Most memorable December 28’s, were in 2011 and 2012.
Today is ‘Niños Inocentes’/Holy Innocents! Day.
It commemorates the day when the Israeli and/or Jewish King, Herod, had all the new born infants of Bethlehem killed, in order to eliminate a possible rival to the throne of Galilee.
However, when I was a young kid, Holy Innocents Day was also some sort of April Fools Day (April 1).
On both April 1 and December 28, the tradition is to make fools of other people.
For example, if you can convince somebody to lend you money, you don’t have to repay the loan.
There is also a general, popular license to play pranks on and make fools of people.
Persecuting GMA
My most memorable December 28’s, were in 2011 and 2012.
After President Benigno “Noynoy” S. Aquino y Cojuangco or PNoy’s victory in the May 2010 National Elections over Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada, Manuel “Manny” Villar and Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro y Cojuangco, he did not immediately run after Gloria Macapagal Arroyo or GMA and Chief Justice Renato “Rene” Corona y Coronado.
It took more than a year, in the last quarter of 2011, before the Aquino Administration started prosecuting and persecuting GMA.
GMA wanted to go abroad for a medical check – up and/or procedure.
The then, Secretary of Justice, Lilia de Lima, placed her on the Immigration Watch List. Her lawyers went to the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice acted without the benefit of an “En Banc” session and decision.
GMA Charged
GMA’s allies in the House started Impeachment proceedings against the Chief Justice. He was impeached by the House and Convicted by the Senate.
PNoy appointed the young Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno as the new Chief Justice.
GMA was charged before the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman filed a plunder case before the Sandigan Bayan. GMA remained detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center.
Visiting GMA
In 2011, aside from my “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow!” column in OpinYon’s national English edition, I was writing a column for a Taglish Tabloid published by former Congressman Jing Paras of Negros Oriental.
During our Christmas party at Jing’s restaurant in a hotel on ADB Ave., in the 0rtigas CBD, I asked my fellow columnists who were allies and friends of GMA to get me an appointment on December 28 at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center.
Congresswoman (Milagros) Magsaysay pointed to Atty. Ferdinand “Ferdie” Topacio as the one who could help me.
However, he was out of town on that date, and I had to wait for exactly a year. The wait was worth it. I apologized to GMA re my insistence on visiting her on “Niños Innocentes” Day.
Then, I kept her entertained and laughing for the next three hours, just the two of us!
Light A Fire Movement
Between Christmas of 1979 and New Year of 1980, my best friend and classmate (from Grade 1 up to Senior College at the Ateneo de Manila), Gerardo “Gerrie” Esguerra y Jaminola, sought me as well as my advice, out.
President Ferdinand Marcos y Edralin had called for the first local elections under Martial Law.
In our home city, QC (Gerrie and I were distant neighbors in neighboring Barangays Immaculate Concepcion and Mariana), no strong opposition candidates were interested in running.
I had earlier suspected that Gerrie was involved in the “Light a Fire” Movement (LAF), that was engaged in opposing Marcos and his Martial Law Regime by burning down both private and public establishments in the Metro Manila area.
They succeeded in burning down the floating casino and several hotels.
Then, just before Christmas, a LAF courier, smuggling explosives from the USA, was discovered and arrested at the MIA.
The LAF Network was compromised and most of the leaders based in the Philippines were arrested.
April 6 Liberation Movement
Gerrie and Karen Tañada y Nakpil decided to run for Mayor and Vice Mayor of Quezon City in order to shake off the authorities who were bent on identifying, capturing and prosecuting all those involved.
After they lost to re–electionist Mayor Adela Rodriguez, the tandem focused on organizing the April 6 Liberation Movement (A6LM).
The A6LM was as an alliance of Moderate pre-Martial Law Activist Groups, KASAPI, Lakasdiwa and PDSP.
Their first attempt, on June 24 or 29, 1970, was a failure. However, their multi–target bombing campaign from August 21, then September, October and November, until the December bombing of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) Convention at the PICC with and during Marcos’s keynote speech, were successful.
The latter very high-profile target led to the arrest of Rolando “Boyet” Montiel, Juvy Labajo, Chut Cellano, and many other A6LM operatives.
Bloody Protests
This, in turn, led to my Christmas Day visit to the Laguna Provincial PC HQ in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
In the midst of the October 2000 to January 22–26, Erap Resign/Oust Campaign, there occurred the Rizal Day (Dec 30, 2000) bombings.
In two Saturday morning (Dec 23 and 30) broadcasts of Melo Acuña and Ariel Ayala’s Kapihan on Radio Veritas, 846 Khz AM, I predicted that the so far peaceful Protest Demos would turn bloody.
(To be continued)