My Malaysian friend says petrol only cost 27 a liter. Here, diesel fetches 34.

Food remains extremely pricey, a kilo of good rice still cost 40 pesos a kilo and a kilo of beef still remains 230 pesos a kilo. My foreigner friend complained that our food stuffs here are more expensive than what they have there in the States. A kilo of rice here costs 40, while there in the US, it's just below 30.

Worst, Meralco, despite posting a 2 billion peso profit this year, wants to jack up electricity rates. They say electricity is so expensive nowadays and I agree. Mr. Manny Pangilinan, our electricity rates is really expensive, more expensive than what people in other countries pay for.

When I saw Noynoy taking his oath before 500,000 people, I cried. At last, I told my family, there is hope. I waited for this day for nine looong years. And I fear for the worst.

I felt this same feeling after EDSA dos. I heaved a sigh of relief when Gloria swore before Davide and promised to effect changes in our society. She, like Noynoy, promised to rid our society of graft and corruption.

After a few weeks, I saw men of dubious characters being appointed to the RPN Channel 9 board and a very corrupt media man as my news Manager. I militated and tendered my resignation letter. Since then, I vowed to fight the Arroyo administration even at the cost of my own life. It took nine long years.

Now, I see the same thing and I uttered "how long would I give my life for my Motherland, heavenly Father? Is it too much to ask, dear Father?

Ano pa ba ang dapat naming gawin upang makamit na namin ang tunay na pagbabago?

Faeldon just surrendered. General Danny Lim is now a free man. Colonel Ariel Querubin still languishes in jail while Senator Antonio Trillianes remains in his detention cell. While the people walk in utter despair, with hope slowly, slowly diminishing as the day goes.

I just pray that the feelings I felt in 2002 will not happen, oh no. I, along with Sonny Melencio and a host of others,  we were the first ones who went out in the streets of 2002 and shouted " Oust Gloria Now!" We were proven right.

Will I ever see myself, again in the streets, shouting " Oust the Aquino regime!", the very same cry I shouted when I was just a student leader in UP? I was 19 then. I am 39 now.

I hate re-runs.

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