The very first issue

MANILA, Philippines - How could there not be chaos when we were all in a frenzy putting out the first issue of the newspaper, the 23rd to join the already-saturated market in the early days of the Cory administration?

Indeed, it was many years ago, but the picture is still clear in my mind: Then STAR editor-in-chief Tony Roces managing editor Ricky Agcaoili and senior editor Bobby dela Cruz have just emerged from the first-ever story conference in Mr. Roces’ cubicle. They have just decided on what stories should go on Page One the following morning, and had given my story on the violent dispersal of a Marcos loyalist rally at Rizal Park a two-column treatment up front.

I was struggling with my copy on a rickety Olympia typewriter as sweat drenched my body and my nose ran from tear gas fumes from the Manila police’s crowd dispersal elements, who had thrice driven away the loyalists, when the lone phone rang.

One of my informants was on the other end of the line and, fighting back excitement, he exclaimed, “Boss, may gulo sa Luneta. Bumalik ka na lang doon. (There’s trouble at Luneta Park. You have to go back there.)”

“Ano’ng mayroon (What happened)?”

“May binugbog daw na Cory-ista, nasa  PGH (a Cory follower has been mauled. He’s now at the Philippine General Hospital).”

“Sige, salamat (Yes, thank you),” I muttered.

I remember the exchange of words took just a few seconds. A call to an intelligence community office monitoring the loyalists’ rally confirmed the incident, and I hurried to the news desk to give them the information.

Ricky and Bobby gnashed their teeth. “There goes our front page make-up,” Ricky said, sighing.

Tony and Bobby just looked at each other, but the excitement was evident in their faces.

I summoned photographer Nick Galino from the photo lab and we hurried off to the PGH in my trusty Ford Escort. On a cold steel bed at the morgue, we found the lifeless body of 22 year-old Saudi-bound worker Steve Salcedo.

Nick’s colleague, Ariel Antolin, panted in with word that he had captured on film the mauling of Steve and had himself helped bring the hapless victim to PGH.

The three of us hurried back to the newsroom, where the editors were eagerly awaiting fresh bits of information they could add to what I had phoned in earlier from the hospital.

“The victim was in a yellow T-shirt,” I told them.

From this, then editorial consultant Raul Gonzales coined The STAR’s first banner headline – “Wear yellow and die” – splashed across the page. Ariel’s and Nick’s dramatic photos occupied the whole of Page One, with my story running from top to bottom of the page.

Indeed, a star –– The STAR –– had been born.

But even before the first issue was put to bed, the late Mrs. Betty Go-Belmonte, STAR founding chairman of the board, had started the Steve Salcedo Fund Drive, with the aim of helping his family get justice for his death. The fund drive was sustained until a conviction was obtained for those who were indicted for his death.

Days after the fatal mauling, those photographs would prove vital to the police in the apprehension of three of the suspects, And after a week, the same photos led to the arrest of two more loyalist- maulers of Salcedo. And years later, all five, one of them including commercial model Annie Ferrer, were meted a prison term for the death of Steve.

The day the sentence was handed down by a Manila judge, Tita Betty (who had gracious words for me on the day The STAR hit the streets with the first issue) welcomed Steve’s mother, Josephine, into The STAR newsroom. She had dropped in to thank The STAR “for all the help you have extended to our family.”

Mrs. Belmonte, pride and modesty in her face, gave all those of us in the newsroom a wink and in a soft whisper, said, “We were only keeping up with our motto, “Truth Shall Prevail”.

Twenty-five years hence, “Truth Shall Prevail” is still The STAR’s moving spirit and guiding principle. (Reprinted)