Pinoy Sounding Board » abuse

Eight’s Been a Hard Day’s Night

elmot — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 03:06:00 +0000

Long.

Winding.

Road.

Devoured by the monstrous traffic.

If the Beatles are to come here in the country today for a sold-out concert at Araneta Coliseum, excluding the harassment and bullying from Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos and their uniformed dogs, I am pretty sure that they will have to change the lyrics of their song the Long and Winding Road.

I went to Cubao area last Friday to pick up some merchandise, and was aching hard to push myself to enter the Araneta Coliseum to relax, eat some bucket full of popcorn and jump off my seat for some big time winning shots and slams of PBA stars. But because of the atrocious traffic down EDSA, I ended up running away from the stampede of basketball fans rushing out of the coliseum gates.

Anways, as usual, since I donâ€™t have the luxury of having my own ride, I have to take a bus from Cavite down to Manila. I told myself, that it would be an easy and comfy ride: just park my ass on the soft bus seat, put the aircon vent right on front of my face, watch some TV shows and of course, sleep. I confidently said to myself, after maybe 1 and Â½ hours I will be waking up and voila, I am already in Cubao, relaxed and refreshed and after I picked up some merchandise could still catch up the second game.

But the ride was a nightmare! I could not sleep. The TV was turned on but all that I could watch from its monitor were seemingly pictures of actors and actresses being bomb by Allied Forces during the Battle of Midway. Sorry folks, but my mother told me not to lie; my seatmate was very and smelled like an old man bathe with pomade. And my watch told me that I already grilled my butt on my seat for almost two hours; and darn, we were still sandwiched by hundred other buses and vehicles near Ayala Avenue.

I disappointed myselfâ€¦I thought everything would be comfy and relaxing, but at that point all of us in the bus were already fuming and pissed off. There were some who already shown their fangs, and tails and devilish horns. There were cursing and spewing of acid and fire, while I on the other hand tried to contain the feeling of being nauseated, secretly holding a plastic bag right under my bag pack (Anyone who always bring a plastic bag everytime he travels? Kindly raise your hand). Of course, everything was to no avail. Our bus was like a giant anaconda that has just swallowed an elephant and rhino trying to inch his way out of narrow strip. We were seemingly stuck for eternity in the middle of the hellish traffic of the infamous Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue. Now the road is very much known by the its excruciating traffic and not anymore by the works and achievements of the man known as one of the great Filipinos after the Spanish colonization. Sorry man, EDSA now is equal to TRAFFIC.

While everyone was trying to find some recreation and redeem the virtues we have lost due to erupting tempers, vehicles suddenly moved sideways like the parting to the Red Sea. Loâ€™ and behold! There was a convoy of police motorcycles followed by heavily tinted luxury vehicles with number 8s on their license plates parading in front of our sight smooth and easy. They were like legions of gods and goddesses sweeping the nasty traffic of EDSA for them to pass by, full of inflated egos and display of arrogance of great proportion. And suddenly, a number of other vehicles tailed them to have an easy escape of the traffic. And guess what? We were still there.

We thought that we have already redeemed ourselves by our taming of our devilish inclinations but those arrogant politicians metamorphosed us into beasts ready to devour those men clad in barong whole and raw.

It was a despicable sight. It was a sheer display of arrogance. While hundreds of Filipinos are imploring the aid of some higher Being to free themselves from the chains of the problems of the country with one of the most basic, that is the horrible traffic at EDSA; select powerful and rich men were showing their guts and nasty pride to insult the public that has elected them to positions of public service. While each and every common Filipino is trying to carry and swallow the burden of traffic, spending so many of their precious hours on the road to reach their destinations, some politicians very much filled with themselves would just sweep away the vehicles for them to pass by; even using patrol units with shouting sirens, trying to impress on everyone that they are untouchables, beyond the problems and perils of traffic. It was a sheer display of abuse of power.

I was horrible. It was stupidity at its best. And it was arrogance at its finest.

It was then that I was reflecting; that is why politicians are so detached to even the most basic experience of anxieties and problems of the Filipino masses because they are living in a world that is detached from reality that each and every Filipino experience. That politicians do not really respond to basic problems of Filipinos is for the reason that they have been swallowed by arrogance, elitism and abuse of power far from the humility of each and every Juan dela Cruz. They have built their mansions on the clouds and painted their egos on the sky.

Isnâ€™t it that the Filipino people elected them?

Let us give them the benefit of the doubt.

Maybe they are rushing for some important appointments, or hearings and sessions in congress, or media interviews, or diplomatic gatherings, or flight to some international assemblies; or maybe rushing to fetch their mistresses? Or rushing to meet some clients to extort? Or rushing to meet some generals and election commissioners? Or rushing to the casino? Or rushing to receive bribes from the MalacaÃ±ang Palace to throw into the trash bin another impeachment complaint?

What are you talking about?!

Hey, are those commuters also rushing to go home to feed their family of 10? They are also rushing to go to work and receive the minimum pay? They are also rushing to meet some clients on their part-time jobs to at least augment their meager income? They are also rushing to bring medicines to their sick family members being hostage at some wards of government hospitals? They are also rushing to go home and mend relationships? They are also rushing to at least see their loved ones on their last breath? Hey, these are far more important concerns than padding the asses of politicians!

This arrogant practice should be stopped. First, in a time of global financial difficulty of which no one is exempted, this is an added financial expense to the government. And second, this practice reinforces the consciousness on politicians that they are untouchables and special and gods and goddesses. This display of bloated egos reinforces their arrogance and detached sense of service to the people. This builds a wider gap between the masses and positions in the government that are primarily for the service of the people.

I propose: Let them experience traffic at its best on all highways and alleys of our nation, that they may feel what the common people feel; that they may experience what those who elected them experience; that they may see how horrifying the situation is. Maybe only then, that they will wake up on the side of the truth and true; on the side of the real here. Only then that maybe they could truly be attached to reality and prick those inflated egos to genuinely respond to the needs of the nation; because they experienced the problems themselves.

Well, after three hours, I arrived at my destination. Dehydrated. Exhausted. Hungry. Nauseated. Disappointed. And late. No more basketball games.

Have you ever experienced such nasty and irritating situations? Have you also felt so pissed off because of such people so full of themselves? Let us continue our discussions here.

In Fairness to the Policemen But…

elmot — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:32:00 +0000

I think the policemen who blocked, stopped and intimidated us should not be the only people to blame about the incident on which our basic right to freely assemble and travel without any harassment were infringed.

On one instance in the encounter in Molino Road where we were stopped for almost an hour, one young police officer named Ramos was a graduate of our institution Batch ‘94. He quipped as we negotiate with them in a low voice: “Pasensya na po talaga mam, wala po akong magawa kasi utos sa taas eh.” (I apologize, I am just obeying orders from superiors)

One of senior policemen in Aguinaldo Hi-way said this as we were let go of our way after more than 20 minutes: “Pakisabi pasensya na lang po kay Dean Esmilla” (Please express my apologies to Dean Esmilla). Dean Esmilla is the former dean of our College of Law Enforcement and Public Safety.

Going back to these words and most especially the faces of these policemen as they uttered words of I may say despair and hopelessness (for they cannot do anything but abide the so-called chain of command), I feel sorry for them. What has become of them? They are very far from the people that we have formed in school with Christian values.

Most of the policemen of Cavite police force are either graduates of our university or scholars thru our program for law enforcers of Cavite. Some of these people even join our faculty members in the firing range for practice shooting. What has become of them? Until now, my heart still languishes this painful fact of existence.

Unfortunately, they cannot do anything they say. Chain of command, utos sa taas, wala po tayong magagawa. They have mouths to feed, they have children to send to school and have dreams to weave for their families. They know that what they are doing is basically against the bill of rights and unconstitutional but the chain of command tells them to disregard these things or else, they will be court martialed or face administrative charges and languish in jail far from their family and far from the life of comfort.

In fairness to the policemen, they did their job well. They fulfilled the order of the people on top of them. However, it does not mean that what they did was right and good. They are not totally spared.

As we were facing these policemen and trying to negotiate, we were also telling ourselves that they are just following orders. What a shame on the occupants of Malacanang and Crame are doing and teaching their subordinates. This is the very opposite of what is being taught here in our school to our future policemen. Being a teacher has never become more frustrating and more difficult than today teaching young men and woman, in this case soon-to-be law enforcers of upholding and always fight for the sanctity of human rights and freedom of the citizens rich and poor alike. It’s as if everything that educators have labored in the classrooms for years are now in vain. Every corrective measures that teachers do whenever a student cheat, or hit a classmate, or utter fowl words in class, or being unbecoming in lectures, or being unprepared during reports, submitting plagiarized papers and being late, absent and irresponsible in class are now slowly being thrown in the trashbin by senior officials of the police force, senior officials of the military, the president and her family, cabinet members, senators and congressmen and sadly even barangay captains and kagawads. They are now indoctrinizing the people and presented the syllabus of violence, greed, dishonesty and indescency.

I pray that one day it will never dawn on us that our sons or daughters working in the government will steal from us, or abduct us, or abuse us or kill us and will reason out in somber words…wala po akong magawa ma, pa, utos sa tass. (I can’t do anything mom, dad, orders by superiors)

Mystery Vehicle

elmot — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:00:00 +0000

After being stopped and blocked thrice by policemen on our road to Makati (which eventually he have not reached), this Tamaraw FX van was harassing us. With plate number UDJ 927, this vehicle blocked the way of our buses by positing itself in the middle of the road. When one of our buses move forward, this vehicle cut it and stick to it very closely, which it did also to the other buses, leaving us stagnant. Despite the open road ahead of it, it never moved forward. One time, the person aboard it moved the side mirror of the van so that our bus would hit it. Fortunately, our driver was not as moronic as them.

There were two people aboard the van wearing a vest. And per description of one of our delegates who looked unto the van’s passengers, these two people are very ugly. They even harassed our buses despite the giving up of the school’s goal to reach Makati. They stick with our school’s bus until Imus and only left our group when we spotted a media van and reported the incident to them.

The question now is, are they members of the police force knowing that they were not in uniform and the van has a private licence plate?

God is still on our side with his omnipotence, omiscience and omnipresence giving us the grace to pin down these people. Let us look at once again the vehicle.

The answer is: a couple of our faculty members saw this veyr vehicle parked at the police station of Bacoor PNP Station.

It is up for you to judge.

The Fear

elmot — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:10:00 +0000

One never really knows injustice until one encounters it and has become a victim of it. General Razon last Monday was interviewed via phone in the program of Korina Sanchez and Ted Failon in DZMM regarding policemen blocking and harassing protesters from the provinces as they try to stretch their way to the Interfaith Gathering in Makati. He said that the police force did nothing wrong and just assured the safety of everybody. At one point, DLSU-D’s experience against the police force was highlighted in the interview with Failon saying how come policemen stopped and blocked students and faculty members for their reason that they were just checking for those people who may be carrying explosives and deadly weapons planning to sabotage the rally. At this, Razon expressed that why is it DLSU-D is making a great fuss out of last Friday’s incident.

I just cannot understand the logic of policemen saying that. They say, anyway we were all safe and nothing happened, no one was hurt. These were also the very words they said to the abduction/kidnapping of Jun Lozada…anyway, he is safe, he is right here, he is alive. All those who were stopped, blocked and intimidated by policemen are surely not making a fuss out of the situation in the frame of mind of Razon or the policemen. We are not taking the spotlight for the sake of fame and recognition from other people to sympathize with us or follow our cause. We are not feeling great because of the great attention that the media and human rights groups are giving us because of what happened. Our ego has not ballooned to great proportion because of the attention we are getting and the support we are hearing. We are making a great fuss out of the situation because if ordinary students and teachers could be stopped, blocked, intimidated and harassed by policemen in some hidden and far-flung area of luzon, how much more to those who speak for the truth about the morally bankrupt government and all its arrogant people?
Who wants to be in the spotlight and become a star by making ourselves baits for the brutality and arrogance of police force? Who wants to become a showbiz personality out abuse one gets from the hands of should-be protectors? One will not and never feel stardom, prestige and a ballooning ego if confronted by people who are willing to step unto your basic rights and dignity. One will only feel fear, uncertainty and the shouting of a voice within for freedom and justice. One will only feel the most basic morsel of truth in this life, that is, freedom! Our fear turned into a formidable strength.

If these people feel great after abusing and harassing people, with their ego inflating bigger than their hearts and souls, surely, what they always look after is “stardom and the spotlight”. And don’t forget the reward from the queen of black hearts. The flashing of lights is their abode, the power of gold and money their flesh and the darkness of the night is their strength. Freedom is never in their blood, only cold brutality and blind obedience.

This is the same experience of Lozada on the hands of murderers zoomed in into the experiences of each and every Filipino especially the youth crying out for freedom.

The sheer arrogance and use of force of these people to ordinary citizens, especially the youth whom they even suspect as maybe carrying deadly weapons and saboteurs is illogical and a bold showing of fear and insecurity on their part especially the occupants of the Palace. This tells us that their days are counted. Their fear has turned into brutality.

Now, the people especially the youth fully understand the case of Lozada. If the government can harass a people of its own, how much more ordinary citizens who are voicing their right for a clean, honest and responsible government?

I now, does not base that much my clamor for the resignation (if she still has delicadeza) or ouster of GMA from the scandal and bribery issues of the NBN ZTE Deal. I cry for a clean, honest and responsible government now and not later because of the fact that this government has already lost its mandate of protecting the very people that gives them power, authority and their bread and butter. The very people that gives them air to breath and flesh to live as government officials and servant of the people are the very people they now harass and suppress.

It is high time to stop this display of arrogance! And surely, the youth will answer with a thundering YES! And that is something we are making a great fuss about.

Explosions!

elmot — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 09:45:00 +0000

These are some of the things that makes the issues against the police force a big explosion.

1. the real score behind the Tamaraw FX with plate number UDJ-927
2. a call was made at DLSU-D prior to the day of rallies
3. a person uttered this line…no matter what it takes, no matter what it cost, don’t let the people from DLSU-D and other protesters reach Makati
4. some people were beaten and arrested and “jailed” in Imus by policemen as they inch their way to Imus Cathedral for a Station of the Cross.

A Reflection of Mr. Salibay on Last Friday’s Harassment of Policemen to DLU-D

elmot — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 07:00:00 +0000

This is a personal reflection of Mr. Steve Salibay, fellow Faculty Member under the Religious Education Department of DLSU-D after the policemen stopped and harrassed us on our way to Makati for the Interfaith Prayer Rally. Many may have never reached Makati, but because of the indicent, the spark in the hearts of the young people to fight for truth, justice and freedom has now become a wild fire!

As soon as I boarded a jeep alone from DLSU-D School Bus, can’t help myself but weep in silence. I weep for my own children, friends, students and fellow teachers. It’s so outrageous to think that our policemen, some of them were former students and scholars of our very own institution turned out to be goons of their own “children” and former teachers. Aren’t they supposed to be the protectors of our people? Aboard those two school buses were students and teachers wanting to express their sentiment for TRUTH and JUSTICE that must prevail in our land, in solidarity with hundreds of thousands of young Filipinos and teachers in Makati. But what they did to us was harassment treating us as if we were criminals.

While we were conceptualizing our plan on how to join the inter-faith rally in Makati, we were so trusting that we thought it would never happen to us because we were no terrorists. But this is it! We have witnessed how oppressive and insecure our government have become. Well, her Excellency has all the reasons to get insecure because after all she is NOT the rightful heir of the Presidency in our land.
But indeed, this experience should never stop us from doing our part as Filipinos. I still believe in the beauty and goodness of every Filipino, Filipinos who genuinely love our country and people.

Harassment of Policemen Against DLSU-D (Part 2)

elmot — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:16:00 +0000

We literally took the long way to Makati last friday for the Interfaith Gathering. Though many from DLSU-D have never stepped in the business district to join in one resounding chorus the call for truth and justice in our country plagued by deceit and abuse, our small voice trapped in the hands of policemen was a blaring sound in the wilderness of Cavite that indeed, the President together with her cohorts should resign and be thrown into the pits of oblivion because of abusing their power and suppressing our basic rights as Filipino citizens. Here are some of the pictures of busloads of students, faculty students, La Salle Brother and administrators of DLUS-D stopped and harassed by policemen at three different points: Salitran Road, Molino Road and Aguinaldo Hi-way. Here are the faces of the little demons and cohorts of the evil queen of Malacanang.

Our group stopped and harassed by policemen at Molino Road. Policemen took the driver’s license of our drivers and were in a fishing expedition for charges against us but failed. (click for a complete story http://animotivation.blogspot.com/2008/03/harassment-of-policemen-against-dlsu-d.html)

After almost an hour of being stopped and harassed by policemen, with none of them talking to us, not even one of them telling us what about our status, we took our case to the street and voiced our protest to the people. People and commuters immediately responded by blowing their horns while other residents took pictures and texted the media. (click for complete story http://animotivation.blogspot.com/2008/03/harassment-of-policemen-against-dlsu-d.html/)

Another group of policemen stopping us at Aguinaldo Hi-way after the previous group of law enforcers assuring us of safe passage at the main hi-way of Cavite. They stopped us for more than 20 minutes (doing a fishing expedition once again) and once again, sympathy from commuters and residents ate up the force of the policemen. They let us go, but we noticed that a Tamaraw FX vehicle was trailing ahead of us, while a motorcycle was behind our back. (click for complete story: http://animotivation.blogspot.com/2008/03/harassment-of-policemen-against-dlsu-d.html/)

Here is the heavily tinted Tamaraw FX van that has been harassing us, not letting us to go our way, blocking our right of way, swerving from left to right to block us from moving ahead. There were two people (very ugly people) inside wearing a vest with the other having a hand-held short frequency radio. This van, even followed our buses as we went back to our school, leaving only our group after we spotted a media van and reported the incident.(click for complete story: http://animotivation.blogspot.com/2008/03/harassment-of-policemen-against-dlsu-d.html/)
These are our buses heading back to school after being stopped and harassed by policemen at checkpoints and put in danger (also harassed) by surely policemen in civilian driving the FX van. (click for complete story: http://animotivation.blogspot.com/2008/03/harassment-of-policemen-against-dlsu-d.html/)

Surely, if we have arrived at Makati for the Interfaith gathering with ease and comfort, our school, our students and faculty members would have just been any ordinary protesters gathered in the business district praying and shouting for truth and justice. But because of the brute, sheer calousness and arrogance in no proportion of GMA and her police force, they have legitimized even more the clamour of people and most especially the youth for her to step down and end up her abusive, corrupt and morally bankrupt rule. They have put in the limelight of the Youth and Filipino consciousness what this regime can do to cling to power, to the extent of branding students and faculty members as terrorists and subersives. If you still have the the conscience…wait, she does not have the conscience surely after what she has done…RESIGN, YOU BITCH!

Harassment of Policemen Against DLSU-D (Part 1)

elmot — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 03:00:00 +0000

So many things have been written already about what had appened during the interfaith rally last friday in Makati on which throngs of students balooned through the streets of Ayala and Paseo de Roxas. The fervor and burning spirit of the youth proved to be the new catalyst for change in our beloved country hovered by a dark cloud for eight years now, and the darkening of clouds seems to be apocalyptic if powers-to-be still stay in power.

This show of calousness proved to be very “real” for us coming from De La Salle University – Dasmarinas. In the blog of one of our students Jhay at jrocas.com.ph, he perfectly retold the story of harrassment that we endured against the policemen as we tried to inch our way unto the Interfaith Gathering where our fellow students await for us. This is his full entry in Filipino:

“Harap-harapang naranasan ng mga guro, administrador at estudyante ng De La Salle DasmariÃ±as ang sistematikong paniniil sa mga demokratiko at sibil na karapatang pantao ng walang kasing-sama na Administrasyong Arroyo at panggigipit nito sa mga tao o grupong tututol o magiging kritikal dito kanina sa Bacoor, Cavite.

Matapos ang isang misa sa aming pamantasan, tumulak kaming mga taga DLSU Dasma para makiisa sa Inter-faith rally sa Makati City lulan ang 2 school bus ng aming pamantasan. Puno kami ng pag-asa at gustong-gusto nang makiisa sa mga libo-libong Pilipino na nagtipon na doon, laloâ€™t higit ang aming mga kapwa Lasalyano mula sa ibang paaralan. Pero ito ay sinabotahe ng mga kapulisan ng Cavite na nasa pamumuno ni Col. Posadas.

Bandang 2:44 ng hapon nang kami nakarating sa SM Molino, sa Daang Hari, Molino, Bacoor nang kami ay harangin ng PNP checkpoint sa naturang lugar. Hinanap at kinuha nila ang lisensya ng aming driver at ang registration ng aming school bus. Pareho namang ligal at tama ang mga papeles at wala naman kaming mga nilabag na batas trapiko o iba pang batas, pero hindi kami pinaalis agad ng mga pulis.

Sa halip, ang mga guro, administrador at kahit La Salle Brother na nakikipagnegosasyon sa kanila ay hindi nila pinapansin, iniiwasan at deadma lang. Ngayon ko lang nakita na aming Dekana at La Salle brother, na lubusang ginagalang naming mga estudyante, ay nagmukhang tanga na kumakausap sa hangin dahil ang mga pulis sa SM Molino checkpoint ay hindi namamansin.

Tumagal kami doon ng halos isang oras, kaya naisipan ko nang magtext sa mga kakilala kong bloggers; Tonyo Cruz, Mong Palatino, Neil ng es2pido.com at Ederic ng Tinig.com at sinabing i-blog o twit man lang ang aming sitwasyon.

Sa tuwing magtatanong kami, ang idinadahilan ng mga pulis ay â€œhi-way lawâ€ daw. Ano yung â€œhi-way lawâ€ na iyon? Walang maisagot ang mga pulis at muli kaming hindi pinapansin.

Unang Makati: Daang Hari

Dahil kami ay halos 45 minuto nang hinaharangan sa Daang Hari, tumawag na kami sa mga kontak naming media, pati na rin ang hepe ng Cavite PNP na si Col. Posadas. Kahit na nagkakausap na si Col. Posadas at ang pinuno ng Daang Hari check point na si Col Quilinguen, hindi pa rin kami pinapadaan.

Nauubos na ang aming oras at nang nakikita naming binabali-wala ang aming mga pakiusap, tama at ligal na pangangatwiran, napagdesisyunan na naming doon na isagawa ang aming rali kung kinakailangan. Kaming lahat ay gumawa ng ingay, inilabas ang aming mga tarpaulin at hinimok ang mga dumadaang motorista na bumisina bilang suporta. Natutuwa naman kami at marami sa kanila ang tumugon. Ang mga ilang guro namin ay humaharang pa sa mga dumadaang sasakyan, truck man o kotse, upang dumami ang mga susuporta sa amin.

Nang lumalaki ang kaguluhan sa check point na iyon, napagpasiyahan nilang padaananin na kami, pero hindi sa Daang Hari. Sinabi nila na bumalik sa Aguinaldo Hi-way dahil doon daw talaga papapadaanin ang mga sasakyan at dagdag pa dito, may â€œoperationsâ€ daw na ginagawa ang PNP sa ruta namin kaya bumalik na lang daw sa Aguinaldo Hi-Way.

Ang walang-habas at garapalang pagsisinungaling ni Col Posadas at Cavite PNP
Inakala namin na tuluy-tuloy na kami sa Makati nang pinabalik kami sa Aguinaldo Hi-way. At narinig namin sa DZBB ang pahayag ni Col Posadas na hindi dapat hinaharang ang mga papunta sa Makati. Ngunit sa kabilang banda, may kutob kami na naisahan kami ng mga pulis. Kaya namin tinahak ang Daang Hari sa halip na Aguinaldo Hi-way ay alam naming mas maraming check point dito at mabigat ang daloy ng trapiko.

Totoo ang aming hinala. Pinasalamatan pa man din namin ang mga pulis sa Daang Hari checkpoint, sumaludo pa kami at ngumiti sa kanila. Yun pala, mga ngiting-aso at buwaya ang mga ngiti nila sa amin.

Pagdating namin sa kanto ng SM Bacoor, sa Aguinaldo Hi-way, muli kami ay pinatabi at ininspeksyon ang mga papeles ng aming bus. Dahil may â€œassuranceâ€ kami mula kay Col Posadas na hindi na dapat kami harangin, ito ang aming naging sangkalan nang makipag-negosasyon muli kami sa pulis na huramang sa amin. Matapos ang halos 20-minutos ng negosasyon at paghihintay, sinabi nila na pwede na kaming makalampas. Ngunit, tulad ng panlilinlang sa Daang Hari, may inihandang surpresa sa amin ang PNP.

Ang harassment mula sa kulay puting Toyota Tamaraw FX na may plakang UDJ-927
Nang matawid namin ang intersection sa kanto ng SM Bacoor, napansin namin na may puting Tamaraw FX na may plakang UDJ-927 ang tumigil sa aming harapan. Noong una, inakala namin na ang bulok at kakarag-karag na puting FX ay isa lamang sa mga ordinaryong motorista na naiipit sa trapiko.

Pero kakaiba ang ikinilos nito dahil kahit na lumuluwag ang kalsada sa harapan nito, hindi ito bumibilis, bagkos mabagal na tumatakbo sa harapan ng aming bus, kaya lalong bumagal ang aming takbo. Walang pinagkaiba sa pagharang na ginawa ng mga pulis.

Lalong lumantad na ang puting FX na ito ay asset o pakawala ng mga pulis dahil sa tuwing ang isa sa aming bus ay makakauna sa daan, ito naman ang uunahan nito at papabagalin ang takbo dahil mabagal siya aming unahan.

Lasing o tanga ang driver ng puting FX, dahil lagi siyang nasa gitna ng dalawang lane na okupado ng aming mga bus. Pero hindi lasing, tanga o bobong driver ang nagmamaneho nito. Sinasadya niyang dumikit, humarang at pabagalin ang aming takbo.

Sa ilang pagkakataon na sinubukan namin na ma-overtake siya sa daan, biglang bumibilis ang puting FX para makauna uli, at saka muling babagal siya para bumagal din kami. Ilang beses din naming sinubukan maka-una, pero sa bawat pagsubok namin, pilit niyang inihaharang ang puting FX, muntik na pa ngang sumabit o bumangga ang bus namin sa puting FX.

Dito na kami kinabahan, dahil may hinala kami sa kanyang palabas. Sadya niyang hinaharangan ang aming bus, at kapag nakipag-karera kami, gigitgitin nya kami kahit pa magkabanggaan ang aming mga sasakyan. Lalabas siya at aawayin ang aming driver na lalong magpapatagal sa amin sa Aguinaldo Hi-way.

Nasulyapan namin ang driver at isa pa niyang pasahero sa loob ng puting FX. Ang driver ay nakasuot ng t-shirt na may itim na â€œmedia vestâ€ ang kasama naman niya ay malaking tao na ayon sa isa sa mga guro namin, ay ubod daw sila ng pangit. Walang duda, asset nga sila o sila mismo ay mga pulis.

The police put our lives in danger

Ito ang nasabi ng isa sa mga kasama kong estudyante nang muntik nang bumangga ang puting FX sa aming bus, sa kagustuhan nitong harangan at gitgitin kami. Kahit pa may masaktang mga estudyante, guro o La Salle brother ay gagawin nila, mapigilan lang kaming makarating sa Makati.

Ilan sa mga kamag-anak ko ay pulis, noon ay taas-noo ako sa pagsasabing may kamag-anak akong alagad ng batas. Mga taong nagsisilbi at pumuprotekta sa mamamayan. Pero sa aming karanasan kanina, ang mga pulis ngayon ay mga tau-tauhan na lamang ng kurakot, magnanakaw, mapaniil, at pasistang administrasyon ni Gloria â€œevilâ€ and â€œbitchâ€ Macapagal-Arroyo.

Bakit pilit nilang hinarahang ang 2 bus ng mga estudyante, guro at relihiyoso? Wala naman kaming baril, wala kaming armas, wala kaming bomba. Tanging mga sarili lamang namin ang aming dala. Magdadasal lamang kami sa Makati at hindi lulusob sa MalacaÃ±ang. Pero bakit kami hinaharangan, ginigipit at nilalagay nila sa panganib?

Ngunit hindi pa iyon doon natapos. Alas-6 na ng gabi at dahil hindi na kami makakaabot sa Makati, napagpasiyahan naming bumalik na lang sa Katedral ng Imus o kaya sa De La Sale DasmariÃ±as. At para matapos na ang aming duelo, nilapitan namin ang puting FX at sinabing uuwi na lang kami. Sumagot naman daw sila ng â€œsige..â€ at kami ay pumihit na pabalik sa DasmariÃ±as.

Lalo lang kaming nalagay sa alanganin nang makita namin sa sumusunod pa rin ang puting FX sa aming bus! Dito ay talagang nagalala na kami. Sumuko na kami sa pagkakataong iyon pero naroon pa rin ang mga walang-hiyang pulis sa puting FX na nakabuntot sa aming bus.

Nang masalubong namin ang van ng FM radio station 101.9 at kahit alam naming hindi sila istasyong tagapagbalita, humingi kami ng tulong na bantayan ang puting FX at itimbre ito sa mga kakilala nilang mga media. Palagay namin ay naging epektibo ito dahil nang kami ay nakarating na sa Imus, wala na ang puting FX sa aming likuran.

Checkpoint-less checkpoint
Ang plano ng mga pulis ay sadyang i-delay ang mga papunta sa Makati na manggagaling sa Kabite. Dahil nang nakita ng ilan sa aming mga guro ang â€œcheckpointâ€ sa Zapote-Bacoor junction, halos 50 pulis na may kasamang militar, na kumpleto sa gamit at matataas na kalibre ng baril ang nakarahang doon. Isa-isa nilang pinapadaan ang mga sasakyan kada-15 minutos.

Wala namang ginagawang â€œcheckingâ€ ang mga pulis, hinihintay lang nila na makalipas ang 15-minutos saka nila pinapatuloy ang BAWAT sasakyan. Malinaw na paglabag sa mga alituntunin sa pagsasagawa ng â€œcheckpoint.â€

Nakakulong sa Bacoor
Ito ang sitwasyon namin kahapon sa Aguinaldo Hi-way, tama nga ang pangalan ng kalsadang ito, kapangalan ang isa sa mga pinakamalaking taksil sa kasaysayan ng sambayanang Pilipino. Dahil kami ay pinagtaksilan ng mga Pulis. Sila na nanumpang â€œto serve and protectâ€ the people.

Kalokohan!!!

Nalilimutan nilang ang kanilang suweldo, mga gamit, baril, uniporme, sasakyan at gasolina ay nanggagaling sa mga buwis na binabayaran naming mga mamamayan.

Mas malala pa sa Batas Militar!

Ang aming mga karapatan sa pamamahayag, paglalayag, sa impormasyon at tamang proseso ay garapalan, harap-harapan at walang habas na nilabag ng mga tao mismong ang tungkulin ay proteksyunan at paglingkuran kaming mga mamamayan.

Ang mga instrumento ng estado para sa ikabubuti ng taumbayan ay ginamit ng Administrasyong Arroyo na walang kasing halang ang bituka, itim ng budhi at kasamaan ng kaluluwa.

Ngunit kami ay nagtagumpay
Iniisip ni Col Posadas, ng driver ng puting FX at ng mga pulis na huramang sa amin na nagtagumpay sila sa pagharang sa amin, dahil hindi kami nakarating sa Makati. Totoo yun, at inaamin naming may mga pagkukulang sa aming bahagi.

Pero, tagumpay pa rin kami dahil ipinakita ng mga taga La Salle DasmariÃ±as na ang mga Kabitenyo ay hindi lahat taksil, kampon ng kasamaan, abusado at kontra-mamamayan. Ipinakita namin na ang mga Kabitenyo ay matatapang at lumalaban para ipagtanggol at igiit ang ating mga karapatan, kalayaan at hindi titigil hanggaâ€™t hindi nakakamit ang katotohanan at hustisya.

Ipinakita namin sa buong Pilipinas, kung gaano kasama, kagarapal, mapanupil, abusado at kurakot ang Administrasyong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Nakakalungkot lamang na naging kasangkapan ng kanyang kasamaan ang mga pulis sa Kabite.

Hindi man kami nakarating sa Makati upang magdasal at makiisa sa paghahanap at pagtatanggol sa ating mga kalayaan, karapatan, katotohanan at hustisya, pero sa 2 checkpoints kung saan kami ay hinadlangan, inabuso, ginipit at garapalang nilinlang ng mga alagad ng gobyerno, kami ay lumaban sa kaya naming paraan, ang mag-ingay, ikwento at ipamalita sa lahat, na sobra at sukdulan na sa kasamaan, panggigipit at opresyon ang gobyernong Arroyo.

Sa harassment at paglalagay sa panganib ng aming buhay dahil sa puting FX, ipinakita namin na walang pakialam ang gobyernong Arroyo, kahit pa may masaktan o mamatay na sibilyan, kahit estudyante, manatili lamang ito sa kapangyarihan.

Tuloy ang laban
Inaakala siguro ng administrasyong Arroyo na dahil sa munting tagumpay na ito ay panghihinaan kami ng loob at susuko na ng tuluyan. Nagkakamali sila. Lalo na ngayon na naranasan namin ang lubusan at garapalang kasamaan nito, ipagpapatuloy namin ang paninindigan at pakikibaka para sa katotohanan at hustisya.

Sa bawat pagbabahagi namin sa mga kwentong ito, dumarami ang mga namumulat sa katotohanang ang administrasyong Arroyo ay administrasyon ng kasamaan, kasakiman, pagpapahirap, at opresyon. Walang pakundangang binabastos at tinatapakan ang mga karapatan ng mamamayan handang manakit at kumitil alang-alang sa pagpapanatili nito sa kapangyarihan.

Umaasa kami na ang rali kahapon sa Makati ay simula pa lamang, at sa mga darating na mga araw, dadami at lalong lalakit ang mga mobilisasyon na ito. Hindi kami titigil hanggaâ€™t hindi nakakamit ng sambayanang Pilipino ang katotohanan at katarungan.

Ang mga estudyante, guro, administrador at relihiyoso sa De La Salle DasmariÃ±as at ang mga kasamahan naminsa Kabite ay patuloy na maninindigan at susulong para sa katotohanan at katarungan. Nagsisimula pa lamang ang ating paglaban!

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