A language all their own

Did yesterday's column conjure him up? Only yesterday, the question was asked here: Nasaan si Ping, or Where is Ping (Lacson)? The controversial senator had not been heard from for some time now, and his inputs were being missed, both by his colleagues and his fans. And then, Lo and behold! There he was on TV yesterday, exhibiting a document showing the similarities between Proclamation No. 1017 of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo placing the country in a state of national emergency, and Presidential Decree No. 1018 of Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, declaring Martial Law. Well, this promises that things at the Senate will be more interesting than ever.

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Already, there has been shuffling in that august body and, as shown on one of yesterday's news programs, only four or five senators are now perceived to be still on the side of President GMA. But she has among them the voluble Miriam Defensor-Santiago, and she should be worth more than two in any argument. After the scolding GMA gave them over TV a few days ago, the senators can't be blamed if their feelings are hurt. Anyway they manifested their rebellion in a positive way. When GMA recommended a P1,000 allowance for government workers, the Senate gave them P2,000. One in the eye for GMA, see?

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It continues to be waiting time for the Supreme Court decision on the very unpopular PP 1017, and in the meantime, it still sounds like a free country, the way anybody can give his two-cents' worth anytime. I'm sure Malacañang's bright boys will pounce on that, too, the way Bunye did when the media groups filed their own petition against 1017. Bunye said righteously that, see, it shows that there is democracy in the country.

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I guess there is such a thing as police lingo in this country too. Yesterday, Metro Manila's Police Chief David Querol pooh-poohed the claims of Congresswoman Risa Hontiveros Baraquel that she was arrested by the police while she and her fellow women were marching for International Women's Day. Querol said there was no arrest at all (his colleagues had earlier said Baraquel was only invited), but what his cops did was to rescue her and save her from possible harm! Thousands must have seen the photograph showing Baraquel being stuffed into the police van, I think it was in the Inquirer Thursday. If that is the way policemen now effect a rescue, let me be.

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In the meantime, are we getting a bashing from the United States government? The other day, it was reported that the U.S. State Department had issued a statement calling the Philippines a haven of smugglers. What? Don't they know that we have caught ONE already? The papers were full of the pictures of someone called Sammy Lee, said to be the biggest fish in the smuggling industry. They should give us an E for effort, not add that we also have a billion-dollar smuggling industry and organized crime, too. Yesterday, it was again reported that the State Department said that drugs are proliferating in Metro Manila and that it's money from illegal drugs that is being used by terrorists to finance their operations. Are we no longer friends of the U.S.A.?

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It was a shock to us in the DAILY STAR yesterday when we heard the story of Micah Urbanozo, the monkey-faced little girl, who had been helped to recover from various ailments, as well as malnutrition by generous STAR readers. During her last visit to the STAR office, we were all delighted at her recovery because she had become frisky and had gained some weight. When we did not hear from her parents for almost two years now, we thought everything was all right. Then we found out that she and her brother had been exploited by a carnival outfit, and had been placed in cages for exhibit, to be jeered and laughed at by people. And their parents were paid P2,000 a month for their appearances as freaks!

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Today is the birthday of Dr. Tony Sarabia, who was given an asalto by his "best friend" and lifetime partner, Nellie, and their children and friends yesterday. These are happy and memorable days for the Sarabia family, because they have just celebrated the 100th anniversary of the famous Sarabia services to the country with the long line of optometrists and opthalmologists from the clan, who have continued the tradition to this day. Now one can see Sarabia Optical establishments and clinics all over the country. This centennial is what Tony had long been preparing for, and even if he did not get to attend the historic celebration in Manila, he was certainly a participant in every way. Happy birthday, Tony! Perla and I anticipated the asalto, didn't we? We hope and pray that we will mark more with you and Nellie.*

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