The answer is obvious. A propaganda war is raging between the Administration and its detractors. And in war, truth is the first casualty.
Newspapers didnt help any by misreporting that the bishops got all wet from the "cannonizing" after walking long blocks under hot sun from Plaza Miranda where they had a permit to rally. Police officials too were utterly useless in explaining what happened. Only Manila Mayor Lito Atienza was available the next day to recount that the bishops had broken the permit by leading a contrived religious procession to San Sebastian, but were allowed just the same. Just that, the politicians in the crowd had made other plans when the bishops called it a day.
Gen. Vidal Querol, Metro Manila police chief, dished his share of lies. He claimed that firemen flushed their hoses when they saw an armed man Madrigals Ray in the mob. Phooey! The thing to do was for the cops to accost Ray, not to attack the entire lot. What happened was a mindless interpretation of Malacañangs policy of calibrated preemptive response to mean using brute force instead of gentle persuasion.
By the way, wheres the platoon of policewomen who were deployed to gently but effectively stop similar protesters only two days earlier? Why werent they present there when the old pols came a-marching? Were they already off duty that fateful dusk of Friday, just like traffic cops invariably disappear at sundown? Querol has a lot of explaining to do. His is the type of actions that fan rumors of martial law.
Theres a lesson here for other evaders of law, like Virgilio Garcillano: you can run, but you cant hide. Justice will soon catch up with you; Pinoys all over the world will make sure of it.
And why is Congress in recess from Oct. 15 to Nov. 7, instead of starting Oct. 25 as originally scheduled? Thats because Senate President Franklin Drilon, after lecturing Speaker Joe de Venecia about "quality over quantity" in passing laws, then pestered him to go along with a break ten days early. Many senators needed to fly to Europe for the International Parliamentarians Union annual junket. Guess whos footing the bill for first-class travel and accommodations.
Dear White fella,
Coupla things you should know:
When I born, I Black,
When I grow up, I Black,
When I go in sun, I Black,
When I scared, I Black,
When I sick, I Black,
And when I die, I still Black...
And you, White fella,
When you born, you Pink,
When you grow up, you White,
When you go in sun, you Red,
When you cold, you Blue,
When you scared, you Yellaw,
When you sick, you Green,
And when you die, you Grey...
And you be calling me Coloured!?!