F. Sionil Jose nanawagan ng rebolusyon!

SI F. Sionil Jose ay hindi lamang tunay na national artist, siya ay isang patriot at nationalist din. Hindi siya tulad ng ibang naturingang national artist kuno pero di naman dumaan sa tamang proseso. Kaya ang mga ‘yun ay mga pekeng national artist na itinalaga ng isang pekeng leader na may mga pekeng puso. Bakit ko nasabing nationalist si F. Sionil Jose? Dahil siya ay may malaking puso para sa inambayan at para sa mga mamamayang hina-hampas­lupa. At siya ay nanawagan sa ating lahat na mag-rebolusyon. I’m going to quote excerpts of what he boldly wrote in the December 2004 issue of the very prestigious Far Eastern Economic Review. Ang pamagat ng kanyang isinulat ay “A call for a revolution in the Philippines .” Ito ang iilan sa mga sinabi ni F. Sionil Jose:

 “By what right do I have to urge revolution upon our people who will suffer from it? What right do I have to urge the young to sacrifice, the poor to get even poorer, if they embrace the revolutionary creed? I have no such right nor will I call it such. I call it duty, duty, duty for all rooted in our soil who believe that freedom is our destiny. Not every one can bear arms, or the physical strength to stand up, to shout loudly about the injustices that prevail around us.”

“Nobody need tell us the exorbitant cost of revolution, the lives that will be lost senselessly xxxx Joseph Conrad, Albert Camus and Jose Rizal, writers I admire deeply, all warned against revolution because it breeds tyrants, because it does not always bring change. But look around us, at the thousands of Filipinos who are  debased and hungry, who are denied justice. Be ashamed if you do not act.”

Mahiya raw tayong lahat dahil di pa tayo nagrerebolusyon! Sa palagay ko Ginoong Jose di ako kasama riyan sa dapat mahiya. May dalawang pending cases na po ako na rebellion at inciting to sedition. Ang dapat mahiya sa usaping ito ay ang mga naturingang “protector of the people.” Uulitin ko ang nasabi ko na noong nakaarang linggo sa kolum na ito na ayon sa constitutionalist na si Fr. Joaquin Bernas, “the AFP can be a legitimate instrument to overthrow a government which has ceased to be a servant of the people.” Nais ko ring paalalahanan ang mga protector of the people na ang “Protector of the People clause” ng ating Saligang Batas ay mas importante at mas mabigat na provision kaysa sa “Commander-in-Chief clause” lalo na kung ang tumatayong commander-in-chief naman ninyo ay peke.