CANNED THOUGHTS

Had ANC (okay, let’s include CNN and BBC) been around 2,000 years ago, we would have had the following report:

 

Anchor read:

A carpenter’s son was sentenced to die in Jerusalem after he was convicted guilty of treason and inciting to sedition.

 

Our Middle East correspondent is on the field to bring us a live report… So what’s the latest ?

 

Correspondent (Live Shot)

Tension is high as people wait for the arrival of Jesus and two  thieves convicted to die here in Mt. Calvary this afternoon.

 

Jesus is bearing a cross where he will be crucified.  The crown of thorns on his head is sure sign of torture, and it was said he was tortured heavily which included scourging.

 

Jesus, who claims to receive Divine Instructions, was arrested by Roman soldiers Wednesday evening after a party with his close associates in Gethsemane. He was tipped off by Judas the Iscariot,  finance officer of Jesus’s Gang of 12, known internationally as The Apostles.

 

Sources from the Palace however say Judas was bribed by the Sanhedrin, or high priests, led by Caiaphas and Anas, to stand witness against his friend.

It is also alleged that Jesus is among the leaders of the Essenes and is building a mass base to form a new religion which will be called Christianity to challenge the faith of the Jews.

 

Anchor

These high priests, did they say what specific offenses Jesus committed?

 

Correspondent

Among many other things, the Sanhedrins say Jesus worked on the Sabbath and perform unauthorized miracles, including changing water into wine.

 

It must also be remembered that Jesus made a scene when he threw a tantrum in the temple and turned over the tables used by the money-changers and vendors.

He was also seen talking to a crowd and inciting them to rebel against Judean authorities in his speech popularly known as The Beautitudes.

 

Anchor

And the high priests found those acts worthy of capital punishment?

 

Correspondent

No. The high priests have no authority. What they did was send Jesus to Governor Pontius Pilate who sent him to herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee. I understand they have a question on Jesus’s citizenship and they concluded he was Galilean so he was sent to Herod Antipas.

 

Anchor

That’s interesting. Isn’t this the same Herod who ordered the beheading of John the Baptist?  And Pilate, representative of Rome is not necessarily in good terms with Herod, is it not?

 

Correspondent

Yes to both questions.

 

 It is safe to say there’s a lot of power play here. In sending Jesus to Herod, Pilate is testing Herod’s adherence to Roman supremacy. Pilate is actually luring Herod into a trap. But Herod refused to bite.

 

From the information we have, Herod mocked Jesus by asking him to perform a miracle. When Jesus refused, Herod sent him back to Pilate for Rome to determine guilt and the necessary punishment.

 

Pilate had to preside over the trial. It was learned that Pilate held some kind of a referendum when, following the tradition of releasing a prisoner during Passover, he asked the people who they want to be released – Jesus or another insurrectionist, Barabbas.  The people chose Barabbas.

 

Pilate was quoted as saying he doesn’t believe Jesus is guilty but that the people have spoken. Instead, he washed his hands to free himself of guilt.

 

Anchor interrupts

We have to cut you short to give way to a breaking development from our dzMM reporter. What’s the latest?

 

Reporter:

Mainit pa ang balitang ito, at mainit pa rin ang bangkay ng nagpatiwakal na dating kaibigan at kasama ni Jesus na kinilalang si Hudas Iskariote.

 

Ayon sa mga awtoridad, natagpuan si Hudas na nakabigti sa isang puno ng oliba ilang minuto matapos panoorin ang pagpapahirap kay Jesus. Itong si Hudas ang siya daw nagtatwa kay Jesus at nagturo sa kinaroroonan nito bago dinakip ng mga sundalo.

 

Samantala, kanina lamang ay nasalubong natin ang isang grupo ng mga babae na may hawak na tela na may bakas ng mukha ni Jesus. Ayon kay Ginang Veronica, pinunasan niya ang mukha ni Jesus nang makita niyang hirap na ito sa pagpapasan ng krus. Aniya, milagrosong naging larawan ni Jesus ang dugo at pawis na kumapit sa kanyang telang pamunas.

 

Ganunman, tinitingnan pa ng mga maykapangyarihan kung ang larawan ay hindi dumaan sa digital manipulation.

 

Yan muna ang pinakahuling pangyayari dito. Back to you.

 

Anchor

Salamat . Now let’s go back to Mt. Calvary where Jesus and the thieves who will be crucified with him have just arrived.

 

Our Middle East correspondent is still there. What is happening now?

 

Correspondent

You’re right.  The mood has become so emotional especially when Jesus met his mother, Mary and his rumored to be paramour, a woman also called Mary.

 

It is not known if Jesus has other brothers or sisters, but his mother is accompanied by some men, identifed as James and Joseph. Also with them is one of Jesus’s friend, John.

 

The Roman soldiers nailed a sign on thecross that says King of the Jews, apparently to better mock Jesus who is said to have claimed he is the son of God.

 

I think Jesus is saying something. Let’s try to listen to him.

 

Jesus soundbite

Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing….

 

 

Ito kamo ang nangyari. 

 Eh di ikatlong araw na nga namin ito na nakatengga sa Puerto Princesa . Kasi nga noong Lunes, hindi nakalanding yung eroplano sa Cuyo dahil umuulan. Ito palang airport ng Cuyo ay hindi naman totoong airport kundi airstrip lang. Nagpuputik kapag umulan.

 

Lumingon yung piloto sa amin para sabihin (korek, lumingon para siya mismo ang magsabi- walang PA system. Siya lang, nakalingon sa likod habang hawak niya ang manibela ba ang tawag doon?) na didiretso na ang eroplano sa Puerto Princesa.

 

Nang mga oras na yun, wala na akong pakyelam kahit sa Vanuatu kami lumanding, basta gusto ko na ng lupa. Nung pagpasok pa lang kasi ng eroplano sa makapal na ulap, inihanda ko na ang sarili ko sa pakiramdam ng nasa roller-coaster habang nasa taas na 9,500 feet. Hindi naman ako nabigo.

 

Pero heto ka, eh di wala ka ngang nakikita sa labas kundi ulap habang iniyuyugyog ka ng eroplano ano? Eh yung me tumulong tubig sa loob… Walang iniwan dun sa nasa bahay ka at may butas ang bubong ninyo at malakas ang ulan kaya kelangan mong magsahod ng tabo para saluhin ang tubig-ulan at nang hindi bumaha sa bahay.

 

Ganun. Mismo. Yung mga turistang Slovenian na kasakay namin patungong Busuanga, idinaan sa tawa ang takot. Ako man. Suspetsa ko naman hindi pa oras para hilingin sa Diyos na makialam nang mga sandaling iyon.

 

Pero me kabog, malakas na kabog sa dibdib na dinaig lang talaga ng twisted sense of humor ko.

 

Eh kasi nga di ba, pagsakay pa lang ng eroplano naramdaman ko na agad ang mixed emotions. Ginagamit ko yung salitang eroplano dahil yun ang tawag doon, pero ang tingin ko talaga lumang JD bus (byaheng UP ca 70s)  na nilagyan ng pakpak. 19 ang pasaherong kasya at kelangang timbangin pati pasahero para tiyakin na tama ang bigat. Ni hindi na nga nagpasakay ng stewardess. Naalala ko hindi ko pa pala nasisimulan mag-diet. Pinersonal ko tuloy. Nainsulto ako.

 

Mabuti kamo magaling yung piloto. Nagawa niyang itawid yung eroplano (sige yun na lang ang itawag natin para consistent) sa makapal na ulap patungong Puerto Princesa, nakalanding ng walang kabog at nakangiti pa nang lumabas para sabihin sa amin na Welcome to Puerto Princesa.

Ang kaso kelangan na naming makarating sa Cuyo para sa Ploning.

(The following was first published in the yearend report of abs-cbnews.com)
 
We can no longer take things at their face value. Not anymore. Not in this country, anyway.
 
When President Gloria Arroyo said she is ¨a good economist but a bad politician,¨ many an eyebrow hit the roof and her critics snickered. Mrs. Arroyo, based on her decisions and actions, has proven herself an astute politician who has learned the lessons from her predecessors.
 
In 2007 she survived a third impeachment attempt which, interestingly, failed to gain the support of even the opposition.
 
To think that the impeachment efforts came at the heels of various controversies   among them the ZTE-NBN deal and the P500,000-cash gift, whose origin has yet to be ascertained, to local officials . 
 
Those who exposed the major stories were not from either the Left or the traditional opposition.The son of an ally exposed the anomaly in the ZTE deal (he was asked to back off¨ by the First Gentleman), and a priest whose credibility quotient was more than enough to defeat local lords in the President´s own province, blew the whistle on the cash gift.  Their respective personalities lent credence to their stories — resulting in further erosion of the people´s trust in government.
 
In a survey recently released, respondents believe Gloria Arroyo is the most corrupt of the Philippine presidents, worse than Ferdinand Marcos. 
 
All her actions become suspect as acts aimed at political survival.
 
A former president was convicted for plunder but was granted executive clemency (a legal euphemism for ¨all´s well that ends well¨), his civil and political rights restored and has been since dropping hints of possibly running again in 2010.  To think that the government did not even ask him to admit, much less apologize for, the crimes he was found guilty of.
 
“Pardon” seems to be the buzzword of the last quarter as convicted child rapist (his minions want it changed to convicted “minor” rapist) former congressman Romeo Jalosjos was released from the national penitentiary, albeit in another controversial fiasco that has something to do with the computation of his time served. He is now back in prison.
 
And while politicians are being released, activists and journalists are either being killed or gone missing.
 
Jonas Burgos, son of internationally recognized press freedom fighter Joe Burgos Jr. was kidnapped by armed men in a Quezon City mall last April. He has not been seen since. Circumstances recalled by witnesses led to  the military?s highly probable involvement in the case.
 
The Burgos case brought to the fore the human rights condition in the country, prompting the United Nations to send a representative to assess how much human rights are respected or violated. Philip Alston, the UN rapporteur, indicted the military for gross violations.
 
Not even a strong peso could save the President from criticisms. Closing at 41. 28 on the last trading day of the year, a strengthening peso is supposed to be one of the indications of a growing economy. But OFWs and their families are complaining. Prices continue to soar while their earnings are lessened peso-wise. It’s a double-whammy for them. The poor cannot feel what the government refers to as an improving economy.
 
And while elections have long ceased to offer new hope to the public, the mid-term elections in 2007 provided some glimpse of hope, no matter how faint. I am not even referring to the failed electoral bid of has-been political stars trying a new career in politics, but the success of the likes of Among Ed Panlilio and renegade soldier Antonio Trillanes.
 
Unfortunately, Trillanes, on his first semester as a legislator, turned out to be a disappointment. His latest caper at The Pen proved he has not shed off the adventurism that brought him to the public’s mind (and ballots). He not only failed to rally the support of the usual anti-Gloria bloc, he also succeeded in making a mockery of protests and oust-Gloria movements.
 
Protest actions seemingly have ended with the past millennium, with people contented in watching ANC for the latest on the oust-Gloria moves be it in the halls of Congress or in the streets with a motley crowd. Slogan chanting has been replaced by text messages and discourses have been limited to e-groups.
 
Those who dared find a new expression were censored. Or how else to explain the X-ratings the censor’s body gave to young filmmakers who made their obviously anti-GMA vignettes on video? Chief censor Consoliza Laguardia (apt name!) said the short video productions were not balanced as these did not present the good things the government has been doing, or words to that effect. Apparently, the guardians of morality confuse filmmaking with journalism. And that is the kindest, perhaps, that can be said of them.
 
But is indignation dead altogether? No if we gauge by the discussion thread on at least two major issues that affected a lot Filipinos, namely the Desperate Housewives quip on fake medical diplomas from the Philippines, and a socialite wannabe’s column on how she hates taking the same plane with OFWs. While the rest of the world is agog over global warming and we are confronted by issues that question our very nationhood, we would much rather trade barbs with a TV show and/or an unknown/unread columnist.
 
What makes the last year sadder was the death of four literary luminaries — Adrian Cristobal, Rene Villanueva, Sedfrey Ordoñez and Monico Atienza; one musical icon, Yoyoy Villame; mass media personalities Kuya Cesar, Tony Modena and Pete Roa; lifestyle maverick Ernest Santiago. And a friend and great artist Ojie Juliano.  In their lives, they made a dent in the world around them. Their deaths challenge us to do the same.
 
But how do we change that which we do not understand? Uncover the core and ferret out the truth. Easier said than done, but that is the only way we can escape the curse Paul Simon so succinctly wrote in his song: “Changes after changes, we are more or less the same.”

Easter never had as much meaning for me as I contemplate Death and Ressureccion watching over the remains of my brother Mandy who died last Holy Tuesday.

We were two years apart. I spent much of my childhood and growing up years with Mandy. Our lives took separate paths only when I  opted to lead a revolutionary underground life, and he got married at the age of 23.

But the separate paths never affected the closeness shared by the family.  Even while raising his own, Mandy was there at the most critical times for our family, and there were many.

Many times, he would be the first to come at a phone calls notice — be it at the sick bed and eventually death bed of Tatay and later Ronnie, or at happy occassions like birthdays and graduations and other milestones. And there were many too.

But today, easter morning, what has remained of him lies still in a coffin. He was 45.

Was. Past tense. It is frightening, almost surreal to  speak of someone in the past. A person has to be. Am. Present. Here.

But Mandy is no longer here…

Mahigit dalawang taon na si Mandy nang matutong maglakad. Sabi ni Nanay, wala raw trabaho si Tatay noong ipinagbubuntis si Mandy kaya kulang sa sustansya. Payat rin ang binti niya kasi muntik nang madale ng polyo. Mahigit dalawang taon, usad ang alam gawin ni Mandy. Nakaupo, uusad papunta sa kung saan niya gusto.

Pero bata pa, gwapo na talaga si Mandy. Madalas kaming ipagkumpara. Ako daw, mukhang Vietcong, si Mandy tisoy. Palagi siyang konsorte sa mga santakrusan, ring bearer sa mga kasal. Ako sa spelling bee isinasali.

Champion sa pataasan ng ihi
Si Mandy yung lumaking batang kalye. marami siyang kalaro — teks, goma, kaha ng sigarilyo, trumpo.

Isang araw, nakipaglaro siya ng ispada-ispadahan. Umuwi siya na may nakatusok na barbecue stick sa mukha. Hinimatay ang nanay ko.

Minsan din, pyesta sa M. Santos. Maraming palaro. Si Ronnie, yung sumunod kay Mandy, nanalo sa agawang buko. Si Mandy, champion sa palayuan ng ihi. Nag-uwi sila ng tig 10 piso yata na premyo.

Kaya ako nahilig sa pagbabasa

Noong mga bata pa kami, si Mandy ang madalas isama ni Tatay pag may tanggap na trabaho. Karpintero si Tatay, at madalas kailangan niya ng mga gagawa ng maliliit na trabaho. Si mandy naghuhugas ng mga salamin, nagsasalansan ng mga kahoy, nagtutulak ng kariton pauwi karga ang mga hinakot ni Tatay na pwede pa naming pakinabangan. Ako? Maaga kong natutunan na para hindi ako mautusan, kailangan kong magbasa. Kaya ako nahilig magbasa. Iwas utos, iwas trabaho.

Kung Paano ako Naging Mandy Saracho

Nag working student si Mandy sa kolehiyo. Namasukan siya sa accounting office ng uncle namin habang nag-aaral siya ng Accounting sa PUP. Tumigil na ako noon sa pag-aaral dahil pinili ko na maging aktibista. Pero may problema si Mandy. May klase siya sa hapon, History, na hindi niya pwedeng pasukan kasi nga nagta-trabaho siya.
Isang oras tatlong beses isang linggo, Armando Saracho ang naging pangalan ko. Nakakuha siya ng uno. Inilibre niya ako ng kape sa Mr. Donut.

Nakarating ako sa Amerika
Si Mandy rin yung boss na nangomisyon ng taga media para dalhin sa Amerika at idokumento ang proseso ng Washington apples, mula pag-ani hanggang eksportasyon.

Syempre ako ang ipinadala niya. Nagkasama kami sa Los Angeles ng tatlong araw, kasama na ang isang gabi na pamamasyal sa Las Vegas.  Noon kami nagkaroon ng mahaba-habang panahon ni Mandy para mag-bonding. noon ko rin natuklasan na si Mandy, pagbangon na pagbangon sa umaga ang unang gagawin ay ligpitin ang hinigaan. Bago pa siya makapagmumog, unat na ang kubrekama, sariwa na tingnan ang unan na parang hindi tinulugan.

Ilang taon na ang nakakaraan, ipinagmalaki ni Mandy sa akin ang kanyang MP3. regalo daw niya sa sarili niya. Hindi nagtagal bumili siya ng canon d50, ng videocam. Siya ang naging official documentor ng mga party ng pamilya (para sa pamilyang hindi mahilig mag-usap, mahilig kami sa family parties).

Noong una kong binuo ang Bagong Dugo at nagprodyus ng unang show, si Mandy ang nilapitan ko. Binigyan niya ako ng P10,000 sa kondisyon na babayaran ko siya unti-unti. Nalugi ang palabas. Nabayaran ko siya ng P5,000. Hindi na siya naningil.
Hindi na rin niya kinumusta ang Bagong Dugo uli (pero tinitext niya ako ng political jokes at sasabihin, baka magamit mo ito sa show ninyo).

Minsan din, tinawagan niya ako para sabihin na ginawa niya ang matagal na niyang gustong gawin— ang mag-aral ng keyboards. nagenrol siya sa Yamaha. Pagkatapos, nag-aral siya ng gitara. Hindi siya naging magaling dito. Hindi niya ginustong maging magaling. Gusto lang niyang maranasan at matutunan. At gawin.

Nakakataka na habang isinusulat ko ito, lumalabas ang mga ala-ala ko kay Mandy. Akala ko hindi ko siya masyadong kilala. Akala ko pinaglayo kami ng mga choices namin sa buhay. Bukod sa pamilya, akala ko masyadong magkalayo ang aming mga interes.

Sa burol, maraming beses na may nagsabi na akala nila ako si Mandy. Kamukhang kamukha ko raw. Kakorte, kaporma, ka-aura. Pati klase ng jokes at timbre ng boses.

Masyado kaming magkaiba na naging magkapareho na kami.

Kaya ko siguro siya lalong mami-miss.

(Hindi ko ito nasabi sa kanya noong buhay pa siya. Hindi uso sa amin. Kaya sasabihin ko ngayon para mabasa ng iba, baka makarating sa kanya sa pamamagitan ng dasal ninyo — mandy, tol, mahal na mahal kita! mami-miss kita talaga! lalo na sa panahon na kailangan ko din naman ng magiging kuya, kahit mas matanda ako sa iy0. ingat sa byahe, tol. iyakap mo ako kay Ronnie at kay Tatay).

Tapos na pala ang Unang Kuarto ng Taon (First Quarter of the Year).
Tingnan mo nga naman…
Ito siguro yung magandang pagkakataon para balikan ang mga nangyari — at medyo marami rin naman — sa unang bugso sa taon ng mga daga.

Goodbye ABS-CBN
Ang simula ng taon ang pagtatapos naman ng pananatili ko sa bahay ni kuya gabby… meaning ABS-CBN. Mahigit sampung taon din na itinuring kong pangalawang tahanan ang mga opisina at studio nito— una bilang writer ng Hoy Gising at TV Patrol.
Nang itayo ang SNN na kinalaunan ay naging ANC, tinawag ako ni Rolly V. Cruz at Danny Bernardo (kapwa sumakabilang buhay na) at Rolly Reyes (sumakabilang channel) para sumama sa core group. Hindi ko alam  kung bakit kasi baguhan ako talaga noon sa telebisyon. Nabulag yata sa boka ko.
Dugo at pawis ang puhunan sa pagtatayo ng SNN. Walang sariling istudyo, walang sariling kamera. Ni walang sariling video.
Madalas, kinse minutos bago umere saka pa lang namin nalalaman kung ano ang istudyo na gagamitin. Minsan, lunch break sa taping ng Home Along Da Riles, kinaladkad ko ang chroma board kasunod si Ka Kiko Evangelista. Nakiusap na doon kami sa set nila mage-air ng newscast.
Unti-unti, binuo ang pangarap. Bridges on the air sabi ni Kapitan Geny Lopez. Sige.
Ang kaso ang naiprovide lang yung air. Yung paggawa ng bridge inihabilin na sa amin.
Ayokong magyabang pero malaki ang naging papel ko sa pagbubuo ng pangarap na ito.
Kalookan Day recall election 1997 yata yun nang magbaba ng utos na gusto ng management ng sunod-sunod na newscast ala CNN. Hala. Araw din yung pagkamatay ni Max Alvarado. The quintessential villain Max Alvarado is dead. Yun ang lead sentence ng lahat  ng newscast mula alas 2 ng hapon hanggang alas 6. Every 30 minutes.
Sabi ko kay Pal Marquez, siya ang news director noon, bigyan mo ako ng isang linggo kakayanin na natin ito. Tatlong araw lang, nabuo ang template. Kinaya na namin ang sunod-sunod na newscast.
The latest news with yesterdays video. Ayaw kasi kami pahiramin ng video ng ABS-CBN hanggang hindi umi-ere ang TV Patrol.
Dinaan sa graphics at phone patch… Dinaan sa features….
HIndi nagtagal binigyan na kami ng sariling studio, sa Jusmag compound. Teritoryo ng Sky News.
Ang opisina ko sa likod ng cyclorama.
Doon kami inabot ng EDSA 2 at EDSA 3. Habang nagsasayawan sa mga programa ng ABS-CBN, sa ANC mapapanood ang kasaysayan habang nagaganap… Impeachment Trial ni Erap, panunumpa ni GMA, pagdakip kay Erap, EDSA 3, pagsugod sa Malakanyang….
Sa Jusmag, nakita ko ang pagsulpot at paglago ng mga bagong tv news producers, writers at production staff.  Doon nagsimulang hinasa nina Francis Toral, Eddy Caringal, Ayen Reyes (naging Caringal nang pakasalan si Eddy) at Eugene Adalia ang kanilang news sense.
Doon pinatunayan nina Ador, Randy at Andy na utility-runners man ay may dignidad at nagsisikap sa kanilang trabaho. Doon nagsimulang hubugin ni Beth Frondoso at Kiko Alejandro ang bagong direksyon ng kanilang buhay. Doon maraming pagkakaibigan at pag-iibigan ang nabuo. At lumago.
2006 nang ilipat ako mula ANC patungong Interactive para pangunahan naman ang abs-cbnnews.com (Ibang kwento ito, may sariling drama sa likod nito).
Pero isang taon lang ang itinagal ko.
2007, Enero. Kinailangan ko nang lumabas sa bakuran ng    ABS. Maraming nagtaka. Baket? Andaming gustong pumasok sa ABS, bakit nga naman ako lalabas.
Pero yung mga kaibigan ko, yung pamilya ko at yung mga nakakakilala sa akin natuwa. It is about time sabi nila.

Isang linggo bago pa yung nakatakdang last day ko sa ABSCBN, lumabas ako ng bakuran, dumiretso sa airport at nagpunta sa Cuyo, Palawan para magshoot ng una kong proyekto bilang malayang mamamayan….

Kailangang magrenta ng kotse mula Cagayan de Oro airport papuntang Marawi. Yung tipong share-share kayo sa bayad. P350 bawat isa, lima ang pwedeng pasahero (dalawa sa harap, tatlo sa likod).

Kokonti ang pa-Marawi noong Linggo na yun, June 15 . Napuno ang dalawang kotse. Dalawa kaming naiwan — isang estudyante sa MSU at ako. Sabi ni Nassan, yung driver, “Maghintay na lang tayo ng susunod na eroplano.”

Alas syete ng umaga yun. Alas 9 pasado pa yung susunod na eroplano kung hindi magkaka-aberya. Alas 9 rin ang simula ng conference na pupuntahan ko.

Pwede rin naman daw paghatian namin ng estudyante yung renta. Pwede rin nga, naisip ko. “Wala akong budget, kuya. Hangga P500 lang ang kaya ko,” sabi ni Sharip, yung estudyante. Nagkompyut ang utak ko, P1,250 ang magiging share ko kung sakali. Lugi. Pero nanaig ang pagmamadali (ayokong mahuli sa conference) at kaburgisan (at least, komportable na 2 lang kaming pasahero).

“Sige, brother, diretso na tayo.”

Inimbitahan ako ng Assalam BangsaMoro People’s Association na magsalita sa harap ng civil society leaders at local politicians. Eleksyon ng ARMM sa Agosto, at ihahain ng ABPA ang MIllenium Development Goals bilang electoral agenda. MDGs rin ang tutok ng Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) at ako ang National Coordinator.  Kaya kailangan kong bumiyahe.

Balak ko sanang itulog ang mahigit dalawang oras na byahe. Pero naramdaman ko kaagad na nalulula ako. Tiningnan ko ang speedometer- tumatakbo kami ng mula 120 hanggang 160 kph! Kapag nagt-text ang driver, si Nasan, bumabagal kami ng 120.

“Buti walang masyadong aksidente dito,” patay-malisya kong tanong habang naka-imaginary preno yung paa  ko.

“Ay hindi, brother. Kabisado naman ang mga daan dito,” sagot niya. Naisip ko kabisado rin kaya ng ibang driver na makakasalubong namin? Hindi raw kami mababangga, pagtitiyak ni Nasan. “Pwera na lang kung tayo ang banggain.”

Ano kaya ang diperensya noon sa impact, giit ng utak ko.

Ikalawang Bahagi – Ang Pag-uwi

Kundangan naman kasi na ke raming talakayan , alam naman nila na kailangang kong bumalik ng Cagayan de Oro. Nagta-tantyahan pa kung mas safe umalis ng gabi o sa madaling araw na. Delikado kasi yung highway sa pagitan ng Iligan at Marawi. Marami daw holdapan.

Natapos ang kumperensya ng alas-6, pero naka-alis ako ng Marawi pasado alas otso na. Katwiran ko, mas maramirami naman siguro ang sasakyan ng gabi kesa madaling araw.

Retired colonel ng military ang nag-drive. Opisyal siya ng ABPA. Kasama namin si Jolly, isa sa mga lider ng ABPA  at minsang nakihalubilo sa MILF. May 30 minutos bagtasin sa kadiliman ang delikadong highway sa pagitan ng Iligan at Marawi.

“Ano ba style ng mga bandido rito?” tanong ko. Kailangan ko lang makipag-usap para kumalma ang utak ko. “Yung tipong haharang sila sa kalsada may hawak na armas?” Hindi raw. Nagtatayo ng checkpoint yung mga holdaper na naka-suot military uniform kaya talagang titigilan. Sabi ng isip ko baka naman totoong military. Pero retired military yung  nagmamaneho sa amin. Kinurot ko ang hita ko.

Pagtingin ko sa lansangan, may military checkpoint!

Ang tangi ko lang nasabi, “O.” Tumakbo ko sa isip ko yung musical scoring na pang-suspense.

Regular checkpoint yan, sabi ni Jolly na narinig yata ang kabog ng dibdib ko.

Regular naman ang pagpapatakbo sa sasakyan ni Colonel. Halos walang makita sa daan dahil sa dilim. Pusikit sabi nga sa panitikan. Stark darkness sa ingles.  At maraming kurbada, yung iba blind spots.

Biglang umulan, malakas. Bigla. Kung may mas madilim sa zero visibility, ito na yun. Narinig ko ulit yung musical scoring.

Nagsimula akong matawa. Ganun nga kasi talaga pag nagde-delikado ang lagay ko, tumatawa ako. Nagtext na ako sa mga kaibigan ko sa Manila. Anu’tanuman, may makaka-alam ng circumstances bago ang anumang mangyayari. At sa gitna ng malakas na ulan sa madilim na gabi sa ilang na lugar na uso ang panghoholdap ng mga bandido , kahit ano posibleng mangyari.

Naisip kong magdasal. Pero nakipagtalo na naman ang isip ko. Sino ba ang dinadasalan dito? Si Jesus pa rin ba? O si Allah ? May geographic at territorial division ba ang mga Diyos? Bago nakapagdebate ang left at right hemisphere ng utak ko, nakakita na ako ng liwanag. May bayan na.

“Dito safe na,” sabi ni Colonel.

Nagroll ang closing credits sa pelikulang suspense na tumatakbo sa  utak ko. Itinulog ko ang natitirang oras ng byahe.