Chapter 21
Imprisonment
Events just happened that fast. Fr. Driarco
was herded in a prison like a lamb, willing victim from the virtue of warrant
of arrest issued by Judge Pedrosa. His crime – death of Mayor Jose Torres!
How could it be when nothing is heard about
the incident until today when warrant of arrest was tendered to him.
“He was discovered dead in his office last
night still sitting on his chair with a hole in his forehead. . . .” Police Inspector told him.
“That simple and here you are arresting me
. . . “
“Sorry, but a witness is there to testify
how and when you did it . . . . “
“Who?”
“One of your trusted sacristan . . . . “
“Come again . . . . “ he protested in
disbelief.
“Roger! How could he be a Judas . . . . “
“You have the time for your defense Fr.
Your counsel could handle that,” the Inspector retorted locking the key for his
temporary incarceration until formal complaint charged against him.
The
National Tribune, a
nationwide daily picked up the incarceration of Fr. Driarco and Rene, the fourth
sacristan he took under his wings after Jojo, Abel and Roger. The newspaper
wrote that the faithful has been remiss of their parish priest’s services. His
Excellency, Bishop Julian Valdes, was also quoted saying he would not send any
replacement in protest of the injustices committed against his parishioners
notably Fr. Driarco, Rene and their families.
“Due process of law, that’s what everybody
else are after for,” the good Bishop was quoted.
Mayor Torres’ was Marcos top gun in the
province and the Apo might just want to show
his invincibility and strong grip of the law all the way down to the lowest
local officials and yes even priests!.
The parish on the one hand, has been moving
heaven and earth to bail Fr. Driarco and his sacristan Rene out from the prison
cell.
“If you would only be after my freedom
leaving behind Rene inside the prison cell, then better forget it. But if you do I’ll be most happy,” he said.
The bail was two hundred fifty thousand
pesos probably thinking that the priest could not afford. The amount included
that of Rene implicated in the issue who in his early twenty is yet to
understand his bitter metamorphosis from a mere sacristan to a prisoner in his
tender years. He is yet to complete his high school in Sta. Rita Agricultural School
Sedition, serious political offense and
murder was slapped on Fr. Driarco. To his surprise, the force was deliberate effort from the top to drag
further the issue to his disadvantage. He is undaunted however
knowing his innocence. He knows
for a fact that the case would not prosper and would not stand a day in
Court. He is even optimistic that his
case might be the key to open Pandora’s box of salvaging and extra-judicial
killing in the province.
“Tip of an iceberg indeed,” he said.
Should that happen, that would be the perfect
time unmasking the ruthlessness of the Mayor or whoever the Mastermind is to
the whole world behind his persecution.
The needle would definitely ignite the explosion of the devil that has gripped
the once peaceful Sta. Rita.
“This once sleepy town would no longer be
the same again,” he said thinking aloud of possibly reaching that scenario. The
needle is encased in a small bottle on the altar in the convent. What if it has
been gone taken by the policemen when they ransacked the convent? So far to his
knowledge, the Chief of Police, Ben Yalung, Mayor Torres’ firebrand loyalist,
did his own work recovering Fr. Driarco’s .38 Magnum caliber. Alas, an
additional charge of illegal possession of firearms was added on his case
having recovered several rounds of ammunitions, explosives and confidential
documents linking him to an underground movement. Driarco could only blow a
whistle from the trumped up charges convincing him anew that the lowland is not
a place for a freeman given an atmosphere of Martial law, anything
could happen. The hinterlands, yes. The mountains and hills, they are the
strong fortress of those who have been driven away by the military. Where else
would these people go? Not in court. The more their issues would be
complicated. Chief of Police? No, he is Mayor’s eyes and ears too. Parish
priest? Yes because they are most
comfortable with. Fr. Driarco’s spirit
sunk deeper knowing that an addition of seventeen years and four months would
be meted against him should the court proved that he owns those explosives and
ammunitions and highly classified subversive documents.
Now it dawned to him the reality of a
Catholic priest. People put him in pedestal but same people persecuting him.
“The path towards the road less travelled
is indeed tough. But the harder the journey the Christ-like your travel is” he
remembered a note shared by his co-priest overcoming similar sad experience.
What happened to the Apostles came to his mind. Among the twelve, only John
died his natural death. Judas, the traitor of course committed suicide. The
rest suffered tragic end. James the Greater stabbed with sword; James
the Lesser, stoned to death; Thadeus (Jude) felled with arrows; Thomas thrust
with a spear; Matthew stabbed with sword; Mathias, Andrew, Phillip and Simon –
all crucified. And the brutal and dirtiest tragedy of them all given their
roles as strong pillars of the Church – St. Paul beheaded and Peter crucified
upside down!
The most unlikely prisoner didn’t mind his
present persecution reflecting on the tragic fate of earliest precursor and
defender faith of the Church..
“Too far from what his predecessors
experienced,” he related.
“But who knows the conspiracy putting him
Order of Battle by the Powers-that-be! Just who knows,” an idea cropped up not
far fetched too learning how unpredictable devil
is working.
. . . . . . . . .
Meanwhile with the tacit approval of the
warden after exchanging ideas he was allowed to conduct socio-economic survey
among the inmates around the prison camp
ironically he once served. And true to his observation, the result of the
survey he conducted inside the prison camp validate his theory namely, not all
those put behind barbed wire are per se criminal. How could they be when the
court has not proven them guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Reviewing his simple
statistics – 113 prisoners, 52 females, 61 males. Crimes committed: estafa,
arson, murder, qualified theft and surprisingly libel. The rest were not that
serious. Mostly with the exemption of some, were ordinary workers. Masons,
farmers, carpenters, fishermen and laborers. Taken in its entirely, what irked
him most from his observation was the thought that roughly half of the
prisoners’ cases have not been solved. This is a good homework when I would be
out from the prison cell, he would remind himself.
Unfortunately, the young priest was not
allowed to say mass openly in the prison cell. There’s separation of church and
state we observe in this jail, the warden would tell him the latter did not
question. But this did not dampen his zeal in saying the mass. He would
celebrate the holy Eucharist by himself and when Abel wakes up, between them
and God. It’s a commitment I vowed to comply no matter what the cost might be.
Despite his sometimes heavy schedule in the prison cell, he would always find
time writing his friends. If by working with my parishioners giving them and
teaching them how to fish, freeing them from the bondage of sins and injustices
is theology of liberation in practice, then so be it. I believe this is better
alternative than concocting it on the rostrum in the church. Did Christ not
instructed us to help the oppressed, the poor, the marginalized and those
manipulated by those in powers-that-be?” he would qualify his present
predicament, to selected friends he wrote.
Similarly, he finds too time writing
speaking his minds so to speak giving social commentaries on different issues
of the day. But for the meantime, as he is in prison, he opted three writing
articles, his reflection on engrossing issue for his readers and parishioners.
“No way writing his cause. It’s hard
comprising the devil or he would be slapped anew of libel as his case and that
of Abel is still scheduled for arraignment beginning next week. Reading this
three articles he thought, it’s okay keeping his sanity kept intact. Reading them over reviewing them,
seeing if there are some loose ends, he felt they’re good reflection on issues
of the day:“Accept nothing short of your best. Put
such a quality into your work. That anyone who comes across anything you
have ever done will see character in it,
individuality in it, your trademark of superiority upon it.” Og Mandino – University of Success
“It seems probable that the corrupted Visayan and English phrase “If
I know pa lamang, I will never gayod!” sums up mostly the surviving
capacity and attitude of would-be writers vis-a-vis to writing either as hobby
or as profession. But is writing really
that scary undertaking to do or not? It depends on where you stand. Do you like taking it as mere lip-service
activity just to have the feeling of it? In that case you should reconsider
exerting extra effort in learning the craft or you might only end up doing
great disservice to yourself wasting away precious time. The reverse also holds true Once you treat it
seriously as very important profession you would soon discover to your heart’s
delight that writing actually has been the missing nexus lacking in our
sometimes dreary and superfluous life. Raising family, planting a tree and
writing a book, a writer would contend makes life complete.
“. . . I foresee that media being the
vanguard of morality would exercise vigilance all the more. I don’t think that media considered as the
fourth branch of the government in this Republic would just allow the
destruction of the society’s moral fiber to go on unabated by being so lenient
on issues, like gambling, that actually gives more than good. Pretending of seeing nothing. That’s not media but comedia.” He reads
delighted on his writing baring his soul out giving premium on that urge to
write.
“So why are you here in the first place if
you would like to become a writer, I would recall somewhere National Artist
Nick Joaquin begging question from participants attending related development
communication seminar short of saying: go back to your typewriter and write!
Indeed, I‘d like to think that time is the most precious commodity among
writers. Although that testy habit of
beating the deadline does pump up our adrenaline writing straight news for
general reading public in a hurry before typewriter for instance, dirty work or
necessary spadework collecting and verifying data had already been done earlier
and that packaging the story into news report is merely an icing of the cake.”
“What kind of stuff writers are made of?
Well, like you we all eat rice in this rice eating Republic only that we have
more patience and appetite doing our homework.
We all have nerve and instinct to write. No question about this. Accept
it. Or call it as gift from above, if you wish lending credence to the truth
that writing senses is actually natural and inherent in us. But to think that writers are relaying mostly
on the power of pure instinct to do all the work borders on wrong notion that
writing is as easy as singing do-re-mi-. That does not justify the making
of a writer. Consider the magnitude of
materials one has to reckon with needed in processing a write-up. Unless they are on the tip of your fingers or
close to it, you can’t just move your pen writing. Hence, pure instinct or news sense does not
guarantee a decent write-up. Most
important thing is the writing skill acquired through learning. In the words of Vergel O. Santos, veteran
journalist and recent speaker of MGSD staff and writers: lies beneath a news
writer’s instinct is the very force itself that has given rise and now propels
it. Ergo, the importance of knowing and practicing the formula of news writing,
editorial and or opinion as the case maybe using English as second language for
easy comprehension and interesting reading by general reading public.”
“We don’t have that gift all right, you
might say. Well-taken buddy but you are dead wrong. You do have only you didn’t
bother opening it instead allowing it to
gather dust in a corner. Never mind if
re-awakening comes to you this late. You
don’t actually have to worry. There are
too many topics to write about, writing prompts you might say. What are the
common issues today many are afraid to bring out in the open? Whatever happens to our environment,
agriculture and industry! What about the government’s way o f handling hostage
crisis, recruitment of CAFGU as paramilitary etc. As an honest taxpayer at least you too feel
crazy about these issues. That could be
a good start.”
“Conrad de Quiros, that fiery and
articulate columnist of Philippine
Daily Inquirer was right when he said that talent plus desperation is
the mother of invention, in your case, writing career. Thus, there seems to be no strict rule when
to formally start building the foundation of your career. Irving Wallace, one of my favorite fiction
writer whose works “The Prize,” “The Seventh Secret”, “The Second Lady” and many other
certified best sellers embarked writing his best novels after he voluntarily
resigned from US military service. Our
very own Sen. Blas Ople, though stammers and incoherent when he talks but very
articulate in his column “Horizon”
in Manila Bulleting is actually graduate more of paperbacks like many
others. Fictionists NVM Gonzales and
Nick Joaquin had little formal schooling if at all yet became master of their
craft par excellence. . . . Obviously,
each one has the chance to become a writer as long as he wills it capitalizing
on instinct and mastery on the use of theories needed in making interesting
story.”
“. . . Being in early forties, it’s time to share experiences
to any aspiring writers out there. In brief, the following are my few advices
for general effective writing:
Write
The way you talk. Write directly to your reader straight into his eyes. Observe
accepted rule in grammar and composition like consistent use of tense sequence,
simple use of punctuation mark and related accepted theories in writing. Consistency is required or you would end with
a puzzle instead of an interesting write-up.
Use
action and picture words. It is said that writing is
just like drawing. A writer is
considered a wordsmith; hence, the importance of selecting from various entries
relevant words and coming out with the word that best expresses your thoughts. As an artist makes sure that your product has
the necessary tone color required for a beautiful portrait nor merely a mixture
of color splashed on the canvass ending in abstract only you as an artist can
interpret or decipher. Observe semantics. Don’t just assume the meaning of
words. A word has as many as sixteen
shades of meanings so better consult it form
either Mr. Webster or Mr. Thesaurus as the case may be.
Spice
you work with sense of humor. Unless you are writing straight news which does not require
embellishment, garnish your work occasionally with sense of humor making it
palatable. Humor helps lessening the
load of our weary hearts. Listen how
broadcasters capitalize on humor to heighten the interest of their listeners.
User
your common sense. Drop abstract modifiers that
would drag the meaning you’re driving across.
Use both the active voice and positive form as needed but not at the
expense of your paper.
Wordwatch. Watch out using undesirable
words. Use specific words that convey
best meaning avoiding sissy words. I
would always hear people saying “self-explanatory” even in many offices. It’s
redundant. Change that to “explainable.”
And then there’s the use of the phrase “it goes without saying” or “needless to
say”, “as to whether or not”, etc. Why make yourself difficult and pompous when
you can just simple use “whether” or mere simple declaration on t he reality of
the subject like “To me, the case is closed.”
Be
real. To borrow
one Filipino writer. You opted to become
a writer. By all means stand by it. The
world owes you nothing. No one poke a gun on your face to write.
As you would like to become a writer
anyway. make the best of it by practicing it learning the craft from masters.
Character.
Finally , you should only rest from writing before submitting it for
publication after you have marked your character in it. At least you are ready
to be judged by what you wrote. In the words of Og Mandino: There is nothing like being enamored of
accuracy, being ground in thoroughness as a life-principle of always thriving
for excellence. And push more squeezing your adrenaline when all the rest are
standouts by making yourself or your work as standard.”
“Having done this, wish yourself good
luck. Little of course did you know that
you have already established yourself a reputation as another writer in the
making. As you have done your best,
never mind if at the back of your mind lingers the thought of what about some
lapses. Forget it. You have already done your job. It’s now your editor’s turn to return the
favor on you by repackaging your write-up.
If it is accepted and published.
Fine. If not, you are transformed into a philosopher. Thanks just the
same, many philosophers being lover of wisdom, are mostly best writers.”
“Just fine,” he said after reading.
“At least readers would think aloud if he
is to engage writing. Taking again his
underworld typewriter he writes back this time as his special message to his
parishioners on the occasion of Easter never mind if they knew he is imprisoned
now. He aptly titled it “Playing with God” he wrote:
“It’s early Saturday morning and probably
this piece would see print Easter Sunday
or later where Christendom would be celebrating the best and the
happiest part of Church’s calendar of the year hearing all those Alleluias in
every Christian churches. Far significant and
better than Christmas, the heart and soul of Christianity and where the
Church grows, the resurrection of Jesus
Christ, is by far the best experience
albeit it might have baffled many people
of other beliefs all through the ages.
Why not? Here’s a first century Galilean
Jew who bearing no credentials and certification has changed the face of the
world forever. It’s unprecedented in the history of salvation eclipsing the
beauty and wisdom of earlier beliefs from Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism and
yes later, Islam pervading back then and
still now practiced by millions. But it’s loud and clear that while these great
religious leaders in history all slept
for good after their appearance and preaching, Christ went all the way up there with a promise of
returning back to make us one. His indomitable proof, God raising him up from the dead after hanging in
the cross six hours at Golgotha under the watch of twenty four Roman guards.
That no other equals dared to claim is explainable. It’s such a vital cog that
spark that belief in Christianity, claims R.C. Spruce, a theologian.
It
is. In fact, it was such an unprecedented development in salvation history that
even nature (the earth quakes, birds chirp ….) as Paul Tillich, great American
Theologian taking the Gospel account of the resurrection observed, join in
celebrating mankind’s greatest achievement. That albeit many doubting Thomases, skeptics, agnostics
and atheists are yet to come into full circle of reality before they would
probably accept, embrace and live such
historical reality in practice. Man will
rot and nothing, not even his own ego will survive, Bertrand Russell, Atheistic
Philosopher, bared. No problem there for as long as he stands and dies for it. He did and there rots like
his peers, becoming as good fertilizer to mother earth. John Mc Dovell, another
skeptic theologian should have probably seen daylights had he added more research hours than what he did in
getting 700 hours research concluding
that the “resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most wicked, vicious,
heartless hoaxes ever foisted upon the minds of men exclaiming it was such a
fantastic fact of history.” How so? He may spent researching lifetime but if he
constantly tiptoeing the resurrection account, nothing would ever convince
him saving his predicament.
Lindell Black of course similarly imposed
his conspiracy theory in his St. Peter’s obra. Well taken. But it’s all in the
mind. Where has all the ripple effect he concocted indicating of possible waves
generated by throwing a pebble in the
middle of the ocean anyway? Hello there! That he is even sued for parroting
what Abraham et al earlier wrote in their epic and gripping Sacred Blood, Blessed
Grail scholarly work, indicates that his theory is simply suspect. Plain and
simple. Of course, there’s the discovery of the Ossuary, the Titanic director
misconstrued to refute Christ’s resurrection. That would have indeed set an
unprecedented discovery requiring the re-writing of the Bible. But not until
authority dumped his tentative theory in the absence of DNA test. Lately as uploaded in internet,
there’s this nine lead codices discovered after the deluge in Oman and now in safe possession of Bible
Scholars in Europe for possible study
hopefully to shed light on the last days of Christ. So what when Vatican
It was such the shortest piece but it’s good
to have speak his minds out specially that next Sunday would be Easter. At
least his general reading public would be keep posted on his thoughts. But not
on his incarceration. He doesn’t have any business talking his predicament to
save when the people get the news from secondary data.
Writing
some more this time on the horror that is war sending a strong message
that peace is all what we need, he aptly
titled it “War Crimes” having read the moving
book earlier graphics of true story contributed by journalists themselves too
cruel hurting the human eyes.
“Who knows Mayor Torres and his cohorts
might come across on this piece and read and get the wisdom awakening them to
become crusaders of peace themselves.”
“What the public should know about crimes
of war? Where do you stand as far as war
in general is concerned? I do know that as we live in a civilized world, how I
wish that there is no such thing as war
and that there should be peace zones that as they engaged in war, there are no
civilian casualties sacrificed.”
“But let’s accept the hard truth: sometimes we have to kill to stop the
killing,” he recalled a professor back then at Xavier Univ. supporting the immediacy of war.
Thus, the concept of Jus ad Bellum and Jus in
Bello or that branch of international law governing the reasons why you fight and how you fight. In
effect, the two are inseparable distinct
ways of looking at war with the second concept deserving strict
compliance if only to mitigate the prohibitive cost of war. But have we?”
The United Nation is even more emphatic on
the necessity of war. Article 2 from the
Charter of United Nations declares: “All members shall refrain in their
international relations from the threat or the use of force against the territorial
integrity or political independence of any state . . . and in Article 51:
“Nothing in the present charter shall impair the inherently right of individual
or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the
United Nations.”
“Such branch of law relies the customary
law, based on recognized practices of war, as well as treaty laws (such as the
Hague Regulations of 1899 and 1907) which set out the rules of
hostilities. Other principal documents include the four Geneva
Conventions of 1949 which protect war victims – the sick and wounded (first);
the shipwrecked (second); prisoners of war (third); and civilians in the
territories of the countries in conflict (fourth) – and the additional
Protocols of 1977, which definite key terms such a s combatants, contain detailed provisions to protect noncombatants,
medical transports, and civil defense and prohibit practices such as
indiscriminate attack.”
Thus said to what extent have we
complied such criteria? Regrettably,
excesses far outweigh the casualties incurred on both sides. By excesses, I mean those crimes against humanity incurred in the conduct of
war, that irreversible result of crimes of war.
There are actually only 23 letters in the
alphabet but if we sum up all war crimes committed as presented in the book
would give dizzying figures that cannot be swallowed, let alone,
accepted. Add several graphics too gruesome to see as they were presented uncut
and you have the worst excesses of atrocities of war crimes of the century. And the saddest reality of these figures, they
are far from stopping as crimes against humanity are still happening around us, right in our own backyard, country and the rest of the
world.
Of course, we thought that gone are the
days of Holocaust where millions of Jews died courtesy of Hitler’s Superiority
of Aryan race; annihilation of Nagasaki
and Hiroshima and the use of agent orange and napalm strike leading
to senseless massacre as in My Lai in
Vietnam survivors utilized as human mine detectors as perpetrated by USA. Who too would
forget Pol Pot of Cambodia whose
insanity through his dreaded Khmer Rouge’s taking pictures of victims before
torturing and killing them led to
killing fields; or the use of
humans as guinea pig in medical experiments for their medical students as we experienced it in World War II
against the Japanese.
And who thought that war in its ugliest
would end after the Fall of Berlin Wall
in Germany paving the way
for restoration of democracy not just in Europe, Asia but also China
This I know after reading the War Crimes edited by Roy Gutman and
David Rieff (W.W. Norton & Com. Inc., New York, New York 1999 397 pp). No
doubt that war happening in the 21st Century is
unparalleled in that it is ruthless,
savage and gruesome than those preceding ones.
True enough, truth becomes the first casualty in every war. Ninoy Aquino’s dictum “In war there are no
victors only victims!” interrelated facts could be summarized from the wisdom of the book. First, numbers of casualties in crimes against humanity far
offsetting than the combatants and second; comprehensive
excluding none regardless of color, age, creed and religion. Third, its
unprecedented as how the warfare was conducted gives you feeling of fear and
trembling. Oh how I wish, there’s Genie
in a bottle that would invent more peace than war, unity than division and
justice instead of prejudices and discrimination. Of course that would only be
true in the mind, just imagined as John Lennon sings.
Consider the sad reality of apartheid Nelson Mandela clears as “color
lines that all too often determines who is rich
or poor. . . who shall get food, clothing and health care . . . and who
will live and who will die.”; use of
biological weapons for ethnic cleansing as in Sarajevo and Bosnia; carpet or
area bombing as in Saigon, Vietnam in 1968 giving rise to bomb craters ensuing
from B-52 strikes; Iraqi chemical warfare as used by Saddam Hussein against
Iran and Kuwait; and using children as
soldiers and killers as in Afghanistan, Liberia, Jordan, Iran, Sri Lanka and
Spain; collateral damage and collective punishment typified by Israel against Palestine.
Concentration camps in 1992 ran by Serbs for Bosnians images reminiscent of Hitler’s Nazi camp, destruction of cultural
property and historical landmarks; disappearances, executions and
extra-judicial killings; free fire zones, genocides, hostage taking,
indiscriminate attack. By far, the graphics of Sept. 11 bombing of World Trade
Center as captured by CNN remains indelibly
imbedded in my subconscious but those in the book contributed by
different journalists just simply tell
them The list is long and sad it to say that it is still counting.
Incidentally, Philippines
Living in Mindanao
with all those implacable hostilities, hostage taking and terrorism happening
around us right before our eyes just send us
trembling down in bone and marrow
far more than we imagine. Add the
senseless beheading by Abu Sayyaf, hostage takings of innocent International Red Cross personnel, clergy,
missionaries, teachers and innocent persons –
constitute too that war crimes against the norms and standard set by
Geneva Convention in 1948 and Protocol II.
Hostage taking particularly is so pervasive and unpredictable that it
has been so rampant that it has become sunshine industry among terrorists. Add those senseless killings of men in media industry and you get familiar
picture of crime against humanity. No
wonder that we have dislodged Iraq
It’s sad that notwithstanding that those
excesses happening before our eyes, ending those countless innocent people as
additional statistics of crimes against
humanity, there’s hardly collective resolution of addressing them to avert
further escalation of hostilities. Even
those related in drug related-industry,
many suspects ended up freed than prosecuted, complained by officers who
apprehended them in region 10.
It is just hoped that crimes against
humanity this part of the country will soon one day will see daylight. When
would that be? You maybe one that could make it happen. As John Lennon sings: I
hope someday, you’ll join us and make the world will be as one.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
True to the parishioners’ promise and those
of his co-priests, they were able to secure the bail bond. There was joyful
celebration in the convent when he and Roger were finally bailed out. The
parish was able to dish out one hundred thousand pesos cash and the rest to Fr.
Driarco’s glee, were all ten sacks in all courtesy of his co-priests in the
diocese. Undoubtedly, the Cashier of Esperanza had her day full counting
thousands of coins.
Among those who attended Fr. Driarco’s and Rene’s
celebration was Roger who has grown bigger sporting long hair. He was told a
very special friend had an urgent message for him.
“How you’ve been? I’m sorry I’m a bit
disoriented . . . ,” said the priest
extending his hand.
“Been fine and sorry leaving the convent
without a word. Confidential . . . . Would share to you when able . . . .”
“And who was that guy acted as witness to
my case . . . clean shaven one,” clarified the priest. Roger was taken aback.
“Hmm I’m very sorry and I regret to inform you that . . . .”
“You’re double . . . .”
“Got it and more than that,”
“My twin actually . . . .”
“My oh my and that explains all the mess in
your parish. The good mayor just did it to you even at the extent of buying the
participation of innocent people holding
himself in power liquidating those people barring his way. “
“And making sure putting people behind bars if need whoever
they are concocting all those evidences..
“Seems indeed there’s urgency of matter . .
. . “ said the priest enlightened but shaking his head as if taking away the
cobwebs out from his mind.
“You’re right. And please do him a favor now.” Roger whispered fidgeting him to
go right away.
“In your study room, he’s there . . . .”
Roger told the good priest hurriedly complied with.
It’s
Ka Mario. The visitor speak right away before he could open his mouth.
“You must leave immediately this convent Fr. A plot
awaits on you,” the visitor confided shocking the priest.
“Oplan
Kasiyahan, that’s what they call, hatched by the Wolves, a joint military-civilian
organization out to deliver the goods to
whom they are due. Their specialties are salvaging and extrajudicial killing. The
operatives were plucked out from different places. They don’t mind their
target. They don’t know them anyway. But they have your picture!”
“Who could have provided him . . . ?” the
poor priest reflected for a moment.
“You’ve been in their OB. That’s what
matter. And they would not go home until they brought home the bacon. Your head
no less! They’ve been head hunting you and better confusing their presence
now. Anything will happen.”
“Guess who their godfather is. Big Brother no
less and their counterparts – Brown shirts spread just everywhere. The Governor or the Mayor of
course is his top gun here in the
province who else?”
“Why me?” the priest ventured.
“You’ve been bugged sorry . . . . Let’s
go.”
“ The order came from the top. They could
not just operate you know without the godfather’s blessing.”
“What’s all this . . . !”
“Maybe all for power and money, why not.
Please know time is of the essence. If
you don’t have any more question . . . . “
The visitor said as the priest rummaged
important belongings and documents his hands could get setting all the rest on fire to leave no further traces of
evidence..
“They’re in government payroll receiving
fat salary of course. Think of the dirtiest job they’re doing for the
President.”
“Hired mercenaries you mean!”
“Not ordinary ones definitely but
specialists in their own trade. Yours is a choice in fact depending on the
deal. They could kill you anywhere and anytime. That’s how they do it. You
probably wonder all those senseless killings – murder, cold-blooded ones but
done in secrecy and conspiracy happening around. That’s their handwork, their
mark of work ethics. Again all these were done with the imprimatur and
blessings of the Big Bro”
Fr. Driarco was astounded listening the
revelation. It was like small pieces are falling into their place relating to all
spate of killings lately from left, right and center? No limit for as
long as they are enemies of the state or are promising pretenders and trouble
makers of the government.
The nasty thought including his father and
Mang Tonio, hyphenated priests, church workers and the rest sent again shiver
down his spine.
“The Mayor then and his men delivering the
dirty work were just accomplices.”
“That including people working with me in the church . . . .”
the priest thought tying the pieces together.
Tough revelation here thinking of how Jojo, Abel, Roger and their
parents sold him to Big Brother counterpart in the province.
“What now of Rene as the guy is most
unlikely far from suspicion,” he was disturbed for the first time.
“Is he a bug? If so could hold the key of
solving the mystery for all those mess in the province . . . .”
“Problem however is, he’s part of the team
and would in fact be joining with them seeking refuge for safety somewhere. But
how sure is he that doesn’t provide their whereabouts to Big Bro and thus end
their participation to Nationalist struggle for democracy.” Important thought
doubly disturbing him.
“Twenty four hours operation. Must be very
tough work really,” Ka Mario opined broke the silence.
“Tough operation?” the priest nodded.
“You’re right. You could even request or
demand a head of your enemy from them as proof that they could really deliver
the goods. Not only that you could also select which place you’d like other
bodies or parts of it in case if the target is one individual to dump. We
should be ready now. We have still barely ten minutes left to save our neck
from this place. Be still, the parishioners on the right wing has also been
alarmed. Roger probably finished narrating to them how the WOLVES operate killing
at will their clients without any trace.”
There was no doubt Ka Mario was telling the
truth, Fr. Driarco thought otherwise, he and Rene would have not
surreptitiously came down from the hills and joined all this fun. Why not after
all, the rebels have also their own deep penetration agents in the military, a
job reserved only to selected few
artists in the same way the military had in clearing area of operation
destroying the sting of their offensive spree against the rebels.
Hurriedly, he took everything his two hands
could hold on – books, cassocks, surplice, shorts, sandals and several money
from his vault. At least, he and Rene should be out from the convent before
darkness would engulf them.
At
exactly seven in the evening, the convent was jolted rocked by violent
explosion.
Looking back, Driarco sighed and though his
heart revolted just maintained his sanity thanking Ka Mario for the effort of
saving and of Rene’s lives. All the
while, he thought that freed from Sta. Rita’s prison cell would provide him
ample time of lobbying his cause together with his counsel outside the court
only to be surprised anew of heavier crime against the government this time.
Sedition. To his knowledge, he was merely practicing what the Church teaches
him to do i.e. serving the people specially the poor and the marginalized. True
that he has been resolved pursuing his cause against the evil Mayor but never
igniting let alone, causing the people to raise up arms against the government.
“ If this endless persecution would go on
unabated depriving me of any breathing space to breath, then I might as well
follow where my heart goes,” his avowed promise practically changing the course
of his life.
“Better to act fast now or event might
overtake us faster than what we think.”
“What do you mean. . .”
“There’s far and serious offense they are
concocting on you. . . . Sedition yes for having transformed
making your convent haven of
leftists and communists hatching
the conspiracy against the Mayor. . . “
“And who could have broached this highly
classified information to the WOLVES.
“Who else father?”
“You mean any among my sacristans from Jojo, Abel to Roger. All planted by the Wolves?”
“Yap . You just said it. And as you can see, even at their
expense to clear doubts on their roles as eyes and ears of the Wolves.”
“My oh my . . . .!”Fr. Driarco taking deep
bated breath reeling of disbelief.
“Don’t forget including . . . . “ Ka Mario
concluded.
All was told now leaving the innocent
priest more dumbfounded than amazed.
“Come on fast and look who’s talking to men
in seven colors uniform down on the ground in front of the facade,“ Ka Mario
fidgeted beckoning him to move running fast on the standby vehicle that would take them to a beach nearby
to awaiting speedboat braving the big waves for
survival and safety in Mindoro.
“Rene!” Fr. Driarco mumbled as he hurriedly
follow Ka Mario negotiating downstairs away for his freedom.
“Don’t worry Father, we are leaving the
convent without a trace. I have my men there left securing you from the wolves
on loose for your capture. Trust me.
. . . . . . . . . .
Fr. Driarco could only sigh deep bated
breath anew as he walked through forest
of Mindoro . That after flying in a helicopter that rescued them from speedboat that almost
capsized intercepted by the Wolves in the sea.
“The war just started Rev. Fr.,” Ka Mario
said smiling to get the stress out from his guest.
“Don’t worry you are safe. Our organization
has an antidote of what the Wolves has in store for you,”
“Why even bother me. . . . as I’m doing my job for my people in the church.”
“Because you mess out Lakay Apo’s desires . . .
validating your inclusion in the Order of Battle
The young priest could only heave a sigh moving his head of disbelief.
Few hour’s rest more would
be enough for their second leg of journey. Where it would be, the new immigrant don’t
have any idea yet. But it would be Mindanao, the proverbial Land of Promise
. . . . . . . . . . .
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