The falsehood must stop!

Many years ago, there was an old movie. Its title was "Run Silent, Run Deep" and if I recall correctly the name of the lead star, he was Glenn Ford. I had to save a few centavos then to pay for a ticket in my desire to watch it because our high school English teacher mentioned about the movie in the class. I just wanted to find the relevance of the film with her lecture on profound people not being loquacious.

As I remember, It was a war picture, in fact, the kind that I liked most. Glenn Ford played the role of a hard-nosed and cerebral captain of a submarine who talked less. His understanding of the capability of his vessel applied to the theories of naval warfare was profound. In the submarine's attacks against the enemy's navy running deep was its method. When the naval units of the enemy were lulled into complacency by the apparent silence of the seas, Glenn Ford would fire his torpedo and sink his foes.

I remember "Run Silent, Run Deep" when I read a news story that was carried in yesterday's papers. Atty. Eduardo R. Gullas, the president of the university where I teach Constitutional Law, filed a criminal case against a certain Clifford de los Reyes.

What is the relation between the movie title and the action of Sir Eddiegul? Before going any further, let me put on record and disclose my link. Paulino "Paul" Gullas, who was considered one of the 7 wise men of the 1934 Constitutional Convention, founded this paper, The Freeman, where I write this column. Paul Gullas, was the brother of Don Vicente Gullas, the father of Sir Eddiegul. Sometime in 1965, Dr. Jose R. Gullas, revived The Freeman. Dr. Gullas, Sir Dodong, to many, is the brother of Sir Eddiegul.

But, let me assure you that when I wrote a column entitled "In Defense Of My University President", few weeks ago, I tried to be as objective as I could. That write up expressed my sentiment that political campaigns need not be personal such that when the adversaries of my university president resorted to unchristian language in maligning Sir Eddiegul, I thought I should come up with an article that was reflective of the truth. When he called me up to say a word of his appreciation, I believed that his hurt, inflicted by the libel he received, was somehow appeased.

To recall, Sir Eddiegul started his distinguished public service in 1969. I do not however remember of any case filed by him all these years of his public life. Yes, he must have received harsh criticisms from foes and friends alike, like all politicians do, but he professed that comments go with the territory and so he basically rolled with the punches.

It thus caught me by surprise to realize that he had to go to court to protect the integrity of his name. It is not his nature to sue people. He would rather offer the other side of his face if someone slapped him. That is the kind of gentleman he is.

The news item went deep to the bottom of his court action. Men from almost all media outlets covered the filing of the case and all of them tried to clarify the story. From the reports, I learned that someone peddled a story that Sir Eddiegul recently sold Tabunok Public market to a Chinese businessman and that he got P30 million from the sale. In the complaint of Sir Eddiegul, that someone is a certain Clifford de los Reyes.

Sir Eddiegul was quoted as saying that that story was false because he never sold any property of Talisay's public domain, much less the Tabunok Public Market to anyone. In his entire public life, he never entered into any such sale transaction as to part away with any government property.  But even if he was dishonored when this canard was first being circulated, he, true to his nature, just kept silent. The truth, according to him, would eventually reveal itself and vindicate his honor.

The false peddler did not stop his lies. Perhaps because Sir Eddie was silent, the purveyor of falsehood thought he was free to further his libelous attack. He must have been banking on the fact that Sir Eddiegul never hailed to court anyone who stained his reputation. Well, Clifford de los Reyes was wrong. Let us await how he defends himself.