A ‘jailbird’s’ poem: Jay Durias’ Calvary - FUNFARE by Ricardo F. Lo

Curtain-raisers:

• A debate planned by GMA 7 between Senatoriables Winnie Monsod and Miriam Defensor-Santiago has been aborted because Miriam declined the invitation. Why, was she afraid she might be mercilessly clobbered by the equally feisty Winnie? Sayang. The debate could have settled a lot of scores, such as… does Miriam really have "balls"? Or is she all mouth and nothing else? All sound and fury signifying nothing? Maybe GMA 7 should pit Miriam against somebody her size (Winnie Monsod is such a formidable opponent, you know) – Mystica, perhaps? Or why not… yes… Ai Ai delas Alas?

• From reader Prince Nhowell, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, this message to Talk TV co-host Ryan Agoncillo: "Now that you’ve cut your hair, maybe you should start dressing your age. Avoid wearing baggy pants or loose trousers because they make you look even shorter on TV. You can take tips on good dressing from colleagues Diether Ocampo, Carlos Agassi and Piolo Pascual."

• Reacting to Funfare’s item yesterday about Bb. Pilipinas second runner-up Rica Balagtas representing the country at the Miss Globe Pageant in Istanbul, Turkey, an "unidentified" reader sent the following Bb. Pilipinas text-joke: Bb. Pilipinas Pageant judge: "Which do you prefer? To be beautiful but not smart or to be smart but not beautiful?" Nervous contestant fidgets before answering, even telling the excited audience to keep quiet. "I prefer Globe. It’s beautiful!"

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"I’m so happy to be free again!"

That was all that Jay Durias (of South Border) could say — with a wide, wide smile! – when he accepted his Best Musical Scoring trophy (for Jeffrey Jeturian’s Tuhog) at the recent 24th Urian Awards.

If you didn’t know what he had just been through (and because his happy, triumphant face didn’t betray it), you wouldn’t believe that the chubby Jay (a native of Davao) had spent almost 30 days in detention at the NBI cell, sharing Selda 2 with heinous criminals accused of triple or double murder (Selda 1 is where suspects in illegal recruitment and lighter crimes are detained).

You probably know by now why Jay got into such a fix. He was accused of "qualified theft" by the owner of Southern Bulls (on Timog Avenue, Quezon City) where South Border was regularly performing — until the ugly incident cropped up. Jay, who composed most of South Border’s hit songs (Kahit Kailan, Sa’yo, etc.), could have been caught in the middle of a dispute between the SB owner and South Border manager Cesar Buendia, which was precipitated by money matters. The SB owner produced a South Border concert in Pangasinan but the concert failed to make revenue as expected. Buendia said that he and the SB owner entered into an "off-setting" arrangement which left the SB owner owing South Border some P90,000 in professional fees.

You know how it is in showbiz… When money disputes enter the scene, even the best of friends can turn into the worst of enemies.

Lest he be caught in the "crossfire," Jay was advised to move out of a Timog condo unit which he was sub-leasing from the SB owner, bringing with him his recording equipment (used by the likes of Gary Valenciano, etc.) and other personal effects. Jay said he paid for the recording equipment using his good friend and partner Marvin V. Querido’s credit card. Jay moved out in July 2000. Two months later, the SB owner filed a robbery case against Jay, claiming that Jay stole from him, among other valuables, the recording equipment.

Anyway, to make a long story short, Jay was detained at the NBI selda for that unbailable offense third week of last January. He got the mailed warrant of arrest (postmarked Dec. 15, 2000) on Jan. 11 after receiving the parcel notice from the Post Office on Jan. 2. He surrendered to the NBI.

Because he filed a petition of review and for bail, Jay is now free again, back to doing concerts with South Border.

"It was a very traumatic experience for me," said Jay. "I became paranoid because of it. When we perform now, sometimes I bow my head, para bang nahihiya ako sa mga tao even if my conscience is clear."

Anyway, while inside the NBI selda, Jay managed to write a poem which he just might set to music (for the South Border’s next album, on Sony Music?). It’s titled Some Birds Are not Meant to be Caged, written while Jay was looking at birds out of his selda’s window, a scene reminiscent of his days in Davao City when he used to perform (pianist) at the Penec Bar of Apo View in 1990. Here it is:

Flocking in millions, I see them soar to the skies/ Flying high and low, they have their own way of/ Showing Freedom to this world. They have no boundaries

They could go as far as they wish. Anytime, anyplace/ They take flight, sometimes at night just like ordinary/ People who face everyday life

I see a thousand of them flying, just like people/ In a city. But just moments ago, I saw one bird/ Followed by two. It reminded me of a father with his family

But sometime in life, something comes along/ A bird doesn’t know when it shall be hit by stone/ From the sky to the sea it falls and dies, or sometimes/ Finds itself caught in a cage. This is the pain/ Brought to us by harsh reality and it must be/Understood. For there are still people out there/ With hearts made out of wood

I am now a bird in a cage, trapped for quite sometime/ But I’m not alone. I have with me my father who gives me strength to carry on/ I am a bird in a cage/ Whose spirit is free. Free to seek others in need of me

I’m in a journey and this is one of the trials/ I have to face. And sooner or later they will see/ that some birds aren’t meant to be caged.

I am free…