Widespread chaos and violence in the US; sympathies to evangelist-lawmaker Bro. Eddie Villanueva

Our heart bleeds for the American people on the widespread mayhem, devastation, and violence across the United States following the gruesome death of AfricanAmerican George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis City in Minnesota.

What began as a peaceful rally for justice over Floyd’s cruel death viciously descended into the burning of business establishments, government properties and cars, as well as pillaging of shops and assaults on law enforcement officers.

We feel sad for the horrendous turn of events in Minneapolis, New York, Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, and numerous other cities across the US East and West Coasts. In Washington, DC, protesters torched cars, looted and destroyed properties, and attacked security officers, which led into bloody dispersals. In the midst of the violent and lawless demonstrations in the US capital, President Donald Trump was reportedly taken by the Secret Service to the underground bunker in the White House to ensure his safety.

Although the death of George Floyd is inexcusable and the moral outrage is understandable, there is absolutely no justification for the colossal damage the rallyists have inflicted on both private and public properties, the widespread burglary, and other blatant acts of contempt against law and order. Apparently, some people or groups have taken advantage of the situation to wreak havoc in the country to advance their vested interests.

We fully agree with former US President George W. Bush who said that “looting is not liberation and destruction is not progress,” as he deplored the recent turmoil and lawlessness committed by the demonstrators. At the Vatican, our wellloved Pope Francis also said “the violence… is self-destructive and self-defeating. Nothing is gained by violence and so much is lost.”

All these destructive and bloody protests happen at a time when the US is still suffering from the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed more than 100,000 American lives and infected around two million US residents, on top of the economic downturn, business closures and employment contraction. The US is still experiencing some 20,000 new cases of COVID-19 every day and remains the epicenter of the global plague.

CNN reported that US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams “warned the nation to expect new outbreaks of coronavirus resulting from the George Floyd protests that have seen thousands of people gather in close proximity.”

We hope and pray for a just and peaceful resolution of the chaos, violence, and lawlessness in the US as it will not only worsen the country’s coronavirus situation but also adversely affect the global community’s effort in curbing the spread of the pandemic.

As we had earlier pointed out in this column,we are living in a “borderless” world and we are fighting a battle that transcends national, regional, and hemispheric boundaries. Defeating the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore, requires global unified effort. If one nation, especially a more advanced country like the US, falters in this global effort, it will negatively impact the rest of the world.

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We and our wife Gina and son Pangasinan Fourth District Rep. Christopher de Venecia, convey our sympathies and prayers to our friend House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Bro. Eddie Villanueva andfamily on the passing of his beloved daughter, Bocaue, Bulacan, Mayor Joni Villanueva-Tugna.

Bro. Eddie also lost his dearest wife Adoracion Villanueva, affectionately called Sister Dory by relatives and friends, last March or some three months ago. We told Bro. Eddie that she was an epitome of a remarkable wife and mother, as shown by the achievements of her beloved husband and their children as spiritual leaders and public servants.

We deeply commiserate with Bro. Eddie, having lost two of the most cherished persons in his life within three months.

On the passing of his daughter, we know how indescribably painful it is as we too lost our beloved 16-year-old daughter KC in a fire that shattered our then residence in Dasmarinas Village on December 16, 2004, nine days before Christmas. It was the most excruciating and loneliest Christmas our family ever had.

Indeed, one of the most agonizing ordeals in a parent’s life is losing a child. It is said that the natural order is that “parents bring children into this world; they do not see their children leave it.”

We lost our beloved mother when we were nine years old, and our father when we were just in our late 20s. They were truly heart-breaking but nothing compares to the pain of losing your own child.