Long, long ago in a land far, far away, there lived a king risen from the underworld, who ruled his kingdom with an iron hand.
Feared by his subjects because his idea of crime and punishment was his knights in battle gear acting as prosecutor, judge, and executioner rolled into one, coupled with his never-ending claims to exterminate the criminally-minded and drug-dealing unwashed who couldn’t fight back, they all cowered in the king’s presence.
Quite strangely, among the desperate crying out for change, he still had the love and respect of a blind and misguided few, even applauding his vile temper and foul-mouthed language.
“Nagbibiro nga lang naman.” But the king also had enemies, like Sir Tomas Less (for less fat) and the 15-man strong clergy of Counter-bury, who were shocked by the king’s relentless tirades against them and God Himself.
Scolded by the Bishops to watch his mouth, the king laughingly countered that God does not partake of the collection plate, shared by men of the cloak after the collectors had taken their half.
Nor did His Son, the king adds, lived a fabulous and more than comfortable life, rode a donkey and not a luxury car, and except for His friend and watchdog Mary Magdalene, stayed away from women, afraid that His Mom would spank Him if He stepped out of line.
The king’s other enemies were the Reds, who deplored his style of governance as being cruel and barbaric.
And, of course, the oligarchs, whom the king blamed for the kingdom’s economic woes, living off the fat of the land, while others were starving and living wretched lives.
The king patterned his actions after Vladimir Putin, who got rid of the oligarchs when he came into power.
But the oligarchs, dubbed as the Russian mafia, were gangsters who engaged in illicit and other illegal activities that earned them millions of dollars, a ruthless band of cold-blooded killers who murdered those who stood in their way, including their families.
But the oligarchs in the kingdom were a well pedigreed breed and educated abroad, with impeccable social manners.
Maybe, they were as evil as the Russians, who worship money more than God.
And bribery and kickbacks are just as bad as murder, given the end result – billions of blood money.
Napoles, Morales, names that rhyme, and perhaps one as rich as the other.
How goes the state of health of PhilHealth?
Alas, only the skeleton remains, skinned to the bone by men of greed.
The king’s other enemies were the politicians, although most of them were in the king’s Christmas list, or the so-called lowlife, living in a low-lying house, the shameless and the heartless kind, with insatiable and never moderate greed.
A plague on their houses.
How much did they say Marcos stole in 20 years of dictatorship? $10 billion?
I bet you, 34 years after his ouster, more money had been filched from government coffers, maybe $20, $30 billion.
Proof? Where’s also the proof that Marcos stole as much as he did?
But on the grave of my dearly beloved Apo Kensha, I will swear to the above.
Walang hinto ang pagnanakaw sa kaban ng bayan.
What did Pigofetta write about us? Ladrones, or a land of thieves.
From the highest official to the lowliest clerk?
On my mother’s grave…
Duque, resigned? As a former rebel once demanded, resign all! You first madam Vice President, if only to keep the waters from being muddled by your pasikat statements to happening events.
If you keep it up, you will never get to the Palace by the Pasig. Most likely, you will suffer the same fate as former Chief Justice Sereno, and she is even 10 times smarter than you are. You too, Harry and Sal.
Rodrigo is dealing with the pandemic as best as he can, but only with modest success.
Now he knows why. His subjects have granites for heads, and worms for brains.
How can you expect a people to be disciplined, when even in times of crisis affecting their health and lives, they can’t even follow simple rules and procedures?
To quote Senator Ping, “Anak ng baka.”
Black lives matter, say the blacks, in placards and signs.
Why, don’t white, brown, or yellow lives too?
When the Americans bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, didn’t yellow lives matter?
And when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, didn’t white, brown, and black lives matter?
And speaking of yellow, king Rodrigo says he will not risk war against China over the West Philippine Sea. Just like in a gang war, China has more men and guns. No way can we win.
But Andres Bonifacio knew that when he rebelled against the Spanish invaders.
The soldiers of Bataan and Corregidor knew that, fighting nearly to the last man in a last stand.
Gregorio del Pilar knew it, when he fought the superior American forces at Tirad Pass.
Mahal na haring Rodrigo, huwag maniwala sa kasabihan na “better to be a living coward than a dead hero.”
Living cowards eventually die, forgotten and unlamented, but Bonifacio, the brave soldiers of Bataan and Corregidor, boy general Gregorio del Pilar, they live in our hearts and minds.
When a nation of free men fight for what is right, for sovereignty, the odds won’t matter.
Believe me king Rodrigo, your majesty, even a coward like me will fight for flag and country.
Look at our frontliners, risking their lives so that others may live.
Tired but not out, and will be back at the frontlines at the break of dawn.
We stand squarely behind you, mahal na haring Rodrigo, sa laban na ito, vaccine or not vaccine.
Ang bayaning Filipino will not be bribed.
