We must pray for deliverance from evil
Since Tuesday Feb.24th was a holiday in Cebu City, my wife and I decided to drive all the way from the city to Hagnaya, San Remigio and cross to Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island on board the Island Ferry Express. We stayed at the Anika Island Resort owned by my golf crony Nelson Yuvallos. His resort was the only one that survived Super Typhoon Yolanda with minimal damage. A year after that terrible typhoon, Anika Island Resort is enjoying brisk business even on a weekday like last Tuesday.
One resort that had its humble beginnings some 20 years ago is the Bantayan Island Nature Park & Resort, owned and operated by Capt. Francisco "Jun" and Susan Pacheco, in Barangay Sillon, Bantayan. Susan is my wife Jessica's childhood BFF and when they got that property, it wasn't yet a resort…but they showed us the Mabiba Cave, which they renamed the Sto. Niño Cave as they acquired that property during the Sinulog.
We were with Mabuhay Magazine's star photographer George Tapan at that time… and he featured the Sto. Niño Cave in an article that featured Bantayan Island in Mabuhay Magazine. I haven't been back there since and when we got there I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Bantayan Island Nature Park & Resort has an Olympic sized swimming pool, the biggest fresh water pool in the whole island! Today they have only 22 rooms available because some rooms had been damaged by the typhoon.
Capt. Jun Pacheco is a retired airline pilot while Susan was a cabin crew purser who eventually worked with the Air Transportation Office (ATO) now renamed CAAP. Being old friends, the major topic was about our current state in the aviation industry, which leaves a lot to be desired. But with these two resorts, Anika Island Resort and the Bantayan Island Nature Park & Resort, they have truly upped the standards for resorts in Bantayan Island.
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Last Wednesday, President Benigno Aquino III led the commemoration of the 29th anniversary of the first People Power Revolution but with a twist -- this time the crowd in the EDSA Shrine were asking for his resignation following the Mamasapano massacre. For many years, fewer and fewer people would troop to the EDSA shrine because in truth, there was really nothing to celebrate because 29 years after the EDSA Revolt, the same issues that have been plaguing the nation, such as cheating in the elections and a serious lack of justice, still hound the nation and, yes, despite a strong economy, no one really focused on improving the lot of the poor. The DWSD is contended with giving out dole-outs to impoverished families who really need jobs.
Last Wednesday, the celebration of the EDSA People's Power Revolt began gathering a big crowd but with a twist as the crowd that trooped to EDSA demanded that Pres. Aquino resign over his mis-handling of the Mamasapano operation that killed 44 Special Action Force troopers. What is worse than the Mamasapano tragedy is the on-going cover-up by the House of Representatives and pinning the blame on suspended Philippine National Police Chief Alan Purisima. What an irony!
In another dramatic move, it was the first time in 29 years that former President Fidel V. Ramos purposely missed the People Power Revolution anniversary celebration in EDSA and instead he demanded that the Aquino administration come out with the truth on the January 29 Mamasapano incident. While FVR did not call for the resignation of the President, he insisted that the truth must come out for the sake of the 44 fallen SAF troopers. FVR wore a SAF uniform on that day in solidarity with the grieving families of the SAF who were killed.
Indeed what we are seeing here is a massive cover-up where Malacañang used their allies in the House of Representatives. After the Senate concluded their hearings, Senate Pres. Franklin Drilon said, "I don't think there is anything more to explain. It is clear that the President gave specific instructions, which were followed, maybe this unfortunate incident would not have happened, and particularly on the coordination."
This statement from an ambush interview of Sen. Drilon has sent jitters in the hearts of many Filipinos who have yet to hear the whole truth as to why that tragedy in Mamasapano, Maguindanao was allowed to happen. Pres. PNoy may have told the Senators in an executive session, but they certainly did not tell this to the Filipino people.
In my book, it is crystal clear that the Malacañang sycophants have decided that both suspended and then resigned PNP Chief Alan Purisima and sacked SAF Chief Getulio Napeñas are their fall guys, so as to protect the Aquino Presidency. But whether they like it or not, because of command responsibility the President cannot do a Pontius Pilate and wash his hands from this tragedy because the whitewash or cover-up of this incident would certainly be worse than the deaths of the 44 fallen SAF troopers.
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For email responses to this article, write to [email protected] or [email protected]. His columns can be accessed through www.philstar.com.
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