I spent the whole of June this year in the US with Theo and Wowo. Edmund and I were on duty practically 24/7, taking care of our apo. I never had the chance to watch CNN or Netflix or shows I fancied like House Hunters International. I did manage to watch the news for a few minutes, but as soon as Theo saw me watching the news, he said “transfer Wowa”.
As soon as we’re back in Manila, I was back to my morning ritual of reading the only newspaper we subscribe to nowadays, Philippine Star, delivered every morning at around 6 am.
One morning, Edmund said “lumalaki yung balita sa missing sabungero, nabanggit si Atong Ang at Gretchen Barretto.” I didn’t know what he was talking about. “Alin yun?” He said “yan nasa front page, matagal na yang balita.”
I have stopped watching local news on television for a long time. I also do not read online news because so many appear to be invented either to sensationalize, destroy a personality, or merely to create content that will attract readers to click. Although limited in coverage and at least one day delayed, I prefer reading the morning newspaper. I am more confident that the articles have been edited and fact checked before publishing.
To update myself of current events in our country, I started reading the back copies of Philippine Star. I became curious about the Missing Sabungeros crime scandal. I went on You tube channel and watched the short features done by the team of Jessica Soho. The whistle blower named Julie Patidongan alias Totoy alleged that 108 sabungeros were killed and many were dumped in Taal Lake.
I saw some of the photos of the missing persons and I couldn’t help but feel bad. Some were as young as 14, 17, 19. And I think there were females too. It was heartbreaking to see one of the mothers howling after being told that her missing son was one of those picked up from the Manila Arena and killed. She almost passed out. The worst thing that could happen in a mother’s life is to lose her child. Kawawa naman.
Strangely, every single night, no fail, included in my prayers before I sleep is that missing persons be found, returned to their families. My deep sense of empathy for those who lost their loved ones started 38 years ago when flyers upon flyers were dropped in our mail box in San Lorenzo, CA, about babies, toddlers, and young teens who have remained missing for as long as 10, 15, 20 years. Even if you bump into them at the grocery store, they would no longer recognize you and you can’t recognize your missing loved one too. I found this emotionally disturbing, most especially now that I am much older and have one, and soon to have two grandchildren.
I am updated about the current diving operations conducted at Taal Lake by the Philippine Coast Guard. The waters are murky and their leader said they have zero visibility. I didn’t know that the lake is that deep, at least 40 meters deep.
So far the divers have recovered some sacks containing burnt bones but it’s too early to conclude that those were the alleged missing sabungeros.
(Video from TV Patrol, ABS-CBN News)
Edmund—– “Kaya ang tataba ng tawilis sa Tagaytay.”
Bulalo and tawilis are the favorite dishes tourists love in Tagaytay. And we are one of those na pag-upo pa lang sa restaurant, tatanungin agad yung waiter “meron kayong tawilis?”
We were in Tagaytay a few days ago. Before going, I told my husband “remind me not to order tawilis.”
(Video from DZMM ABS CBN News)
