Sons i never had?

That Sunday, July 27, 2003 will further change my lifestyle and attitude... Life is an ever-continuing learning experience. If I had a son, I most probably would be hiding my face behind his arm while watching violent or suspenseful episodes on television so I wouldn’t scream. But I have no son who will give me the company and bravery to watch tanks rolling towards the Oakwood apartment hotel. Alone, I had to deal with my mixed feelings towards young mutineers who surprisingly ignited sympathy among many adults and almost all the young ones I interviewed. It is not flattering to the government and military hierarchy, but the mutineers connected with something that has been hidden in the hearts of many Filipinos and they did not even pull a trigger but simply undid the safety lock.

It seemed the young officers were unafraid to confront the power of authority and establishment, unafraid to make bold initiatives, yet apparently confused at conflicting dynamics in the Philippine situation. It seemed that all their officers’ training, their combat experience, could not explain the contradictions of teachings versus the behavior of some of their superiors. And they must have come to the conclusion that the high and mighty in their organization and even in the civilian bureaucracy would not willingly agree to a cleansing of their ranks. Agree? Ah well, well...that idea fills me with much more compassion for them.

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How misguided are young people who lack the proper role models?... who witness corruption in the ranks of their superiors... and their counterparts in civilian government? If we allow wrong to be tolerated in our society, then we are responsible for misguiding the young. Misguided youths are the best evidence of the lack of good examples from the older generations. I wonder who then has committed the greater treachery. The laxity of the guards or the PNP management.

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Many young Filipinos in and out of uniform must have resonated with the plight of the mutineers, possibly because they share the same problem with adult society. Young lawyers are asking me how they can volunteer their legal services to the Oakwood officers. Even if the act of mutiny is seen as wrong, the apparent frustration of idealistic young men came across much stronger at least, even for a few hours, a symbol of hope and reform came through with brilliance, which we adults haven’t given the youth. Or, perhaps, the quiet guilt of many Filipinos who have submitted to compromise after compromise until compromise became standard rather than the exception and made them empathize and admire the mutineers who refuse to let their dreams die.

I have just watched Che-Che Lazaro’s The Probe Team doing their random sampling of interviews. The question: Do you believe there's corruption in the government and military? Well, something like that – and all the interviewees answered in the positive!! The young and the elders.

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This story has been told and retold by the chief of the defunct Philippine Constabulary Fidel V. Ramos himself. In Central Luzon years ago, he visited a far-flung detachment somewhere in a village infiltrated by the Hukbalahap. There, he saw how miserable life was for constables who pass the day in makeshift barracks roofed crudely with talahib.

Lunchtime and the soldiers feasted on sardines and rice. Seeing the plight of his soldiers, he promised to make a gesture of support as soon as he reached his office. And so the following day, he ordered his chief of staff to send a sack of rice to the poor detachment he just visited. And the staff complied. They sent the sack of rice to the regional commander who deducted half of the gift and sent it to the provincial commander with the instructions to forward it to the detachment. the provincial commander got half of what was left inside the sack and forwarded it to the station commander with the same instructions. It turned out that the station commander got all that was remaining and sent the empty sack of rice to the detachment.

The detachment commander, upon receiving the sack, noticed the bold letters written on the sack: "From the Chief, PC."

He realized that the Chief PC may not have rice, so he ordered his men to solicit from every household in the barrio until the sack was full.

Following the order of protocol, he sent the sackful of rice to the station commander with a request that it be forwarded to the Chief PC.

And the same scenario took place until the empty sack reached the office of the Chief PC who smiled at the honesty of the recipients of his kindness as they were able to return the sack which he used.

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I assume that authorities will try to demolish the image of courage, idealism and discipline that the young Oakwood mutineers were able to project. I hope they will do it honestly and intelligently because persecution will intensify and broaden the sympathy of many towards the rebels. As it is right now, many parents are already hard put trying to explain to their children the wrong that the rebels committed because the spirit they exuded is making their form of expression secondary.

The issues that have driven these young men will make them lose their jobs, rank and uniform as they will inevitably be compelled to leave the service they know so well and love so dearly. What they said wasn’t new, as corruption in the military as far as arms and ammunition reaching the enemy has been open knowledge and gossip even during the waning years of the dictator.

It is perhaps how they said it that may have been incorrect. Yet, it is surprising how the wrong manner of delivering a message captured the imagination and stirred the hearts of so many, especially the young and many mothers. The mutineers exhibited enough courage and discipline that even Ces Drilon commented that she was so embarrassed to witness very contrasting behaviors from a chaotic set of reporters. By their demeanor, the mutineers attracted attention and may have indeed planted seeds of justice.

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That evening, as we were nearing the end of a 21-hour drama, I decided to accompany my daughter to Luneta to give her morale support in a career she has embarked on – the theater. I sat on cement steps under the open air with the general public from the C and D classes, mostly nameless but representative of the majority of Filipinos. They also sat on the steps in their T-shirts, many of which had unsewn holes here and there, and in their slippers and stained pants. For them, the entertainment was magic and a brief diversion from their normally miserable lives. Perhaps that is why actors can become officials... while officials want to become singers and actors. These C and Ds have so little, but even just a little makes them happy.

Filipinos lost last Sunday. No one won that day. Many viewers became exhausted not so much from being glued the whole day to the TV but out of wrenching sympathy for young resolute officers who wanted a change in the quality of leaders and in the whole system. From their faces, one could see the thoughts running through their heads and screaming, "How can we make things better? How are we going to do it? Where do we find the individuals worthy of the lofty positions in our institutions and nation?" Questions even adults ask each other like their children do, too...That fellow Maryknoller Rina Jimenez-David’s statement holds so much accurate feelings, "....It was even more dismaying to realize that – if we had but the training, the experience and the arms of the men in uniform – we could believe we would have been among them."

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Funny, but the other side, the legitimate one, inspired no such kind of sympathy. Called to converge at EDSA, a pitiful crowd showed up. And, as if to camouflage the fact that people had become exasperated and did not care that much anymore almost like having given up, an announcer said, "If you do not go to EDSA, please pray in your own homes where you may be safer."

I never had a son whom I may have allowed to be more daring and adventurous than my daughters although my girls certainly are. But Sunday’s affair has made me change my attitude. If my daughters want more from our country leaders and their lives, even if I think they may be unconventional or radical, I will not ever say again, "Accept it – that’s the way it really goes..." simply because... I want them to conform when it is I who am afraid. I have to remember that my children, and yours, can change things and make a difference if we support them and allow them to dream and even plant an acorn.