The
“My chances of getting out of this alive could be ten per cent or less”, and he was shot at the back with his body laid on the tarmac. His white shirt turned red – a bloody day for all Filipinos.
But who killed him? A petty
military-cum-communist-cum-hitman named Rolando Galman pulled the trigger. Sen.
Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino II then became a martyr for the country. Now, let us
make a twist.
Who really killed him? First, I want you to dig deeper into those brains of yours. Next, turn your televisions on and watch the news. Then grab a dictionary and find what “democracy” means. Lastly, meditate until you have finished reading this article.
Who really pulled the trigger? Imagine a typical Juan
dela Cruz living his day-to-day life clamoring how market prices crazily go up
in an instant while spitting at sidewalks. Oops! Did I just mention the name?
Fine, let us continue.
Juan dela Cruz held the gun, ready to pull the trigger aiming at Ninoy. He was still hesitant then. But a force told him to do so. It was a battle between his conscience and the reality that surrounds him – 21st century Philippines. But who is this Juan dela Cruz we are talking about? Yes, dear, it is us.
We killed Ninoy. We aimed the gun. We pulled the trigger.
Well, you are probably wondering why such a thing has been accused to us. Keep
on wondering because I will then show you how.
The
Assassination Plot
Journalists from all over the world joined Ninoy as he decided to go back to his motherland despite the rumors of his assassination when he arrives. Now let us do the time warping. Our setting is the modern Philippines: tall skyscrapers, long highways, advanced technology, abundant corruption, mundane killing, harassments, treachery, bribery, scheduled demolitions, and all sorts of I-got-used-to stuffs.
As politicians continuously stain what principles Ninoy
had said during his speeches, we are plotting a threat to “assassinate” him.
Politics is not dirty though, politicians are. Ninoy once used pure examples of
a true leader through his witty ideals of democracy and a free nation.
Politicians use money. Let us revise the latter statement: “Politicians use
fake examples of a fake leader through their witty yet fake ideals of democracy
and a fake free nation”. Imagine the difference. As Filipinos keep on closing
their eyes to reality and hide to the ideals of practicality, we are making an
assassination plot towards Ninoy. Let’s go back to Ninoy’s time.
Soon-to-be
Culprits
As Ninoy stood up, bravely smiling while absorbing the
probability of his upcoming death, he had in mind the perspective of “Filipinos
are worth dying for”. He was escorted by three armed men ready to protect the
senator for what upheaval may happen. Upon his arrival, a man in military
uniform was already at the tarmac ready to kill Marcos’ number one hindrance in
seeking full authority over the country. Now let us do again the time warping.
Our setting is inside a prison cell. Murderers and criminals of all sorts flock
in here with cases such as rape, murder, estafa, libel, homicide, kidnapping, plunder
and the kind that defines “excess democracy”.
They are the culprits. We are the soon-to-be culprits. We
are gradually transforming ourselves to be like them – Ninoy’s assassins. How?
This time I want you to go back to what you did today from the time you woke
up. Any signs of guilt so far? Yes, I’ve seen people foolishly singing our
national anthem, some even ignored while it was being played. Activists go to
rallies screaming their lungs out of injustices from wage hike to fusses about
new laws being implemented. From spitting in sidewalks, beating the red traffic
light, vandalizing on walls with Post No Bill signs, urinating on public
places, to high profile murder, graft and corruption, kidnapping, stealing, and
the kind that will surely melt Ninoy’s heart if he was alive, no doubt we are
getting into the business of “assassinating Ninoy”. Let’s go back again to
Ninoy’s time.
Pulling
the Trigger
Rolando Galman
was ready for the final blow. He was prepared to what outcome may happen after
he is going to pull the trigger. There he was hiding and waiting for Ninoy to
come down from the plane and take his shot. Two thousand armed police prepared
for any possibilities. A few moments later, Ninoy took his first step and his
last. Galman was at his back, with the gun that shut the man who once fought
for his people. Then it happened. The hitman rushed to the senator, aiming the
gun at his back, and a loud gunshot echoed. Ninoy was down, and Galman, too.
For the last time, let us do the time warping. The
setting is at the airport where Ninoy is supposed to arrive. Juan dela Cruz
held the gun. He was a man of vices – from spitting on sidewalks to getting
involved in activists’ rallies. He defies freedom. He abuses it. He sees
nationalism as an odd topic to be discussed. He can’t even recite the national
anthem. He loves America. He rejects local music. He often pretends not to be
like those brown-skinned people who fondly welcome foreigners if ever they come
for a visit.
He stood for so long. After a perplexing of thoughts, he raised his arm aiming the gun at Ninoy. He was ready to pull the trigger. He was remorseless. But he hesitated. Let us revise these statements.
We stood for so long. After a perplexing of thoughts, we
raised our arms aiming the gun at Ninoy. We were ready to pull the trigger. We
were compassionless. But we hesitated. That deep sense of being a Filipino
overwhelmed our spirits. Ideals of a free and peaceful nation rushed through
our minds. We needed freedom, after all. We needed democracy. We needed Ninoy.
So we lowered the gun, dropped it and let Ninoy embrace the motherland. There
is no need to kill Ninoy “again”. We should not kill Ninoy again, though
someone already did that “for us”.
