Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Mancao and Ninoy...




The scheduled arrival of former police Sr. Superintendent Cezar Mancao reminded me of Ninoy. No, I do not mean Ninoy, or former Police Sr. Superintendent Michael Ray Aquino who is also known as Ninoy Aquino since his cadet days in the Philippine Military Academy.

I am referring to the other "Ninoy", Kris and Noynoy's father, Tita Cory's husband, the late senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. I do not mean to compare the police colonel to the former senator in terms of acts of heroism.

I only mean to point out to what appears to be a striking similarity in the way people in government is handling the security aspect of Mancao's arrival.

The former senator wore a bullet proof vest when he came home in August of 1983. He knew something really bad may happen and that it could cause him his life and something did happen.

We all know what happened at Tarmac of the then Manila International Airport, a date that shall forever be remembered as a day when the nation found a rallying point, s source of strength to really confront the powers that be and in the process pursued actions that eventually led to the toppling of the Marcos regime.

With a bullet proof vest brought by his wife, Mancao is now bound back to the Philippines, en route on air via a commercial flight from the United States and guarded by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), his images flashed on television the entire day projects someone who is worried, uncertain and yes--frightened of what may happen to him once he sets foot out of that airplane at the Ninoy Aquino International Air Port.

It should be noted that in interviews with reporters and radio anchors, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales was quick to point out that "there's no threat to Mancao's life...none that they knew of" , he said.

But on his own insistence and part of the condition of his coming home to testify on the Dacer-Corvito double murder case, Mancao will be wearing a bullet proof vest, a clear indication that he is afraid of something---or maybe--even anticipating something.

There are members of the media who are with Mancao in his flight back to the Philippines---the same is true in the case of Ninoy back in 1983. The media escort was also part of Mancao's conditions according to the DOJ. Perhaps on hindsight, Mancao knew that media is a potent ally on his side to record and tell the truth of what transpired or what he clearly feels may happen to him on his journey back home to the Philippines.

Just like in Ninoy's homecoming in 1983---government also announced in the case of Mancao's homecoming that there will be no press conference, no press briefing or press statement of any kind that will be done at the airport on Mancao'a arrival. Only those that have something to do with securing Mancao would be allowed to get near him.

Just like in 83 when Ninoy Aquino came home, it was very clear who had the control to protect his precious life and it was even clearer who had the capability to end that life when we all saw the lifeless body of the former senator at the airport's Tarmac.

As a former police officer, not just an ordinary police officer for that matter, with a controversial and celebrated career, Mancao have been exposed enough to be able to gauge and evaluate scenarios of his homecoming. In other words, he knew the rules of the game.

His fears are not superficial but in fact founded on solid grounds.

It may be a wild idea to point out to specific similarities in the way Ninoy came home then and the way Mancao is coming home now back to the country of his birth--happening just hours away in fact.

But with the country in the midst of a possible political and social chaos brought about by the shameless maneuver of majority members of the House of Representatives via House Resolution 1109, one that opened the gates of possibilities of changing the 1987 Constitution, can you blame me for wandering into the realm of scenarios and possibilities?

It's not hard to connect possibilities and timings--especially so when all that seems to be lacking in this grand plot to stay in power is one that would be so damning and so scary that would push government, based on the grand script, to declare Martial Law and impose authoritarian rule.

I hope that I am wrong. I pray that I am wrong. (end)

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