58

By Rolo B. Cena
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
27 November 2011

When Vincent Van Gogh painted “Field with poppies” in 1890, never had he dreamed that years after, he would be best remembered with the masterpiece. When the Ampatuans brushed a stroke of terror in November 23 2009, never had they believed that their creation, the most bizarre of all, would send them to superior Court of Laws, if not inferior as weakened by Men in Robes, or worse, end up their political career, including their cohorts’ who allegedly conspired with them.

They were like poppies in the field that exemplify hope, energy, and life. Bright hopes drove them to the town of Shariff Aguak to file for candidacy for the one they believed would bring new form of governance. Leveled energy propelled them to trek the rugged terrains and treacherous slopes for the one they believed would shower brighter hope for the constituency. Beautiful life dared them to plot against a scion of the most powerful Muslim clan or tyrant. But greed ruthlessly scythed their hopes, energies and lives and torn down their very edifice of nobility; greed mowed their simple hope, active energy and single life in the vehicle of the dirtiest of all political games: election.

They were fifty and eight: one, a journalist, is still missing; thirty-two are journalists and the rests are workers and supporters of the then Vice Mayor of Buluan town now governor of Maguindanao. This poor man, Gov. Mangudadatu, even lost his wife and sisters in what the world called crime of the century.

They worked for Mangudadatu because they believed and hoped in him just as the entire Philippines believed and hoped in P-Noy. Two years after the gruesome carnage, the bereaved families still believe and hope that this man will persecute those annihilators just as the entire Philippines hope and believe that P-Noy will persecute those who stole the money of the people; that Mangudadatu will bring justice to the victims and their bereaved families just as P-Noy will accord the same justice to millions of Filipino people who are victims of crime, grime and slime , not to be specific on plunder and graft, of his predecessors.

As the world calls on Wednesday to end “impunity,” the bereaved families of the “58” still believe and hope that the incident would bring full stop to the extrajudicial killings and killings of journalists in the country, in the world. The call is for the world, the citizens and the government to act now or be doomed, Filipinos and P-Noy included: so urgently now as it endangers each and single life or let alone hell dismiss us all.

Doomed as the devilish Philippines years after EDSA brought new life, new democracy; doomed as the evilest advocacies of the Arroyo’s and their cohorts for their collective sins fueled by greed. It is the same doom that should send shivers not only to the spines of Gloria, but also to the spines of Mike, of Mikey, of Angelo, of Benjamin, of Romulo, of Garcillano, et al.

As we observe the second year of terror in Maguindanao, the “58,” to be exact, should bring us new hope, energy and life: New hope that would bring about pivotal, gigantic, and meaningful change; new energy that would allow us to combat the plaguing graft and corruption; and new life that would renew and strengthen our presence in the world map.

The “58” still hope and believe that justice will be served fairly just as the entire Philippines believe and hope that P-Noy will serve justice fairly in handling the alleged cases against the Arroyos and their cohorts.

In perspective, when Vincent Van Gogh opted to paint the poppies in the field, it was mainly due to lack of funds; when the Ampatuans and their Sponsors opted to shear these beautiful poppies in the field, it was not mainly due to funds but the desire to amass more of them, at the people’s expense.

Putting my non-depleting two cents in, the “58” deserves full military honors for taxing their lives in the hope of bringing forth better governance and cleaner politics. They were not paupers after all; they were killed by this kind of marauders!