Think about it
Recollections on Ninoy & Jesse Robredo
By Jun Velasco
“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24, 25.
AS the nation paused to mark Ninoy Aquino’s Day on August 21, that fatal day he was shot by assassins on the tarmac of then Manila International Airport, the heart was again stirred by the discovery of the body of DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo in the deep of Masbate.
What’s depressing is that till now, there are speculations the workaholic and good-natured secretary was a victim of foul play. Target of questions is Robredo’s aide de camp whose supreme duty is to secure the life of his boss. We shall leave this sensitive matter to the authorities since the plane crash is now being investigated.
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We see a parallelism in the lives of Senator Ninoy and Secretary Jesse: unquestionably other-centered who died violently at the prime of life.
Both could have become president of the country!
The nation would profit from a study of their lives. It is a truism that a noble life is one anchored in service. “Whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant.” (Matthew 20:26,27).
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As we sat to write this column, we received an overseas call from childhood friend Leo C. Palaganas, formerly of Zamora St., here; now a resident of Misquit, Texas.
He announced with cracked voice that his son Allan Ross, 34, succumbed to a massive stroke. We used to play with the kid in his younger days when the couple, Leo and the former Helmy Edralin of Ilocos Norte, visited us in Dagupan. Allan Ross died at Baylor Hospital in Dallas.
Baylor reminds us of our visit in June 1980, accompanied by Leo and Pastor Leo Tipay in order to interview Ninoy, who then underwent a heart bypass. Our Dallas visit was a sequel to our 6-week Group Rotary Study Exchange grant in Washington D.C.. and Maryland from April 6 to late May in 1980.
Having been advised by the Marcoses to avoid the media, we were only able to interview his doctor, a Dr. Rolando Solis. The interview landed on page 1 of the Manila Bulletin.
In that Texas visit, we were invited to address the Dallas Fil-Am Association meeting at a Methodist Church. The late Rev. Pastor Silverio Ignacio was our introducer. Pastor Ignacio was a colleague of the late Jacobo C. Clave, who at a couple of times, was our Sunday school teacher in Ermita, Manila, and the former Methodist Church of the Philippines Bishop Cornelio Ferrer, then a fellow columnist of the Courier.
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Speaking of Clave, his widow, Mrs. Adelina M. Clave, 86, sent last Thursday this columnist and PUP Prof. Pepe De Vera to Gov. Amado Espino Jr. to any others express the Clave’s felicitations to the Governor for the many good things you have been doing for our province.”
It may be recalled that her late husband who was dubbed “the little President” being the Presidential Executive Assistant, easily the most powerful Cabinet member of the Marcos administration.
We read a recent column of Rod Rivera, editor of Benjo Rivera’s paper, The Northwest Sun, who recalled our closeness with Jake Clave so that in Rod’s recollection, “labas pasok kami sa Palasyo.”
For a while Manong Jake, who also was our marital godfather, also served as Civil Service Commission chairman and vice governor of Pangasinan. Unlike the other Marcos boys, Ninong Jake did not enrich himself in office. Up to now, we love to read his reflections on God which he had bound in five volumes. He gave us 10 copies during our visit at the Clave’s Q.C. residence in the 90’s.
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NOTES: Vocal Ming Rosario, our favorite cumpadre, has shifted his political dance, from the boring slow drag to the fast beat boogie-woogie as he eyes the mayorship of his hometown of Manaoag. He feels that true to his name Apo Baket will ensure his victory in the polls easily— Pacquiao’s official artist Claire Malanyaon is now applying the finishing touches to the Pangasinan mural. Claire’s ma the former Clecy Toledo was high school classmate of former Lingayen Mayor Josefina Castaneda.
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