Tita Cory---I remember

Tita Cory, are you in pain? Don't be. God is looking at you, up there. He's sending His angels to take care of you, as you fight it. I know you can do it. For you have God's spirit.

Tita Cory, are you in pain? If you are, be happy. For millions pray for your recovery. I know it's difficult. We know it's hard. But, bear it a little longer. God is looking at you, up there. You still are being used as His vessel of love, of peace, of happiness.

Tita Cory, here, eat some honey. It would take your worries away. You have'nt eaten for a while. I'm scared that you actually told one of your closest friends that you want to be with Ninoy. Ah, yes, that man who gave his life so that others may live, yes, I remember him.

I remember seeing him on television, sprawled at the airport pavement, lifeless, with a gunshot wound on his face. I remember how his brother cried and how you, Tita Cory, bravely faced the media, still shocked at what happened.

I remember how Macoy denied that he had a hand on that despicable crime and blamed the Communists for killing Ninoy. I remember how Meldy just danced the night away as if no tragedy, no crime so foul had happened.

I remember how thousands of Pinoys braved the curfews and trooped to your husband's wake. You must have been so tired shaking all their hands. But, never did I see you harangue, for I think you pulled all their love and used it as your strength. But, I know, that, you broke your heart that day, for God took your precious love away.

I remember how millions mourn as Ninoy's casket went by. I know. My tita tugged me along to see for myself how a young man who bravely told the world, " The Filipino is worth dying for" has now been a victim of injustice himself. I saw you, you as radiant as Joan of Arc, wearing that yellow dress, a symbol of serenity.

I remember listening as you speak calmly over Radio Veritas, urging Filipinos to boycott San Miguel products. I remember how I deliberately threw my cigarette and vowed never to light one again since it came from Lucio Tan's company, a known Marcos crony.

I remember my tita telling me to dress up coz we're going to EDSA. I thought we're just going to VV Soliven building, owned by her friend. But, nay. We went to Camp Aguinaldo and we're the first to be there, before the tanks and the soldiers and the helicopters came.

I remember your sweet voice as you swore allegiance to the Constitution, give justice to every man and invoked the name of God. That was your vow and you never waivered.

I remember when you faced the throng of soldiers and I was then living in one of UP's dormitories and how you bravely stood your ground against them.

I remember you smiled when you attended Ramos oath-taking and how you calmly and silently faded from the public scene and devoted your time with God and His Causes. I never heard your sweet voice again.

I remember you stood up and asked the people to decide on where they want their future to lie. When you stood up against Erap, everybody clapped and went straight to EDSA. After the smoke had died down and Gloria took her oath, you, again, faded into the darkness and went back to your God.

I remember I heard your voice again when Gloria admitted fooling the people and admitted that she did, indeed, called a COMELEC commissioner. You went out of your comfort zone again and this time, with the nuns behind you, you stood up and challenged Gloria. It was a sight to behold. Rally after rally, you were there, though your health was failing.

When my friend Joey and his friend Jun went out of their comfort zones, you were there, with them. When idealistic soldiers stood up and say "Enough is enough! Oust Gloria", you were also there, with them, praying and giving them courage.

Now, my love, my Tita Cory, you're fighting the battle which only God can conquer. Rest, my Tita Cory. I know you still want to fight because there's still no one out there to replace you at the frontlines.

Rest easy, my Tita Cory. Someday, some one will stand up and fight this evil regime. Someone, somewhere will emerge and like you, brave the darkness for Light to shine once again in this blighted land. And it will not be just one. It will be many. It will be a legion. It will be millions who'll bravely say that Enough is Enough, we need our freedoms back! And that would be the day, my Tita Cory, that God will close your eyes and say, " You have done enough, my sweet daughter. Go back home in peace."

Ninoy died for the Restoration of Rights

Mrs. Gloria Arroyo just freed the last remaining ten convicted killers of former Senator Ninoy Aquino. Learning about the incident, the former senator's daughter Kris Aquino just could'nt help but remind Arroyo and the public about the sacrifices made by her father who was gunned down several decades ago.

Lest we forget, Ninoy was one of the thousands who sacrificed their lives against the dictatorship. Despite earlier warnings, Ninoy pushed ahead of his plan to return here, only to be repulsed by an assassin's bullets. His body was shot at and brutally descecrated by the State's security forces. His death led to the EDSA Revolt after three years.

Ninoy's sacrifice was not in vain. He's now known as one of the heroes of the so-called EDSA Revolution, which restored the powers of the post-Martial law aristocracy and even created opportunities for the new oligarchs.

Yet, is there really a connection between the democratic legacy of Ninoy with that of the pardon and subsequent release of his convicted killers.

I hate to say this, but, there is no legal connection. There is but, an obvious moral connection, which I'll explain later on.

Based on the records, these Aquino-Galman murder convicts have already spent considerable time in jail. They are not sentenced to die either by electrocution nor by musketry. Their sentence was simply spend a life term in jail, which in our jurisdiction, means about 40 years in jail.

Yet, this 40 years also means that, if you already serve half of your jail term, you'll be amenable to parole or pardon. That is a right enshrined in the 1987 Constitution, the same charter which Ninoy's widow campaigned hard to be ratified. This right is also stated in our Civil and Penal Codes.

Kris reminded us that we (the people) must not forget the sacrifice made by her father. And the foremost legacy of his father is the restoration of rights, which, under a democracy, is the primary bedrock of its existence.

To deny her father's convicted killers of their rights to be pardoned goes against the very same principle which her father gave his life for.

Now, is it immoral for Mrs. Arroyo to release these convicts now, a few days after the celebration of EDSA Uno?

Yes.

This is what you call a lack of decency and virtue on the part of the pardoning power. It shows you how amateurish people in Malacanang are.

They could have done this post-facto, meaning, a few days or months before June 20, 2010. It could have been easier for the Aquinos and the rest of the Filipino People to accept this.

Timing was never considered.

Arroyo released the pardon papers a week after a mammoth rally calling for her resignation was held at the Ayala Avenue Makati City. Aquino was there at the rally, along with former president Erap Estrada.

As statesperson, Arroyo should have considered the possible political implications of such a move, given that civil society members were still aghast at what she did during the EDSA Uno celebrations.

We recognize Arroyo's penchant for deconstructing history. We all know that she's trying her best to erase whatever legacy or somber remembrance we had about those times.

Remembering Bonifacio, Quezon, Aquino and Fernando Poe

A few weeks ago, I went to the place in Maragondon Cavite where Andres Bonifacio was tried. I was expecting a dinky, little house but what I saw surprised me. The place was a bahay na bato, with the Katipunan logo emblazoned on its doors and gates. 

This was the place, I said to myself, that changed the course of the 1st Katipunan revolution. This was the site where the first traitors of the revolution condemned the Supremo to satiate their lust for power. 

I told myself, what if the Supremo outlasted these traitors and he, himself, led the first Republic? Ano kayang mga polisiya ang ipatutupad ng Supremo?

I'm writing this because the same questions flashed in my mind when remembering Manuel L. Quezon, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino and Fernando Poe Jr. We are remembering these three heroes this month--one celebrating his 130th birth anniversary, the other, his 25th year of death while FPJ celebrated his 69th birthday. These three share the same fate---they did'nt live long enough to see what had become of their beloved country. 

Quezon was instrumental in building the Commonwealth but died due to tuberculosis. He did'nt see the fruits of his labors. Ninoy could have been president. Same as Fernando Poe. The former died with a broken heart while the latter was brutally killed by the minions of a discredited dictatorship. Like Bonifacio, these three could have made monumental changes in our society had Fates gave them the chance. All of them died without seeing the light.

Come to think of it...the Fates had its reasons. If Quezon lived to become the first post-war president, would he had the strength to rebuild a war-torn country, given his frail health? If Ninoy continued on, the outcome that is EDSA would not have happened. And if FPJ lived, he would have succumbed to become a trapo, like his buddy Erap. The Fates saved them from a brutish society and even glorified them with their deaths.

Their legacy lives on though. The very same reasons why society created these glorious sons, Bonifacio, Quezon, Aquino and Poe remain the same. The same problems that beset Bonifacio's time, the trapo politics of Quezon's era, the weakness of the opposition in Ninoy's age and the apathy of Poe's milieu are still with us. 

The monumental monsters that these heroes fought against still exist and even worsened. These men watch us in the heavenly Patheon of martyrs with heavy hearts. Who will stand up and continue their revolutionary work?