It was never about Noynoy Aquino

THIS WAS supposed to be my column on Jan. 24 but it was the official start of the Dinagyang weekend, “I Am Iloilo City’s” and the country’s premier festival. The whole city and the natives, including the tourists, from Calle Real in Iloilo Viejo up to Megaworld in Iloilo Nuevo are in festive mood dancing in the streets.

It would be in bad taste to talk about the hypocrisy and insincerity of that nincompoop Noynoy Aquino which resulted in the massacre of 44 Special Action Force or SAF troopers of the Philippine National Police.

You see, Jan. 25 marked the fifth anniversary of the Fallen SAF 44 and to this day justice still eludes them, their families and loved ones left behind.

Five years ago I was watching the necrological service for the Fallen 44 live on television with mixed emotions – a certain sadness and anger for the people responsible in ordering these men into a trap that led to their massacre and horrendous untimely deaths.

This is my narrative of that gloomy day:

The black armband prop and the serious face didn’t help at all as it seemed President Noynoy Aquino was forced to attend the necrological service for the fallen 44 SAF troopers. It also did not help that Noynoy Aquino was one hour late and they had to stop the services to wait for his arrival.

When Noynoy Aquino finally did arrive he went from coffin to coffin to present medals and to talk to the widows and relatives of the fallen SAF troopers, which would have been great and would probably help in easing the nation’s anger over this fiasco.

The thing was the demeanor of Noynoy Aquino which was very noticeable as the event was covered live on TV; it was that of someone who was reluctant and forced to be in that place and situation.

It became more obvious as he went from coffin to coffin; his body language showed it all, he was mumbling something which they say were prayers but it looked more like someone muttering out complaints. This was evident as after every mumbling he made some gestures which they said he was making the sign of the cross, now if someone was really praying one would make the proper sign of the cross, wouldn’t you?

But Noynoy Aquino on live televise did not look like someone making the proper sign of the cross but someone scratching his forehead and belly.

The hypocrisy and insincerity of Noynoy Aquino was felt by everyone that morning as nobody wanted to look at him or shake his hand when he approached the widows and relatives of the fallen SAF troopers. Their body language and facial expressions showed it all, they avoided looking at him and only shook his hands if he offered it, probably out of politeness, after all this was the President of the Philippines and Commander-in-Chief.

Let’s put it this way, both Noynoy Aquino and the widows/relatives wanted it to be over and done with. They didn’t want him to be there and he also did not want to be there.

And that was not all, there was more. The clincher was his eulogy, it was all about him and his (again) dead parents. Thank God he only talked about his father and spared everyone the irritation of him talking about his mother and all their sufferings under Marcos.

Oh, and this time he did not or not yet blame former President Gloria Arroyo for the whole fiasco.

If anybody dared to open the sealed coffins and looked, the mutilated corpses of the Fallen 44 must be spinning as Noynoy Aquino was rambling on about his father, that Malaysian Marcial Bonifacio a.k.a. Ninoy Aquino.

By the way, Noynoy Aquino, that event was the necrological services of the 44 fallen SAF troopers. It was supposed to be about honoring their sacrifice for the country and not about your father and what you felt when he died.

And no, your father was not a hero and his name should be removed from the Manila International Airport while all his statues should be destroyed and made into landfill. (brotherlouie16@gmail.com/PN)