When I found out that the guest of honor and speaker at the MOPC night would be the AFP Chief of Staff, I had second thoughts of going. I knew the ballroom would be full of uniformed men. And maybe the topic would be boring. But I’ve been absent thrice in the past Philippines, Inc. meetings so I proceeded to Hotel Intercon and attended the monthly Manila Overseas Press Club dinner gathering to say hi to my colleagues.
Bodyguards et al.
Babe Romualdez is the newly elected chairman and to show our support, Philippines, Inc. sponsored one table.
I arrived at exactly 7:30 pm. RP Manhit, Tonyboy Cojuangco, Tony Lopa, Susing Pineda, and Tony Garcia were seated already at Table #5.
Susing Pineda, Tony Garcia, Atty. Mike Toledo. Mike always look so dapper.
Around 8 pm, they started serving food.
Apple and potato salad, called Waldorf
I have observed that the dinner plates, glasses, and utensils used at the ballroom look cheap. I didn’t feel like I was dining in a five star hotel.
I liked Gen. Emmanuel Bautista. His speech was short, simple. He didn’t sound like a grandstanding politician.
His answers in the open forum was cryptic which I preferred. His answers were calculated. He did not make pronouncements. His answers were all safe and neutral. He never gave his personal opinion on matters concerning the military and its activities.
Tony Lopez provided comic relief. He told General Bautista he looks too nice and gentle for a warrior.
The other generals also answered questions from the media regarding the modernization plans.
We all applauded when General Bautista answered “We can”, when asked if we could defend ourselves in the event we’re invaded by another country”. I was glad I forced myself to attend this dinner. I was honored to have met the AFP Chief of Staff, Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, defender and true warrior.
Gen. Bautista is the son of Brigadier Gen. Teodulo Bautista. His father was killed by the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in Patikul, Sulu on October 10, 1977. He went to Patikul to meet with the MNLF Commander, Usman Sali, to negotiate for a ceasefire. To show his good faith, he showed up at the meeting unarmed. Gen. Teodulo Bautista, together with his 33 army officers, were massacred. One soldier survived.
He probably didn’t watch action movies like James Bond, Mission Impossible, etc. The lead actors kunwari would meet with the villains in good faith, but their weapons were hidden beneath their pants, under their jackets, in their socks. Kasi nga, one could never be too sure and trusting.
The soldier son, Emmanuel, was only a freshman at the Philippine Military Academy when his father was killed. When he graduated from PMA in 1981, he wished to be assigned in Sulu, with the 1st Infantry Division, which his father commanded before his death, but his request was denied. He was never assigned in Sulu.
I had the great privilege and luck to have reached Sulu. I think I have mentioned that story before. I had a tv show that time and we went there to feature the livelihood projects. We were invited by the governor, Tupay Loong. We went to Patikul where the massacre happened. Our bodyguards and escorts looked like they were going to war, with tanks and bazooka. That was 20 years ago.
