Crimes vs humanity everyone’s concern

ALL that PNP top gun Bato de la Rosa and company had to the drug situation in Colombia. No need to junket to verify whether the hardline bloody policy has failed there (and indeed, all over, such as in Thailand). He would have seen that Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos agonizes in explaining to a peasant why he is being prosecuted for planting marijuana whose use is legal elsewhere. Too much blood has been spilled in vain, it seems to me.

Maybe Foreign Affairs Secretary Jun Yasay has not heard of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDR)? A predecessor, Carlos P. Romulo, had a hand in its formulation. Jun has asked the world to let, and leave. us alone on allegations of UNDR violations.

And President Duterte, Justice Secretary Vit Aguirre and Sen. Manny Pacquiao may have no right, in my view, to sniff and condemn some of us as subhumans and therefore cannot have human rights? Bizarre. An apology cannot really undo the damage done by rashness.

The President should not apologize for mistakenly identifying an alleged criminal but for naming and shaming anyone at all in gross violation of due process and the presumption of innocence. Those he does not apologize to, tepokna. Which investigating prosecutor and judge would shame him?

He has dug up history. But, not deep enough, with all due respect. He may need to dig deeper as a would-be history buff. Now, he even blames God. Did he really attend Ateneo and San Beda?

Anyway, any clan reunion such as we had last Sunday for primo Benedictine Fr. Manuel Maramba, who turned 80, with HILARION Maramba- Henares present, is bound to be HILARIOUS, given his penchant for his last few millions words, if handed a mic. My eldest brod, Tony, would tell me about him in the late 1950s on TV. Kuya Tony idolized him and iconic Claro M. Recto, more so.

college (St. Paul?) program when I was in San Beda. Late 1950s. Riveting, I thought. Last we talked at length was a few years ago, when he regaled me with tales of what he would do to quiet his raging hormones. He’s going on 93; other members of our Thundering Herd would tell me Cuya Larry is a libido legend, but only in his own mind. Last Sunday, he said he could tell Kamandag Manong Johnny Enrile,

“Dikanag-iisa.” Cuya Larry’s Fables? I don’t know if he is anti-American but Cuya Larry and Manong have eloquently expressed faith in the Filipino. Pro-Pinoy, no question.

Another kin came over during the party and whispered that the Supreme Court would decide the Libingan ng Mga Bayani (LMB) case 10-5 in favor of the Non-Bayani. Tingn anna tin kung an gk a magan akkoayhindib ula ang pro peta. I don’t predict as we have up to this a brief paper last Tuesday for Rene, Sr. (me), Rene Jr. and Rene 3rd stating that the time had not yet come. Roque’s bill to rename LMB to Libingan ng Mga Bayani at Pangulo. Lincoln is buried in Illinois but remains highly regarded all over the world for RESPECTING everyone. Great Golfer Arnie Palmer, also gone, but is fondly remembered for RESPECTING everyone. Who is fond of DISRESPECTING? Anyway, safer to talk about the past. As long as Digong revives memories of the Massacres of Bud Dajo and Balangiga (its Bells I saw in Fort Warren just outside of Cheyenne in 1993; PNoy could have asked for their return, before signing EDCA), we should also recall the Chinese Massacres here of 1603 and 1639.

The President’s cunning Chinese hosts might remind him soon, when he visits China and asks for favors. You never know. To put him on the defensive, they may recount that like the fabled and vilified Jews, anywhere, here, the Chinese largely powered trade, labor and industry in the Spanish colonial economy. In by the Chinese, Spain viewed them with suspicion, fear, and, like we, Indios, do, or did, even with racial contempt (recall Hitler and Jewry).

Given the growing population of the Chinese, the government severely restricted Chinese migration here and their businesses were heavily taxed. By 1581, Governor-General Gonzalo Ronquillo de Penalosa created the Parian, for the Chinese in Manila to reside in, well within the range of Spanish cannons. It became the business center of Manila.

On the belief that gold was abundant here, Mandarins came on May 23, 1603, which convinced the Spaniards that a Chinese invasion was imminent, making them suspicious of those in the Parian. The overt hostility of the Spaniards alarmed the Chinese. With such mutual belligerency on both sides, actual confrontation was inevitable.

The Chinese struck on October 3, 1603, in Tondo and Quiapo. Responding Spanish forces were killed to the last man. The Spaniards called in the Indios and the Japanese residents. (Indios also helped the US in Bud Dajo.) The Chinese then retreated to San Pablo, where they were eventually overwhelmed by forces led by Cristobal de Axqueta Menchaca. About 23,000 Chinese were massacred.

Years later, Governor General Corcuera forced the Chinese to labor in Calamba, and the subsequent abuses committed by Spanish Bossings sparked the second Chinese rebellion. It began in Calamba on November 19, 1639 and spread to other towns in Laguna. The Alcalde Mayor of Laguna and several Spanish priests were killed, and municipal buildings and churches were burned to the ground. For three months, the rebels fought in Laguna until they were driven to the mountains.

In February 1640, the Chinese rebel remnants surrendered to Governor- General Corcuera in Pagsanjan. Almost 20,000 had been killed.

What about the Muslims in recent times?

On February 7 and 8, 1974, also around 20,000 Muslim, Christian and Chinese civilian residents of Jolo died in the burning of the central commercial town caused by repeated land, sea and air bombardments by the lethal Marcosian war machine. They were caught in of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). It was characterized as, “the worst single atrocity,” which rendered scores of thousands Muslims, Chinese and Christians as homeless refugees.

(Mamasapano, 44 heavily-armed attacking government troops and who cares about the Muslim civilian victims?)

The two-day continued Philippine Navy (PN) battleship bombardments from the sea, and the Philippine Air Force ( PAF) jet fighter planes, T- 28 ` Tora- Tora’ warplanes and helicopter gunship bombardments and machine-gun - ing of the central Tulay mosque, Chinese Pun Tai Kung temple and the entire commercial town of Jolo. The foreign press exposed the slaughter of defenseless and harmless civilians and the looting and ransacking of the Moro-abandoned houses by our soldiers.

The timid local press, quiet. But, I had known about the carnage in a reunion, of our Rizal High School Class of 1955. A classmate who at3 in his class said he took part in it.

We should not tell the President what we think of his ancestors, may Intsik,may Muslim. Mabalasik. May dugong Waraypa. Masaya. Singing in After Dark in Davao City past midnight. No wonder.

If we cannot have what we like, we have to like what we have?

War could be hellish but if we are to blame the Kano for Bud Dajo and Balangiga, we must also recall what we did to our own civilian Muslim brothers and sisters.

The President’s hero, Macoy, isn’t one to the Muslims and to many, who also matter. Last Monday, he inaugurated a 405-MW power plant, funded by a fellow Bedan, Andrew L. Gotianun Sr.+, in Mindanao. The Paradise? Or where the President tells fellow Bedan Leila de Lima to go? She is giving as good as she gets. Attagirl. But, I am saddened, aren’t I?

To lift me up, why not listen to the President and Leila singing in duet, Something Stupid, of which, for some reason, I am often reminded these days.

More time, the President asks for. Let’s give it. He will have enough rope to lead us to heaven, sanapo, or hang himself with, huwagpo namansana.

Presidential temperament should be higher than parochial or mayoral.

To Leila, what doesn’t destroy you can only make you stronger. Don’t get mad. Don’t get even. Get ahead.

Better, Stronger, Together.