HIGHER STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Why was the NPC mural with the theme of ‘Press
Freedom’ censored? Who stands to benefit from its defiling? I’m going
to take time to analyze the edited parts of the mural.

1. The
erasure of a big portion of the newspaper held by the central figure,
containing the statement of the International Federation of Journalists
regarding the perceived effects of the anti-terror law on press
freedom, and replaced by a hideous bird-monster in a cage.

If
you’re wondering why anti-terror laws can have adverse effect of press
freedom, take these as an example: it criminalizes the sowing and
creation of “widespread and extraordinary fear and panic among the
populace, in order to coerce the government to give in to the unlawful
demand;” and it allows punishment for “conspiracy to commit terrorism.”
In a country like ours where trumped-up drug charges are abundant as
hooligans in the PNP, those two points in quotes can easily be used to
curb dissenting speech. Even the editorial or an opinion article in a
daily can warrant surveillance. Simply put, an idealistic journalist is
branded a terrorist by powers-that-be.

They thought the bird in
a cage replacement in the censored version may suffice as it may well
imply “ibon man may layang lumipad.” It is their own wishful thinking
that they can fly away with such a despicable edit. Since Erap’s
downfall, most of those who think already know the caged truth of our
existence. In this case, it is just as disgusting as it should be very
disgusting to see a caged bird instead of the statement of the IFJ.

2.
The alteration of the headline of the newspaper Jose Rizal is holding
from “Press Freedom Fighter’s Son Abducted” to “Press Freedom Fight is
on” and the defacement of Jonas and Edith Burgos’s pictures as well as
the erasure of Jonas’s name.

Who is Jonas Burgos? Who the hell
are the Burgos’ anyway? Jonas is the son of the late newspaper
publisher, Joe Burgos. Jonas by the way is an agriculturist who
provided technical training to leftwing farmers and made the famous
quote “I am just an activist” when he was being whisked away by
suspected military personnel.
 
If this abduction isn’t
reminiscent of the extra-judicial kidnappings and killings of the
Marcos-era then I insist that you have no idea of the Marcos-era. An
activist being kidnapped by activists doesn’t make any sense at all,
however, an activist being whisked away by the military makes some
sense. Press freedom fight pales in comparison when you read abduction
in bold letters imprinted on the front page of a newspaper.

3.   The change of the tattoo on Andres Bonifacio’s left arm from the alibata “K” to a sappy red heart pierced by an arrow.

Why would a symbol of the Katipunan be censored? Andres Bonifacio is a
hero. Many would protest that I would nominate him to be the national
one for the reason that he took to arms and fought oppression head on.
The conspiracy-sense in me tingles at the thought that Jose Rizal was
installed as the national hero for the very purpose of aligning the
psyche of Filipinos to how Jose Rizal fought oppression. But that’s
just me. The alibata on Bonifacio’s arm, how leftist it maybe to the
narrow-headed paranoid mind is a symbol of him and the Katipunan and
defiling it with a sappy heart found on most arms of inmates is an
abomination of the extreme kind.

4.     The erasure of the name of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines from the banners of the rallyists.

Is it because the NUJP is the one in reality at the forefront of press
freedom or the NPC is afraid of being dethroned? Whatever is the case,
the NPC swallowed their very own hook, line and sinker. Not only did
they prove beyond reasonable doubt if there was really any doubt
anyway, with how they censored their very own mural on press freedom.

5.
The lengthening of the hair and beard of the figure identified as
academician-columnist Prof. Randy David beside columnist Conrad de
Quiros.

The addition of beard and mustache and the change of
hair color from white to black of the pugo and balut vendor identified
as columnist and Martial Law detainee Juan Mercado.

Juan
Mercado and Randy David both freedom fighters, I need not elaborate
their contributions to our society. So why in whoever’s name would
censor their appearance in the mural. A cheap shot in my guess like
when you see someone in a magazine or a comic book who dispute your
good-looks or someone you know you could not kill but very much detest,
a cowardly act by my book.

All those graffiti, alterations
and abominations were done not because some frat-worshipper wacko got
hold of a can of spray paint. And I am positive that the one
responsible could not possibly ask Isaac Mendez in his elevated state
to alter the state of the mural. So the big question is… for who and
why?

It was alleged that the Presidential Security Group
coerced the NPC to have the mural altered. If that is the case then it
wouldn’t take a wise man clutching incense and myrrh to discern who is
responsible. Frankly, you need not watch the news or read the papers to
know. The word of mouth that is very mouthful at that, points to the
one, not the One of The Matrix kind but the one who most people in the
street blurt out to why we are in this wretched state. Moreover, given
the fact that the PSG did not coerce the NPC, you would just have to
inquire who the present heads of the NPC are, who are they aligned with
or who appointed whom.

So who? It can never be more precise. It
is the doctrine of hierarchical accountability—The Yamashita or Medina
standard. Who? COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY.

[To be concluded]

It
has been weeks since the National Press Club (NPC) mural was sodomized
for the reason that there are many leftist elements inculcated in the
mural by the Angono artists. I for one was shocked when I read the
paper that day. I have been meaning to write a protest blog for that
fiasco but due to previous engagements I decided to postpone it for a
week or two, knowing all too well that due to the initial alarm that
such attack on press freedom, a tsunami of protest and violent
reactions would surely ensue and after a couple of weeks the public
would then forget about the whole fiasco. You may call it a blessing in
disguise or I may call it prolonging the public outrage over such a
despicable assault on the freedom of the press. So, here, now, after
weeks of silence, I am now sounding my indignation on why the NPC which
stood by the motto of the freedom of the press is at the forefront of
censoring it. However, I am saving my disgust for the disgusting
alteration of the NPC mural for my next post. As a pre-cursor, I’ll be
sharing with you the speech of V from the movie V for Vendetta and hope
against hope that you find the parallels that I found. 

Good evening London,

Allow me first to apologize for this interruption. I
do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of every day routine- the
security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition. I enjoy them
as much as any bloke. But
in the spirit of commemoration, thereby those important events of the
past usually associated with someone’s death or the end of some awful
bloody struggle, a celebration of a nice holiday, I thought we could
mark this November the 5th, a day that is sadly no longer remembered,
by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a
little chat. There are of course
those who do not want us to speak. I suspect even now, orders are being
shouted into telephones, and men with guns will soon be on their way.
Why? Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation;
words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning,
and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth
is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn’t there?
Cruelty and injustice! Intolerance and oppression! And where once you
had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now
have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and
soliciting your submission.    

How
did this happen? Who’s to blame? Well certainly there are those more
responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again
truth be told, if you’re looking for the guilty, you need only look
into a mirror. I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who
wouldn’t be? War! Terror! Disease! There were a myriad of problems
which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common
sense. Fear got the best of you, and in your panic you turned to the now high chancellor, Adam Sutler. He promised you order, he promised you peace, and all he demanded in return was your silent, obedient consent. Last
night I sought to end that silence. Last night I destroyed the Old
Bailey, to remind this country of what it has forgotten.   

More than four hundred years ago a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His
hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice, and freedom are
more than words, they are perspectives. So if you’ve seen nothing, if
the crimes of this government remain unknown to you then I would
suggest you allow the fifth of November to pass unmarked. But if you
see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek,
then I ask you to stand beside me one year from tonight, outside
the gates of Parliament, and together we shall give them a fifth of
November that shall never, ever be forgotten. 

[To be continued]