Chain of Command

The dwindling number of Filipinos (more than half of Filipinos now are below 25 years of age) who were already around at the time Ninoy Aquino was killed will insist, to this day, that they know who ordered the assassination.

But if the truth be told, we only think we know. All of us were not present at the creation. None of us were ever in on the planning. What we only have in our hearts is a fairly good idea of who could have given the order.

And so it is with the soldiers convicted in connection with the killing, whose release recently on executive clemency after spending more than 25 years in prison has sparked a storm of protest.

The protest is not so much against the actual release itself but because of the fact that, to this day, the soldiers have stuck to their story that another man, Rolando Galman, was the one who shot Ninoy and it was Galman whom the soldiers consequently gunned down.

We have completely nailed our minds to what we think we know of the story, which is rather simplistic if you ask me -- that of soldiers simply taking Ninoy off the plane and then shooting him, and then Galman as the fallguy.

We refuse to acknowledge the fact that a heart capable of ordering such a heinous crime must have a devious mind to go with it, and that devious mind is capable of hatching a plot more elaborate than we, in our close-mindedness, are willing to give him or her credit for.

I do not think the plot was hastily hatched as Ninoy was already on the plane enroute to Manila. I believe it was already in place for a while, ready in the event he would return. When he did, it was simply a matter of setting the plot into motion.

Thus the soldiers could not have been part of the plot. They were too many, and too low and ordinary to be committed. The risk was great they would balk at shooting someone like Ninoy when the moment came. But they could shoot someone bursting on the scene, like Galman.

I believe Galman was the designated hitman. But since it would be too risky to rely on only one assassin, there had to be a backup. That backup had to be one of the soldiers. But only one. The rest knew nothing. They were just thrust into a situation, just like you and me.

To show you why I think the soldiers on the ground were too far removed from those who were really in on the plot, allow me to reprint this piece given me by a friend a long time ago. It will show how complicated things are in the chain of command.

General to Colonel: There will be a lunar eclipse at 9 p.m. Assemble the men at the parade grounds to watch it. If it rains, have them proceed to the gym where I will instead give a briefing about the morality of man.

Colonel to Major: There will be a lunar eclipse tonight. But it will rain at 9 p.m. on the parade grounds, so assemble the men in the gym instead to hear the General give a briefing on the morality of rain.

Major to Captain: The men are to be assembled at the parade grounds at 9 p.m. They will then proceed to the gym to escape the rain which will fall after the briefing on the morality of a general lunar eclipse.

Captain to Lieutenant: If the moon will be eclipsed tonight, it will rain at 9 p.m. The men assembled at the parade grounds should instead proceed in the general direction of the gym. We will be discussing briefly the conduct of moral men.

Lieutenant to Sargeant: A 9 p.m. the men will hold a parade on the grounds in celebration of the moon's eclipse. The General will then order the rain to fall on the gym for a brief period to bolster the morale of the men.

Sargeant to the men: All right, men! At 9 p.m. I want you to stand in the rain at the parade grounds to watch the General, who is a very moral man, proceed from the gym in his briefs in an effort to eclipse the moon.