I was waiting for you yesterday. The moment I learned of your coming, something inside me sparked like a bolt of mild electric shock, just like the feeling in your stomach when the roller coaster starts to ascend. I, with my friends, have prepared well to welcome you understanding that your arrival should not be treated second rate. You should understand how we want it to be very special.
Why not?
Lately, your actions, your decisions, and maybe the totality of your nine-year acting feat as a loving mother and comforting sister to the Filipinos have been something we can not just let pass without batting an eyelash. Fifty-seven people have been inhumanly robbed of their lives in Maguindanao and a hundred more under your regime who have been killed and illegally detained are still deprived of justice. And now, you, who are still beneath the dark cloud of corruption and soaked in the mud of election-cheating issues, want to come clean and run for congress claiming that the clamor of your fellow Kapampangans for you to extend life in government seems to baptize you clean from all your sins to the people.
So, me and my friends rushed in a crowd to meet you up and prepare a program, some surprises for you. Actually, we just want to show you how we feel, we just want to say a few things. That is how you receive your guests, is it not? And you were supposed to listen and hear our opinions and our cries, honorable guest. That is how we do it here in our home, and I know you very well know that.
Did you know that we waited for you for four straight hours? Yes, under the scorching sun of noon in the streets in our home where there was no shed nor chairs nor any air-condition or even a single piece of electric fan. It was not only I and my young friends that came for your reception, some of my companions were not that youthful in age, our professors, our deans, and you could imagine their sacrifices standing there for long hours. I was worried that they would complain of their arthritis or hyper tension sooner or later but they do not. They patiently waited holding those welcome posters of condemnation and ouster, they actively participated in our discussions and shared us a penny of experience from their times when they were at our age and very much at ease standing long under the boiling sun.
But of all the guests we had, you were exceptional of bringing a pack of escorts so that we will not be able to get close nor see you, our beloved guest! And your pack of friends in blue, tight uniforms, in wide and heavy leather belts con gun and magazine cases, in black baseball caps where their work titles were embroidered in glittering gold, in flashy, black, leather shoes and heavily armed with hand cuffs, humungous body shields and wooden sticks seems to be unaware of the proper ethics on how guests should behave when they are on other people’s houses. At least nine of my friends were injured by your company and myriads were violently restrained including one of our senior professor and University Regent, Ma’am Judy! You should have seen how they throw people to the ground and step them on their back as if stomping to kill a cockroach.
What can loud shouts and chants, crumpled papers inked with legitimate statements and demands, large posters in bold, red paint, effigies and steel-hard ideologies do against their batons, shields and combative skills?
Yet, after all what happened, you did not come. But do not worry, for you, if ever you will pay us a visit, we will never be unprepared.
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