(Free Press editorial cartoon from the 1920s.)
Gentility is supposed to permeate places like country clubs and golf courses. They are the places where the hoi polloi are kept out and where everyone else can see and be seen. When someone like Bambee dela Paz and her family collide with official thugs, the collision isn’t just physical, it’s cultural. The set of rules that keeps the plebs in their place is never supposed to intrude into places where gentility matters.
But power, which relies on armed might to enforce obedience and simulate public respect, by it’s very nature isn’t genteel, can never be civil, will always ride roughshod over others.
I fully sympathize with dela Paz, her father, and her brother: bravo to her for raising hell and bravo to all those who’ve taken up her call for there to be consequences for what happened to them.
There is an irony here, of course: several, actually.
One irony is that gentility is the last thing that really matters in the supposed enclaves of the middle and upper classes, where the old days of black balling potential members because they were scandalous or generally socially unsavory individuals has long disappeared and been replaced by the sort of entitlement culture where mere possession of wealth or influence (the two are joined at the hip like Siamese twins) trumps all other considerations (how obtained and how used?) is what matters.
Another irony is that this incident could only have happened in the national capital, where an altercation in one place can safely be reported by someone when they get home: the metropolis is vast enough for you to be able to get away with blowing the whistle, everyone has kinship ties extended enough, at least among the middle and upper classes, to neutralize those belonging to those with whom you’ve collided.
There is a reason rallies tend to take place in national capitals; there is a reason a young lady can go and blog and have people rally to her cause in sympathy, both expecting something to be done and not having to think through whether the call and rallying to that call will have fatal consequences. It is the existence of a civic culture which is still powerful enough to compel limits on official impunity.
So we have here a clear clash of civilizations: between the entitlement and warlord culture of the provinces, which compels obedience by force, and which doesn’t hesitate to use that force to compel submission by anyone who isn’t part of the ruling clan’s pecking order of enforcers; and the national capital culture which expects self-control of officialdom, which doesn’t think twice about standing up to official bullying; which, even if beaten to a pulp thinks it’s possible to rally support from like-minded people who actually believe in justice and notions of equality -because there are more decent people than the bad.
Still another irony is that People Power is now being mobilized -its first stirrings being the sharing of officially embarrassing news, the stoking of popular outrage, the expression of public opinion, the coming together of a constituency mobilized by shared values- among the sort of people who’d shrugged off so many other acts of official impunity. There is a lesson here somewhere: and it’s a simple one. Impunity eventually sows the seeds of its own destruction. There will always come a time when a line will be crossed, and it’s a line too far.
Which is not to say that this incident will cause a revolution; but it is proof of how reality will always intrude into even the politest of conversations.
The coming year is going to be a showdown, of sorts, between the exponents of the culture of impunity, from the President to her allies on the official and local level. It is a showdown between those who furiously resent a political culture where public opinion matters, where impunity is challenged, and where privilege is supposed to be something subjected to questioning.
In Resistance isn’t futile, I mentioned just one way I oppose impunity: by blowing my horn at official convoys. This holiday season, I had the satisfaction of doing so, to the president’s convoy itself, twice. The second time around, the President passed within spitting distance and the PSG actually craned their necks to get a view at whoever was committing this act of lese majeste. They genuinely seemed startled. I myself was startled to see that the President no longer uses license plate No. 1 on her car. Her limousine has no license plate, at all.
My point is we see this impunity all the time, in small ways, and shrug it off -oddly enough, in the same manner we shrug off the big, spectacular, cases of impunity, too- when we ought to start tying it all together.
And their project next year is to basically abolish public opinion; to reduce it to its component local parts, where public opinion has been muted, and where it can be treated in such a way and such a manner as to be beyond questioning, court cases, heckling, letters to the editor or blog entries demanding resignations: because the trump card of an official when it comes to the provinces is the message every bodyguard represents: you can run, but you can’t hide.
Wait till the Nasser Pangandamans of this country are both members of parliament and ministers of state, ruling over Federal states where their writ is literally and not just figuratively, the law.
You’ve seen what has been unfolding over the past few years and what is out to entrench itself over the first quarter of this year.
The danger is to confuse the forest for the trees. We are susceptible to doing this: shrieking over Estrada’s threatening to run for office, while overlooking the President who cynically released him with a pardon; twisting Cory Aquino’s comments out of all recognition while overlooking how truly mistaken everyone was, to think the President would be a stateswoman and not a thug in skirts; wringing our hands over Mar Roxas’s cussing when no government since martial law has so thoroughly justified cussing because of it’s crossing every line, written or not, expected of officialdom; placing traffic and corporate premiums over public demonstrations of outrage; venomously scorning Jun Lozada while overlooking the officials who wanted him rubbed out and who very nearly managed to do it.
The Japanese had a chance to be welcomed to the Philippines, as they were in many other parts of Asia, as liberating heroes, except they proceeded to slap Filipinos who refused to bow to them; and so, resistance was immediately sparked, even among those disillusioned with the Allied cause. Again, I’m not saying this appalling incident will accomplish anything more than inspire horrified tut-tutting over how tasteless, and ungentlemanly, the President’s official family is. But you never know.
Postscript:
The incident seems destined to get bogged down in Court. Court is appropriate for determining the monentary compensation due the ones beaten up. The Court of Public Opinion is where this ought to be settled politically, and the political solution is twofold: the resignation of the Secretary of Agrarian Reform or his being fired if he refuses to quit; and the suspension of the Secretary’s son, the mayor, immediately. And if those currently angry really want to do something, then they belong to the circles of our society that can effectively embark on a campaign of social ostracism against not just Secretary-father and mayor-son, but, so long as no Executive action is taken, then against the entire official family of the President. This includes the children of officials who drive No. 8 cars to school, at any official beyond the handful mandated by Executive Order as entitled to official escorts, to officials who have more than one bodyguard, and so on.
Officials have quit or been made to resign elsewhere for much less.
Good reads: see Of Golf, the Internet and Elites, and We haven’t really gone anywhere and Piyudal
Reading your article makes me want to buy a car and drive by Malacañang (honk! honk!) 🙂 This is a great article. .
I just saw the guy’s portrait here….. and Chyt says he looks better…..
Nemo me impune lacessit
“THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. AT LENGTH I would be avenged; this was a point definitively settled — but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong…”
To the Filipino Middle Class, impunity can be tolerated as long as it does not happen to a fellow member of the Middle Class. That explains the muted reactions to the disappearance of Leftists (Burgos, Empeno etc.). OTOH, we in the Middle consider Bambee de la Paz as one of our own, enough to make the ‘Let’s Move On’ crowd identify with her family’s predicament.
Manolo, the way they go about it now, I see no cause here except a personal one. The friends seem vengeful, too. Bodyguards of politicians and non-politicians has always been a problem. Something should be done, generally speaking. Has a bodyguard the right to point a gun at an unarmed civilian?
“Wait till the Nasser Pangandamans of this country are both members of parliament and ministers of state, ruling over Federal states where their writ is literally and not just figuratively, the law.”
You’re not a Federalist now, are you?
I lived apathetiically, oblivious of the Hello Garci, the wanton disregard for decency of the politicians during the impeachment proceedings in Congress, the puking ZTE deal, the try on the life of a whilstleblower the Joc-joc zarzuela, etc etc.
Why shoud i be moved by this Valley Golf affair?
“Why shoud i be moved by this Valley Golf affair?”
Because the next victim will be you!
@Madonna: nice reference to Poe’s “Cask of Amontillado” – though immuring the perps alive beneath a brick wall? Hah…not if the human rights activists have their way.
@ the general public: Myself, I grew up in the era of the political private armies. When anyone – especially a politician with access to armed people – points at a teenager and yells “Tatandaan kita!”…my freak-o-meter starts clanging.
The last time someone in our family heard that phrase from a provincial politician, he had to lie very low for quite a bit. That or go six feet under.
Bert
“Because the next victim will be you!”
Typical middle class hopeless romantic.
Anyway, you miss my point. ENTIRELY.
My previous comment was nothing but a damnation of the attitude of most of the country’s citizens.
Those who are far see the beauty of the mountain but those who lived in the valley failed to.
oh no! not another benign0!
Just a while ago, I read that the Pangandamans are filing counter-charges. Gumanti lang daw sila. Well, sino’ng lolokohin nyo? Pusta ko i-ba-bribe o tatakutin lang yung mga testigo sa country club. Mga bloggers, dito na lang tayo gumanti. May araw din yang mga yan. I hope this Secretary gets sacked! But, I doubt it. The case is peanuts. The higher-ups have done far worse than this. Well, I just hope the heavens hear the cries of the abused citizens. I do admire the French in what they did to the royalties during the French Revolution. In more recent times, I envy how the Argentinians spat at their politicos and so-called public servants when they abused their authority and caused their economy to collapse.
There is a thread in Pinoy Exchange where someone defends the Pangandamans…saying the De la Paz people started it all… see this link
http://pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=377412
Whatever happened, shame on you Pangandamans, maybe you have the dough (don’t know how you got it?), but you have no class and do not deserve membership in a country club, but I guess in the philippines money is everything., too bad.
a characteristic of a third world country where people are managed by public officials lacking ethics, good moral character, professionalism, sincerity and respect.
Mandated continuing Education and seminars of 24 hours /per year for all public officials to remind them that Such Code of Conduct exist in our Constitution. And that they have the utmost responsibility to implement such conduct in public office.
Education starts with the role models not the people who cannot afford to attend.
This country has a long way to go. The disease is too chronic. This requires prevention of progression. This is not about Gloria. This is Philippines.
“The Court of Public Opinion is where this ought to be settled politically, and the political solution is twofold: the resignation of the Secretary of Agrarian Reform or his being fired if he refuses to quit; and the suspension of the Secretary’s son, the mayor, immediately.” postcript
This is what Rule of Law is all about. It’s the time that Justice Courts in our country must build its credibility and integrity. It has to lift its standards of PRACTICE.
ARA: the one who was defending the Pangandamans doesn’t even have a good defense, he’s just pushing about the idea where Pangandamans are a Moro/Muslim family who does not back out in a fight or like they’re ready to die for whatsoever.
A typical barbaric-minded guy I should say.
If the Mindanao Muslims dont back out of fights why do they have to resort to ambushes and treachery in their fights. To me they are just a bunch of cowards. I just wonder what the situation would have been if the dela Paz group numbers to 10-15 bulky men instead of a 56 and 14 years old.
I guess in the Philippines we don’t care about the rights of people whether they are rick or poor . If you have power and lots of money , you are untouchable. We , Filipinos , are proud people and yet so stupid . The poor will follow the rich and the rich takes advantage of the same poor people . Paulit-ulit lang . Just about everyone goes to church or ask for forgiveness for their past sins and yet the next day they are doing the same shit . I pray for all of you and hope to live in peace . Someday a great leader will come and will bring us justice .
this is terrible. i admire bambee dela paz for having the courage to post this on the internet. i think it’s great that this is being talked about. that’s the first step to finding out the truth. now now, let’s not get carried away and make hasty judgments. none of us were there. and we haven’t heard the side of the mayor yet. although personally, i believe that this is reason enough to put the mayor on trial, at the very least.
it’s too bad that an old man got beat up by a big shot politician. however, i find it hard to believe that anyone would beat up anybody for no particular reason. there’s two sides to every story and we’ve only heard one side, so i’m sure that the big shot politician has his story. whatever the reason, be it being disrespect because he is from the province and not because the old man didn’t know that he is a big time politician, it’s not enough to beat the living crap out of anybody.
I heard the interview with the mayor over dzXL.
He narrated how the de paz (father) berated him and how his two sons hurt him.
Based on his narration, it was actually the de la paz that threw their weight around and started the confrontation.
Come to think of it. He could be telling the truth.
ANYWAY. LET US PUT THAT INCIDENT IN THE PAST and “move on.”
IF WE CAN FORGET AND FORGIVE THE NUMEROUS POLITICAL SCANDALS AND CORRUPTIONS IN THE COUNTRY, it will be easier to put that personal fight between two golf enthusiasts.
MOVE ON, MOVE ON, MOVE ON.
See, it is just starting to unravel the whole incident and this poster started the the nonsense ” USUAL MOVE ON” response of pathetic crowd!
Just wondering, this golf course is teaming with rich people and surely hundreds if not all of them have cell phones with cameras or even videos, why is it there’s nothing posted in the you tube?
As usual, no one will resign, voluntarily, no one will be forced to resign, those who beat up the Dad and son will surely fight it out tooth and nail…unless the de la Paz clan has a bigger Ninong. Well, maybe something will come up, this is already in the net after all.
Would you still agree to the old man who said that the Philippines was better even if it is “ran like hell by Filipinos”?
A FATHER AND HER DAUGHTER WERE KILLED MISTAKENLY DUING AN ENCOUNTER BY POLICEMEN AND ROBBERERS. NO OUTRAGE FROM THE SO-CALLED MIDDLE CLASS .
TWO COEDS FROM UP WERE ABDUCTED AND UP TO NOW STILL MISSING. NO OUTRAGE FROM THE SO CALLED MIDDLE CLASS.
A MOTHER HELPLESSLY LOOKING FOR HER MISSING SON SUSPECTEDLY ABDUCTED BY SOME ELEMENTS IN THE MILITARY. NO OUTRAGE FROM THE SO CALLED MIDDLE CLASS.
A POLITICIAN CALLED UP A COMELEC COMMISSIONER TO FIX THE ELECTION RESULT. NO OUTRAGE FROM THE SO CALLED MIDDLE CLASS.
A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYE ALMOST RUBBED OUT BECAUSE OF HIS KNOWLEDGE OVER THE BOTCHED ZTE-NBN DEAL. NO OUTRAGE FROM THE SO CALLED MIDDLE CLASS.
A HIGH RANKING GOVERMENT OFFICIAL OPENLY OFFERING 200 MILLION TO ANOTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL. NO OUTRAGE FROM THE SO CALLED MIDDLE CLASS.
and so on and so forth. why should we show our outrage to this very personal fight between the de la paz and pangandaman families.
AWAY NILA YUN. move on, move on, move on.
kaminaman, you don’t grasp the implications of the whole incident to Filipino culture and politics as a whole, its implications to the elected officials, to the supposed to be gentile golfers, etc. Please think!
ronald, just like most Filipinos and foreigners, you forgot the more important second part of the statement of MLQ…..BECAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS CHANGE IT!
This has been emphasized by MLQ3 in several of his articles. Is seems no one is listening. Some people prefer to remember the “bad” part of the statement. Why? Maybe they feel that “naisahan nila si MLQ!”.
@ kaminaman , very well said.
ang nakita ko lang pagkakaiba ng pangyayaring ito sa mga sinabi mo ang kawalan ng pulitika sa “away” na to. kaya tinatangkilik sa ngayun, at ang lakas ng loob ng mismong biktima para ilabas ang mga pangyayari laban sa isang pamilya ng mga pulitiko at may kapit.
Dear Manuel
Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Shimvita from Iligan City who works as a nurse here in Cagayan de Oro. During my college days in Xavier University during the early 90’s, I happen to have a classmate named Hussein Pangandaman a Muslim who studied in this Jesuit school but wrecked havoc to all by poking guns at classmates, threatening teachers and would be the in the local news involving prostitutes, arms dealing and even aleegations of drugs.
He happen to have a brother named J.R Pangandaman , the Nasser Pangandaman Jr. the notorious name we all know by now by now.
They together with their cousins would roam the streets of Iligan and CDO throwing their weight around and wala silang sinasanto. News even surfaced that during PAL flights to Manila and back to Mindanao, they are known to threaten airport officials and cabin crew, even boasting not even Gloria Arroyo can stop them.
Thats how bad and worst they are that a mention of their name would immediately illicit disgust and fear among listeners.
Hussein Pangandaman even had his steady girlfriend Irish Barria impregnated but immediatly after she was pregnant, dumped her like a worthless 5 centavo coin.
The brothers whimps is obviously being tolerated by their parents and even made JR the Mayor of this sleepy muslim town of 5 thousand inhabitants composed of poor relatives by paying them 1 thousand pesos each to win. This is common knowledge here that JR Pangandaman being Mayor at age 26 would justify his lust for crime. Even women are not spared coz maski mga babae ay binubogbog nila. A check with police archives of CDO and Iligan will reveal a pandoras box of these disgusting revelations.
If you really sympathize with the De la Paz’s, I urge u to ask other bloggers as well to encourage people who have been victimized by the pangandamans to come forward to soildify in pursuing the crime commited.
A piece of warning to eveyone if you happen to meet a dark looking chinese looking guys by the name of JR and Hussein Pangandaman… BEWARE you will be the next victim.
Hope they are pressured to resign and a justice will prevail to benefit all Filipinos!
Shimvita
PILIPINOPARIN
“kaminaman, you don’t grasp the implications of the whole incident to Filipino culture and politics as a whole, its implications to the elected officials, to the supposed to be gentile golfers, etc. Please think!”
OK. I WILL WAIT IF REALLY THERE WILL BE IMPLICATIONS. ( filipino culture and politics )
FOR YOUR “PLS THINK!’ COMMENT.
NO COMMENT YET. I AM STILL TRYING TO THINK.
ban the pangandamans on any golf course period!!!!! void their membership as well, if any.
I HAVE PARDONED, NAY CONDONED, THE MOST DISHONEST, CORRUPT AND HYPOCRITE REGIME.
I WILL NOT FIND IT HARD TO CONDONE THE PANGANDAMANS.
I JUST WANT TO MOVE ON.
MOVE ON. MOVE ON. MOVE ON… TO CHA CHA
Pilipinoparin: You’re missing kaminaman’s point.
to the anti-gloria people, this is gloria’s fault. to benign0-types this is proof of rotten filipino culture. to mindanaoans this is ‘molecular’ abusiveness. a bet muslims will see it as prejudice.
what is interesting here is the new angle of powerful molecule versus bloggers. the usual ending to these stories is the little ant getting squashed. unless you are a dragon, a kuratong or you have three truckloads of bodyguards, steer clear of these people. i hope the anonymous and communicative blogosphere proves to be a redoubt against organized thugs.
It’s just a 14 year old boy…. what are they thinking
Bukod sa pagkangitngit sa mga pulitikong abusado ay di ba nakakangitngit din ang mga taong kung makapagsalita ay akala mu kung sinu silang magaling at pinapangaralan ang mga bloggers na katulad natin at mga Pilipino sa mga baluktot nilang paniniwala?
– – – – – –
A FATHER AND HER DAUGHTER WERE KILLED MISTAKENLY DUING AN ENCOUNTER BY POLICEMEN AND ROBBERERS. NO OUTRAGE FROM THE SO-CALLED MIDDLE CLASS .
TWO COEDS FROM UP WERE ABDUCTED AND UP TO NOW STILL MISSING. NO OUTRAGE FROM THE SO CALLED MIDDLE CLASS.
A MOTHER HELPLESSLY LOOKING FOR HER MISSING SON SUSPECTEDLY ABDUCTED BY SOME ELEMENTS IN THE MILITARY. NO OUTRAGE FROM THE SO CALLED MIDDLE CLASS.
A POLITICIAN CALLED UP A COMELEC COMMISSIONER TO FIX THE ELECTION RESULT. NO OUTRAGE FROM THE SO CALLED MIDDLE CLASS.
A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYE ALMOST RUBBED OUT BECAUSE OF HIS KNOWLEDGE OVER THE BOTCHED ZTE-NBN DEAL. NO OUTRAGE FROM THE SO CALLED MIDDLE CLASS.
A HIGH RANKING GOVERMENT OFFICIAL OPENLY OFFERING 200 MILLION TO ANOTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL. NO OUTRAGE FROM THE SO CALLED MIDDLE CLASS.
and so on and so forth. why should we show our outrage to this very personal fight between the de la paz and pangandaman families.
AWAY NILA YUN. move on, move on, move on.
– – – – – –
kaminaman (or more likely “ikaw nga lang at mga alipores ninyong baluktot”) why do you keep on comparing the severity and weights of various incidents and injustice to one another? Kung ganyan ganayn din lang pag-iisip mu eh di sana wala ng Andres Bonifacio, Jose Rizal, Tandang Sora at libo pa nating mga bayani na ipinaglaban at sumuporta laban sa mga taong umabuso sa kanilang kapangyarihan at mga mamayang Pilipino. Kung gagayahin ng mga naunang Pilipino ang pag-iisip mo malamang ay maramin pang namatay sa pamamahala ng mga prayle nuong panahon ng Kastila, mas marami pang hinalay at nilapastangang Pilipino nuong panahaon ng Hapon dahil katulad mu iniisip nila na “ayus lang yun, move on! nahalay ang nany ko, napatay ang kapatid ko, kelangang magpatuloy”… without seeking justice?
Oo kabilang ako sa middle class society, di ako kasing “dunong mo” sa paggamit ng mga metaporya at malalalim na banyagang idiyoma para lang laitin ang pagtuligsa sa pananaw mu. Kaya ka nga sinabihang mag-isip kasi nagpapakapilosopo ka eh simple lang naman eh… katarungan ang hanap para sa mga naagrabyado.
Move on? Move on? ba? Ikaw mag move on… dami naming nagkumento dito na naghahanap ng hustisya laban sa mga pulitikong inaabuso ang kapangyarihan tapos ikaw move on? It’s either pakawala ka ng ng mga Pangandawanan, kapamilya o may kalapit na pulitikong abusado, ikaw mismo abusadong pulitiko o talagng manhid lang sa mga pangyayari at pinipilit na walang insidente ang mas bibigat pa sa isa?
Please don’t give me that “Tou completely don’t get my point”? Huh? Anu bang namiss out ko? At mga idioma in English o mga tipong “ang latang walang laman maingay” dahil ikaw ang naunang mag-ingay, inubos mu mga laman ng lata namin kaya tinatapatan ka namin. Ikaw ba sumuot ba sa kamulatan mu ang sinasabi namin dito? Oh sarado pa din ang utak mung balikrot?
to kaminaman,
pre kaw naman. alam naman natin ur part of a counter propaganda operation alam namin san ka at ano ginagawa mo at mga kasama mo. patuloy mo lang yan makikita mo din sa darating na panahon paano mo binenta kaluluwa mo.
wag na mag atubili sumagot sa mensaheng ito at di ko babasahin sagot mo.
para sa bayan!
ronald, i agree. i think you would too, if you took the time to understand the construction of the sentence. this piece might help you out: http://emanila.com/philippines/2008/12/10/quezon-was-right/
i deleted the comments calling for exterminating ethnic groups.
shimvita, are there any blog entries or press reports on line that could help point to the behavior you outlined above?
trial jury would send this mayor to jail. the father as an accomplice would cost him his job. these people are not acceptable anymore. Right in the open and in the golf course. I don’t get it anymore. A 26 year old mayor with bodyguards? versus 14 year old boy, an elderly man and a young girl, what’s wrong Philippines?
what happened should not be disregarded and seeking justice is the only option. consider yourselves so fortunate to be a part of the middle class as most of them relates, as shown here, importantly, acting and helping accordingly. i myself recently was mauled by 4 individuals, whereby, apparently the key ring leader belongs to an influential family that have interests in media and part owner of a well known radio station.
i spent almost 5 days in hospital and needs not less than 30 days to recuperate.
as they say who am i? they can get away with it as they say. no middle class noise/help behind me. in fact, the police never lift a single finger despite i able to run for help, blood running down my face literally.
as i said consider yourself lucky as you have the middle class crowd. but how about the likes of me? the rest of us/them?
bakit po tahimik kayo pag ang biktima hindi ninyo kauri?
i used to believe that being simple and peaceful can make the difference and somehow inspire change but as they or i learned the hard way, it can never be. for the sole reason this type of individuals respects no other things but guns and power.
presently, i have 4 armed and well trained bodyguards and a lawyer on call. yes they did a critical mistake of judging and voilently discriminating me, thinking im just a worthless meaningless low life individual, a lower class for them. that can’t fight back.
where are the middle class ideologues? nasaan na po kayo?
do we have to resort to armed struggle? bloody revolution?
or a civil war is needed to cleanse our damaged culture/society?
or just maybe a cultural if not a religious war?
make no mistake im more than willing to be a major player for such a stuggle.
This case is a chilling threat to all. What if the next victim is you, or a loved one?
However, my belief is that the majority will still think “it’s not going to happen to me”. Even Bambi in her blog herself expressed the same thought. But happen it did!
I don’t believe that ordinary Pinoys don’t care about what happened, it’s just that they care less (they care more about what’s going to be on the dinner table next). As for middle class people who thinks of Bambi and her family as one of their own care a little bit more about this case.
Bambi and Bino are golfers who carried the Philippine flag when they played. They’re certainly more high profile than most of us.
to kaminaman.
ok. how about this?
magpasapak ka muna sa aming lahat.
tapos mag move on tayo.
Let’s email to the board of the Valley Golf and Country Club to cooperate with the police (see. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/metro/view/20081229-180482/Cops-frustrated-over-golf-clubs-silence) and shed light on the issue (and asked them why the didn’t help the Dela Pazes).
Their website: http://www.valleygolf.com.ph/
Their email: [email protected]
The distinguished board: membershttp://www.valleygolf.com.ph/temp/board.asp
as i said consider yourself lucky as you have the middle class crowd. but how about the likes of me? the rest of us/them?
bakit po tahimik kayo pag ang biktima hindi ninyo kauri?
where are the middle class ideologues? nasaan na po kayo?..” — DreamCatcher
DreamCatcher,
Apparently our kind is too busy making a living and surviving, much like the rest of the masa. We have grown tired of pursuing romantic political ideas that never panned out.
Apparently, YOU have much more in common with de la Paz family than we do. See, the true middle class doesn’t really go gallivanting in golf courses… except for real business — rarely, for R n R (take note, Bambi de la Paz wrote than she has been “a golfer all her life”).
We take injuries (and we have loads of them, more than your kind will ever know, that never go written in blogs or reported in the media) with a grain of salt…and we dig our heels even though, these injuries pile up — opps, we certainly cannot afford to get a few bodyguards and a lawyer on-call to secure ourselves; we focus on sense, rather than sensibilities (we needed and we need to). And we don’t allow ourselves to get insulted… over “small” matters such as “golf etiquette”. This is not to say that the middle class does not place importance on “manners” — just saying, that in real life, we cannot afford to raise hell over “etiquette” — if we do, it’s usually choosing survival over it. Apparently, for the de la Paz family, they could afford to raise hell. Or could they still really?
“do we have to resort to armed struggle? bloody revolution?
or a civil war is needed to cleanse our damaged culture/society?
or just maybe a cultural if not a religious war?
make no mistake im more than willing to be a major player for such a stuggle.”
Tsk. How cliched these questions are. For decades, the middle class and the lower classes have let themselves be goaded (or manipulated) into such “romantic” pursuits while the conservative, sensibility-oriented upper classes were merely content in calibrating the power dynamics in this country. So sad but true, but the calibrating has failed (i.e. since 2005) — proof that real power has fled into the hands of the likes of Nasser Pangandaman and the traitors to your kind like the Mike and Gloria Arroyos.
In other words, DreamCatcher — you are barking at the wrong tree.
Madonna,
I especially liked the quote from the Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe. We will have our day we bury those hoodlums under bricks of stone, as they weep, begging us to spare them.
Everyone else,
Is there a way we could monitor the case, besides the Media? Give it a week or two, everything gets piled up. Sigh.
By the way, flipping an official’s convoy is fun, since I don’t have a car yet. *But I want to use car horns too…*
DreamCatcher,
We need to make a living too. We’re tired of Popular Uprisings already. We were part of the Forces from Edsa1 and a good chunk of mobilizing forces in EDSA 2… The Middle Class needs to live, especially now that the Financial Crisis is affecting everyone of us…
linisin natin ang boung pinas, kung kailangan natin paahimikin pati kapitbahay natin,bakit hindi… the only way para maka move on tayo eh dapat katayin ang may maitim na budhi…..
erase ’em all