MANILA, Philippines - Former Pres. Cory Aquino’s death has diminished many, including Dyords Javier. The singer-songwriter-comedian treasures his autographed picture of the democracy icon.
He owns not one, but two of this precious item. The other is also a framed autographed photo, this time of Cory on the Time Magazine cover. In his closet is a souvenir from a soldier who gave him one m16 bullet. The bullet which was never fired is symbol and reminder of the moment when peace reigned and prayer rained.
Dyords recalls how he answered the call of EDSA I which Cory inspired.
“I left in the middle of a show at Light and Sound theater when I heard Cardinal Jaime Sin’s call for people to come over to Camp Aguinaldo,” says Dyords.
The place was dark, but he wasn’t afraid. He knew his way around since Dyords grew up in that part of town. He was wrong. The darkness played tricks on him and Dyords and wife-to-be Chiquita were lost inside the camp. After a few more futile tries, they decided to head for home.
Just as his car was speeding past the 15th Avenue Camp Aguinaldo gate, Dyords and Chiquita heard a clanging sound. The gate closing in on them! A few seconds more and they would have been trapped inside the camp for weeks!
That didn’t stop Dyords from heeding Cardinal Sin’s call again, this time for people to go to EDSA. Dyords drove back and was one of the first to arrive on the island at the corner of EDSA and Santolan with directors Johnny Manahan and Ipe Pelino. Dyords witnessed the seemingly endless sea of ATOM (August 21 Movement) members streaming down P. Tuason and filling up that intersection for the next hour. He walked from EDSA-Santolan to Shaw where he returned greetings from fellow Cory followers who turned the place into a vast picnic — and panic ground.
Next morning, he met Ma-an Hontiveros who called for volunteers to join her at PTV 4 (now the ABS-CBN Compound). Along with civilian agents, he and Pelino joined Ma-an in leading pro-Cory soldiers inside to take over the place. He did the same thing when June Keithley, calling from Radyo Bandido, asked for male volunteers to help her.
Dyords and broadcaster-brother Jimmy, who knew the place well, went past the guard who received them with open arms. Dyords and Jimmy climbed 13 flights of stairs in the absence of an elevator — again, the first to respond to the scene.
They thought it was the end when they heard helicopter blades whirring overhead. Thank God the aircraft was for Cory and her cause.
Figures why Keithley, Fr. Efren Datu, Col Santiago and brother Danny were urging Dyords to go “on-cam” with them to announce the news of former president Ferdinand Marcos’ flight to Hawaii.
Dyords declined. “I didn’t do it for the limelight. I reserve the spotlight for my concerts. I did it because it was the right thing to do,” Dyords says.
Though EDSA seems but a memory to some, Dyords lights up at the thought of how it upheld truth and the Filipinos’ self worth — values Cory lived for and lived by. Dyords continues to do the right thing at the right time. He’s helping raise funds for The Laren School through Dyords Ko Po! at Teatrino, Greenhills, 8 p.m. all-Thursdays, tonight and on Aug. 27; Sept. 3, 10, 17, 24 and Oct 1. Guests are John Lesaca, Vic & d’ Vaporubs band and prima ballerina Perry Sevidal. Honda Cars Kalookan, Crossover 105.1 FM, Hidden Valley Resort, Andok’s Litson Corp. Producer is Sterling Studios.
Tickets at P1,500 each are available at Teatrino and Ticketworld (tel. 891-9999) or through 0917-8256168, 0917-837-1598 and 893-7046. You may also order through www.larenschool-dkp.ning.com/page/order-your-tickets-here.