Loud and clear

It's all over the news. The anti-terror law went into force last Sunday, July 15. According to Defense Undersecretary Ric Blancaflor, a chief proponent of the law, 'The general population is safely guarded by this law. Only terrorists have reasons to be threatened.”

Would that really be the case? Remember how the law was misused and abused when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared a State of Emergency in February 2006. Left and right arrests were ordered. Fabricated cases and warrants were used to daunt Arroyo’s critics. Remember the spate of political killings in the absence of a terror law. Civilians were targeted; so many innocent lives were claimed.

Would that make the President’s and its cabinet members’ declarations credible, plausible and worthy of the public’s trust and approval?

Pinocchio would probably rise from the bookshelf where he quietly lays to knock these people on their heads for beating his track record as a charlatan. The lad from ‘the boy who cried wolf’ would surely feel challenged for this government’s anesthetized foolishness and brazen numbness if they still believe people would play the game they have been playing, just as they thought people would easily dance to the tune of their manufactured ‘Cha-cha’.

These same people who say that civilian rights will be upheld are in sheer stupor and oblivion. This same government who is fast exceeding Marcos’ record of human rights violations has no other scheme to play.

These days, the government shouts to the high heavens its 'resoluteness' to put an end to unabated killings and bring to courts those who will be found guilty, while its other hand reeks of blood for having claimed so many lives. Eight hundred sixty and still counting.

The fangs of GMA are biting. Aggressively biting. With the terror law in place, it’s as clear as the sun that the law will be used to intensify the government’s attacks against dissenters. No more, no less.

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Last May, I chanced upon this news about Bishops all over Asia going on a five-day training session at a posh university in Bangkok to become skilled at chatting, blogging, sending email message etc. Even Friendster was introduced to them. Simply put, they were toured on the cyberspace. It was so delighting to know that even prelates show interest on stuffs about cyberspace. When I read about this news, it made me smile subtly. Ha!ha! Now we’re even. Just as I was also getting hooked on blogging.

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My dad’s side had their family reunion last June.

I was reunited with my cousins, aunts, nephews, nieces, lolo’s and lola’s and other relatives who were never familiar to me until we saw each other on that occasion. I only knew some of them through pictures. Some I didn’t even get to see died already (rip).

I appreciate my uncle’s effort, Prof. Gil, to bring us together by initiating that gathering which started only December last year when we gathered to share the joy with my uncle who passed the bar exams.