Today is our 120th Philippine Independence Day. I used to blog about celebrating it too by watching programs on television and listening to news on how Independence Day was celebrated outside Metro Manila. Today though, I am not inspired to write about it.
Short of ranting again, for the last six months three Catholic priests were slain and I am sad that this is happening. Why are they targeting our priests? These are excerpts of a message from the clergy of the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan in our province in Pangasinan.
They are killing our flock. They are killing us the shepherds. They are killing our faith. They are cursing our Church. They are killing God again as they did in Calvary.
Killing is the solution. Killing is the language. Killing is the way. Killing is the answer. Killing is encouraged. Killing is their job. Killers are rewarded. Killers boast of their murders.
They kill in the streets. They kill inside homes. They kill in tricycles and jeeps. They kill in plazas. They kill in the malls. They kill in the chapels. The nation is a killing field. They kill everywhere. They are happy to kill. But we are not a nation of killers.
Are you still clapping? Are you still laughing? You still find it funny? You still think “Dapat lang”? Are you still saying “Pagbigyan natin”? Are you still saying our people feel safer now? Are you still saying this is the best government we ever had? Is this the change you want? Are these the changes you dream of? Are you still saying “There are some good things happening! Focus on the good”? If they curse us again for speaking up, we will not be surprised.
Are you afraid to talk? You think silence is a virtue? You think we your shepherds should sow unity by being like the monkeys who see and speak and hear no evil? You think we can be the next target if we speak? Do you still care? Where is your faith? You talk in whispers. You are afraid to be heard? Have we become numb and dumb?
And then we hear DND Secretary Lorenzana blaming the past administration about China.The Dept. of National Defense is supposed to be non-political but he just divided the nation with his words. This administration is the one kowtowing to China giving up our islands in West Philippine Sea and even our poor fishermen are being harassed by the Chinese in our Philippine waters. Malacanang says they don’t want war. Who says we do? We don’t but we can file diplomatic protests like what Ex-Pres. Aquino did before and we won but it is being ignored by the present administration.
What is there to celebrate? Our forebears risked their lives for our independence more than a hundred years ago. Should we not be proud of what they did? But it seems some of us tend to forget the sacrifice, standing up to foreign powers to gain our independence.
And here’s VP Leni Robredo looking more presidential while she leads the flag raising ceremony at the Jose Rizal shrine in Luneta. Standing still despite the rains. Kahit mabasa sa ulan.
(Photo by Philippine Star)
Dreams And Escapes 
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