Early morning drama

“Nabaril si General Angelo Reyes!”

 This was the earliest news that reached us in Japan.

 Several questions came to mind: “ Who would dare shoot General Reyes?” “Was his death related to the present expose’ in Congress?” “Was his death part of a wider destabilization move on the part of those who did not wish their involvement to be revealed as well?”

 We scrambled to our computers to hear the rest of the news.

 Sadly, the TV live stream that used to be available for free was now restricted only to licensed subscribers! What a big letdown! We opted for the next best, free live radio news reports from the Philippines.

 Slowly, the whole picture of the early morning drama at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina was being pieced together from various sources.

 General Angelo Tomas Reyes shot himself in front of his mother’s tomb. He was dead upon arrival at the hospital with a fatal shot to the chest that went through to the back.

  And the news continued on and on and on.

 From morning till evening, even up to the time this item was written last Tuesday evening, we were hooked to the radio news.

 It is rare for a Filipino, much less a military general, to commit suicide in a very public place, in front of a mother’s tomb.

 We wanted to understand how someone, a general, trained to be very strong against all forms of challenges, drew his gun close to his heart and chose or was led into ending his life, and why he did that while at his mother’s grave.

 The internet came alive with so many versions, so many reactions to that early morning drama of the 8th day of the 2nd month of 2011: Some kind, some sympathetic, some paying homage to former Secretary Angelo Reyes.  A lot of prayers too. Many questions asked as well.

 A number noted how the former Secretary followed the Japanese way of redeeming themselves by committing suicide. Critics, however, felt that the more honorable, heroic way should have been for the former official to tell the truth about all these allegations being hurled not only at him and his family but at the military institution so close to his heart.

 Until the end, “ he remained a newsmaker,” an announcer described former Secretary Reyes.

 Who can forget General Reyes who stood erect, did a salute to Erap,  his former Commander- in-Chief Erap before he left Erap’s side to serve GMA in various capacities, as Secretary of National Defense, DILG head, Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and DOE?

 Who can forget General Reyes now after his early morning dramatic suicide last Februay 8?

 If it was his intention to end all the speculations and allegations that hounded him before he ended his life, sadly, the investigations in Congress will proceed. If he wanted to shield his family from further pain and exposure, sadly, according to Senator Miriam Santiago, they will be called to answer questions that would have been asked of him. If it was his intention to silence all the questions and intrigues about his alleged involvement in certain questionable transactions, sadly, the clamor for truth will more loudly escalate.

 Only General Angelo Reyes knew why he did what he did before his mother’s tomb. He started his life in his mother’s womb – he ended it near, before his mother’s tomb.

 May he rest in God’s eternal rest and peace. May he have been carried by angels back to God, back in the loving of his mother and father who were so proud of him!

 In time, may his family and all Filipinos find God’s message behind the dramatic exit of General Angelo Reyes.

 Definitely, his death leaves us the message that we need to pray, pray, pray harder as a nation, as a people for peace and truth to reign.

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