Unpayable IOU
"Black Maria" prison vans hustled us 22 journalists from our detention cells in Fort Bonifacio and Camp Crame to the Supreme Court building on Taft Avenue.That was a couple of days after the Marcos dictatorship clamped on martial law under the rigged Proclamation 1081.
People in the streets stared at us -- and looked away.. Led by the polite Col Generoso Alejo, we were hustled into the Court where defense Joker Arroyo and other defense counsels, like Sedfrey Ordonez, were gathered.
Joker was our counsel pro bono. Defendants included, among others, Teodoro Locsin, Sr. Joaquin "Chino" Roces, Napoleon G. Rama, Maximo Soliven, Amando Doronila, then of the Daily Mirror, Luis D Beltran, Benny Esquivel and others.
I will never forget what Joker whispered to us just before the Marcos supreme court filed in to hear our petition. "Look at those characters. Fat chance for justice. There"
"But if you maintain your petition, you will at least keep something, on the record. Not much but it is better and nothing. Up to you."
We did - and lived to see the day when Cory Aquino fired the Marcos justices when people peoples power erupted.
Joker kept in touch over the years. He showed up at our 45th wedding anniversary in Cebu, the wife sniffles.
Some IOUs you can never pay. Still, we say " Salamat Joker. Your passing leaves a void in sky."
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