EDITORIAL — Sison and his bragging rights

Philippine communist leader Jose Maria Sison, in self-exile in the Netherlands, created a stir when he posted on his website some photographs of himself dancing with sexy Filipino movie star Ara Mina during a Christmas party there.

The Philippine military, which is presumed to constantly monitor the website of Sison, discovered the photographs and distributed downloaded copies to the media, which then had a field day publishing them.

The photographs were difficult to turn down. One, it involved no less than Sison himself. Then there was Ara Mina, whose see-through black dress almost left nothing to the imagination. For editors everywhere, it was one reason or the other, or more certainly, both.

Those who think like the military swiftly saw the opportunity to patronize the communists by condemning Sison for having a good time while his cadres in the hills eat on the run and dance with the mosquitoes.

Those who are sympathetic to the communist cause, as well as those who just happen to be more open-minded than the rest without falling for any political cause, quickly saw the photos for what they were - just people having fun, which is not a crime.

Actually, both are right if we really have to nit-pick on the issue, which is not a real issue anyway. There is no denying Sison was having fun. And there is no denying that while he was having fun, his fighters in the hills were not.

But then who can also argue the fact that every person has the right to have fun, or that having fun is not a crime? What is all the fuss about? Why is there a debate when there really should have been none?

Actually, Sison himself is to blame for the brouhaha. If only he did not post the photos on his website, there would have been no flap. Posting the photos serves no higher political or intellectual interest as far as the communist cause is concerned.

Maybe the reason is much more personal. Maybe Sison, the communist blood in his veins notwithstanding, is just like the rest of us who melt in the company of celebs. And boy, what a bragging piece Ara Mina was. Soft underbelly exposed, Sison wanted to brag to the whole world.