Ninoy Aquino's and the ignominy of the present upon his memory

Cory Aquino, her husband, and scores of others died all because of one thing--they want to rid graft and corruption of our system. They died not because they want their sons and their daughters and their in-laws rich--oh no. They sacrificed their lives because they want the poor, the widows and the orphans get a more decent and a more humane life.

Several thousands shared that vision and these people are either living or have died or are still continuing the struggle.

August is this time of the year when we commemorate the sacrifices of a few for the sake of the many. This is the time when we re-live the sacrifice of former senator Benigno Aquino Jr who braved the vilest of storms and accepted his destiny with open arms. His memory etched in our memories was that of a wrenched body lying in a tarmac, lifeless yet embracing his fate, his sacrifice. Ninoy did all he could for his country and he expects his son, his daughters, their sons and daughters to do the same thing.

Ninoy had just cleansed his family's surname from the dirt the people threw at it during World War two. His sacrifice made the people forget the betrayal his father did to the people during the Japanese occupation. Of course, the elder Aquino had his reasons for collaborating with the enemy, but for the people, this is unpardonable.

Honestly, we know better. Prior to World War two, several Katipuneros collaborated with the Japanese because the Japs were the Katipuneros' strategic partner during the war against the Spaniards. The fact was, the Katipuneros see the Japs as a worthy ally than the Americans whom they consider as colonialists.

Aquino was one of those who believe this.  That's why Aquino became a collaborationalist because he thinks like a Katipunero.

Anyway, Ninoy died for something---the cleansing of this country from the very evils of corruption.

Corruption is a plague that eats the soul of a Nation. When a Nation indulges in corruption, it slowly loses its humanity and eventually, that Nation becomes a barbaric one, eating its own sons and cannibalizing every shred of humanity left in its wake.

Corruption wastes a society away, like leprosy. Worse, a nation which indulges in corruption wagers the very future of its sons, and generations.

Aquino realized that and fought against it.

Woe then for those who are benefitting from his death! Woe that the very disease that Ninoy fought against and tried to find a cure, is deeply entrenched and is slowly eating a few shred of humanity left in this country.

Woe those friends of Ninoy who benefitted from his sacrifice and are now rich, and powerful, and are giving his name a blot.

Woe to some members of the BUreau of Customs who continually smear the very sacrifice of Ninoy by their very acts!

Woe to other government officials and employees who steal the monies of the people and is too carabao skinned to even feed their families with stolen monies.

A Clarion Call

Seven years of continuous state tyranny and repression have numbed most of us to apathy. Some of those who hold the torch for democracy and freedom have either relegated themselves to the desks of everyday mundane existence. Some pushed on, with only a glimmer of hope left in their hearts. Others succumbed along the way, either to survive by going to bed with the enemy or worst, suffered the end of every revolutionary--death in the hands of evil.

For those who still hope for the best in this country. For those who still harbour even an iota of hiya in themselves. For those who want to see a clean government, devoid of self-serving policies and interests, only serving the people, this is a clarion call for you.

Stand up and be counted. Rise up oh You Patriots of the New Generation and create history.

Our futures are not in the hands of the church. No.

Our children's futures are not to be played with by the Military. No.

Our children's children are not to be manipulated by the wiles of the rich and the middle class. No.

We rise up as one because it is the most decent thing to do. We stand against tyranny and corruption because it is the most rational thing to do. We will march because that's our responsibility, not only as citizens of this country, but it is the responsibility of every human.

We feel our humanity by being with others who have laid down their lives for the sake of the future. We can only say we are human if we oppose the animalistic acts of those who lead us. We are human because we oppose every Machievellian interests, every barbaric violations of our decency and sensitivities.

We rise as a People because some of us mocked what we did at EDSA twenty two years ago. We need to show these people that we, as a race, are not barbarians. We respect law, truth and justice. We are not their kind. We are not thieves. We are not robbers of futures. We are creators.

For those who still seek the truth, stop.

The Truth has been shown. We have discovered the Truth already. And the truth is:

This regime does not respect us as a People. They respect only themselves.
This Regime does not respect our rights. They trample them everyday.
This Regime only respects money and worship the Mammon. They are devoid of God.
This Regime needs cleansing.

We need Justice Now. The Truth has been laid bare for all of us to see. Now, what do we do about it?

We rise as a Nation, create another spectacle and lay down the foundations of a New Philippine Revolution!

Onward the Youth. Rise up oh Patriots of the Bagong Katipunan. Rise up the downtrodded and the toothless. Rise up and show the world how it is to be a Filipino.

The End of a 7-year Itch

Philippine events are beginning to interests skeptics like me. Since the failed 2005 attempt, I have turned into a skeptic because of the fact that previous events having the same emotional content as what I'm seeing right now had happened before with disastrous results. After the dust has settled, I saw a triumphant PGMA rising above everyone else. It was like a massacre. Political operators of Arroyo succeeded in neutralizing these forces, either using carrots or threats. Those who struggled against Arroyo were left in the lurch. Some lost all hope and decided to just reintegrate themselves in society by having a job somewhere else. What it achieved is that it left Malacanan without a conscience because almost all idealists who struggled with Arroyo at EDSA Dos resigned in their posts. Those who remained are technocrats or political operators who owe allegiance to Mr. Arroyo instead of being in government due to political principles.

The failed attempt also emboldened Arroyo and her gang of thieves. More and more cases of graft and corruption were reported. Since these people were allowed to rob, steal, and even kill opponents or those who shout against what they're doing, they contributed more to the dysfunctionalism that ensued. The Arroyo administration felt that no one can stop them. They saw themselves as invincible. The death of dissent all the more gave these grafters the space they need to continue stealing and robbing the people of their monies.

The intolerance being shown by this administration to criticisms and critiques could be the thing that could lead to its downfall. Its penchant for killing dissent and dissenters is now haunting them like crazy.

Now, people are starting to enjoy their newly-found voice. Seven years of silence, of tolerating every false move, every robbery of this adminitration has decidedly come to an end. Far from the claims of this administration that people are tired of marching and going to EDSA, Filipinos now are beginning to march to the streets again, trying to give this thing another chance. Every one knows that if these things do not come to a decisive conclusion, which, in this instance, is the ouster of Arroyo, they will not have that chance again.

Every day, groups have started marching, showing this government of their collective disgusts on what had happened. Lozada's testimony, though devoid of any documentary evidence, has been accepted as gospel truth. This is not a media spin nor a product of PR. No. People believed Lozada because they have lost every shred of trust in their government. In normal times, such characters as Lozada would have found it very difficult to even say such things to Arroyo. If the ZTE deal happened in 2001 or 2002, people would not even gave it a second's notice.

The palace must accept the truth---it has lost its mandate. Mandates do not emanate from ballots. No. Mandates are based upon the people's trust. A distrusted government does not have a mandate since the sovereign will is of the people's and not of Arroyo's and her lapdogs.

Executive Secretary Ermita today criticized civil society's call for change. Justice Secretary Gonzales even called those who oppose Arroyo as members of "evil society". These closet individuals are trying their hand at villification which, unfortunately, fail every time they open their blistered mouths.

If these mass mobilizations continue, I am inclined to believe what Sis. Mananzan of St. Scholastica and Dela Salle president Armin Luistro said--all these will lead to something major or bigger. It is inevitable. I believe them. They know the pulse of the people and the effects of their current activities to the middle class. I will believe them rather than self-proclaimed political analyst Peter Lim who said that it would be next to impossible to oust Arroyo. Mr. Lim, I do believe in the power of prayer and of karma. Nature's laws dictate that those who do evil deeds will reap the same force of evil that they have sowed. This seven-year itch to get rid of a tumour such as Arroyo is beginning to grow and take shape. It would not be long before this "itch" ends. And it ends Now.