Playing with Fire
“Freedom!”
By Gonzalo Duque
WE put quotes on Freedom because we remembered the movie, “Brave Heart,” starring Mel Gibson who was to give his last wish before the ax was to fall on his neck. He shouted “Freedom!” Then the ax fell.
We, who love our country, will always thirst and hunger for freedom. In our case, press freedom. Such is us, a free press our advocacy. This we highlight in our collective remembrance of the Maguindanao Massacre, which has assaulted no end our conscience, with more than 57 people including 37 journalists killed in a bestial and horrific manner.
After two years, the massacre has not been solved. And so we urged and we still urge the government to show more and greater resolve to bring the killers to the bar of justice. The whole world has been scandalized, horrified and saddened by this wanton abuse on human beings.
For two or so days we have been all over through the media outlets in the province discoursing on the subject.
We said the Maguindanao challenge is much, much worse than the case against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. By the way, what are there disturbing talks that deals in billions are being wangled in exchange of the most unholy prosecution of the former President? Naman, naman… If true, we are pushing the nation in the wrong direction. God forbid!
On the Maguindanao massare, let not our guard slacken at any moment. No less than our National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal has warned, “there are no tyrants where there are no slaves.” Knowledge and a free press, says Rizal, will save the nation.
* * * *
That published page one news article alleging the failure (sic) of the Pangasinan Press Club leadership which ridiculously (or libelously?) used the picture of our publisher- editor Ermin Garcia instead of yours truly in another weekly is a case of premature or wrong bark. The subject should have been taken up in the PPC board.
In fact, the subject in question has been assigned to specific committees ironically to the critic himself, and sadly, we haven’t received any report about it.
Let’s not forget the PPC is not a Gonzalo Duque club.
And regarding the wrong placement of Ermin’s photo, we are alerting the police about it just in case we or Ermin might be hit by unintended bullets, who knows? Mairap la agagui!
Wake up, Director Ruben!
* * * *
In light of the Christmas season, we wish to see Mayor Benjie Lim and Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez kiss and make up in the interest of genuine public service in Dagupan City.
You know, that Manny Roy pakulo calling on genuine Pinoys in the city to dump half or full Chinese in the local government service is reportedly gathering steam, kwidaw kayo ha, ni, manimis lay pare Ope! Yes, because of the over-extended gotgotan, ngasngasan, sibangotan, kolkolan, bastosan (pardon the term) of the mayor and vice mayor’s offices. Agki pala man ble– blame pointing, ta pareho kayon walay kasalanan!
But no, we’re not buying Manny Roy’s pakulo calling all indigenous Filipinos to dump politicians of Chinese blood. Mind you, some of our Chinese friends are frowning on the duo’s gotgotan. We love the Chinese; our National Hero Jose Rizal is of Chinese descent, too. We, too, have Chinese blood in our veins. And on record, we are still faithful to the duo—Benjie and Belen — who have been popularly elected fair and square. They still deserve our support. But we want them to put behind them their personal animosities, pronto!
Perhaps, we’d suggest a logical vehicle for the duo’s joint undertaking is in the area of garbage disposal. The city’s waste matter already stinks, ladies and gentlemen.
We appeal to Benjie and Belen, i-garbage u pala tay gotgotan yo ta ni kababaing tila ed karaklan in and out of the city. Dagupenos are an intelligent lot. Please do your best beginning now to subordinate your personal, private, parochial, business or what interest in favor of the public good.
Urdaneta City, which has a model waste management system, is awaiting to handle our garbage problem. Well, the city government might need to allocate something like P30 or P40 million for its garbage disposal problem. It’s a bitter pill we have to take for all the years of neglect by our city officials.
And only then can we sing “Merry Christmas to one and all!” How about it, Benjie, Belen?
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