Senseless

Last week’s events both here and abroad provide a fitting segue to this week’s topic.

The impasse in Syria continues as the US ponders its next move. The seemingly positive response of the Assad government to the Russian proposal that Syria turn over its chemical weapons to the United Nations has certainly helped diffuse tension. Yet the dilemma remains — how should the world deal with such weapons moving forward?

As mentioned in last week’s Syrius column, there have been close to 100,000 casualties in this two-year -old civil war with over 1,000 victimized by these weapons.

General Douglas MacArthur once declared that “in war, there is no substitute for victory” but I am sure that the good general did not believe that victory should be achieved by any means and at all costs. There are things that cannot be countenanced; that can in no way be considered acceptable as the price would be too high. Chemical warfare crosses that line.

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Backfire: Back home, dismaying (an understatement!) was the move of certain MNLF members who — in the process of proclaiming their message of independence — took civilians as hostages (resulting in the death of six) and disrupted (again, another understatement!) the lives of many a Zamboangueño. I do not profess any special knowledge or profound insight about the quest of our Muslim brothers and sisters for independence. While due recognition must be given to their unique religious and cultural traditions and practices, query if Filipinos (i.e., Christians, Muslims and those who profess other religions) would all be better served if we continue to exist as a nation united in its diversity as opposed to fragments divided in its differences. After all, many of our Asian neighbours have successfully dealt with and continue to deal with this challenge. And in a 21st century globalized, competitive environment, there is strength in size and numbers.

But once again, regardless of the justness of one’s cause, there are basic rules of comity and humanity that should be observed in advocating any cause. Using innocent civilians as human shields is clearly violative of such fundamental norms. Such moves eventually backfire, for instead of attracting new adherents to your side, you end up alienating those who may have been sympathetic.

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Justice for Kae: Equally saddening is the violent, senseless and untimely death of 25-year-old advertising executive Kristelle “Kae” Davantes. She joins a growing list of promising citizens minding their own business whose young lives are suddenly snuffed out by the violent forces permeating in our society. In a statement, the Advertising Board of the Philippines (AdBoard), with its member-associations, is offering its resources for an information campaign “so that those who committed this heinous crime can no longer victimize another.” We join Kae’s family and friends in praying for the eternal repose of her soul and that the perpetrators of this dastardly crime are immediately brought to justice.

Hope springs eternal: Whether it be the solitary case of a young lady strangled and stabbed – up close and personal – in the dead of night, a desperate stand by so-called liberation fighters hankering to fight a “war for independence” in a place that used to be known as the Land of the Flowers, or the far-reaching consequences of a chemical war being fought in an area ironically referred to as the “cradle of civilization” and where St. Paul experienced his moment of enlightenment, violence has permeated the news this past week. Have we not grown weary of war, brutality and mayhem? It appears that peace and concord — in the home, in our communities, in our country, and in our world — still needs to be a constant, conscious, and “everyday” choice. Next Saturday, the 21st of September, is auspicious for being the day we in the Philippines avow never to forget the dark days of Martial Law. But it is also the day on which the world observes the International Day of Peace. I dare to hope that next week’s four centavos will be of better tidings, more positive observations, and more hopeful stories.

Legal eagles converge:  The Ateneo School of Law will be holding its grand alumni homecoming on October 18 at the New World Hotel in Makati City. This year’s homecoming is hosted by Class 1989 which counts Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, Valenzuela Rep. Maggi Gunigundo, PALS (and Batch 89) president Ernest Maceda, former Mindoro Vice Governor and SEC Commissioner Thaddy Venturanza, and leading private practitioner Eric Puno among its members,. The Class has chosen the theme, “Generations of Ateneo Lawyers,” in honor of families who have two or more members who are law school graduates as well as Jubilarian classes ’88, ’73 and ’63.

Ateneo Law alumni are encouraged to attend this year’s annual homecoming. Tickets are priced at P1,500 and for an additional donation of P5,000, one gets the chance to win a brand new Volvo XC60 (heavily discounted, I am told, c/o another classmate, Viking Cars president Albert Arcilla.)   For more information about the event, please contact Atty. Vicky Ortega-Pollisco at 0918-9096829 or Jennielyn Roque of the Ateneo Law Alumni Office at 8997691 loc 2125 or 9865598.

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Greetings: Birth anniversary best wishes to Diamond Hotel general manager Vanessa Suatengco. Under her stewardship, the hotel has gained lustre as it seeks to live up to its name.

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“It is neither a culture of confrontation nor a culture of conflict which builds harmony within and between peoples, but rather a culture of encounter and a culture of dialogue; this is the only way to peace.” — Cf.  Pope Francis’ Angelus Appeal for Peace in Syria

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