How to Be a Hero
I arrive at the workplace and find the editor standing behind the chair beside mine, watching intently the interview of Howie Severino with a woman who authored a book about Martial Law.
I sit. He speaks to me. "Gustong ipalibing ni Chiz Escudero sa Libingan ng mga Bayani si Marcos."
"Yeah, I heard. Yung father daw po kasi niya..."
"Oo, KBL kasi yung tatay nun."
...
"That photo, yung jeep, one of the iconic photos of Martial Law, ang kwento niyan is yung mga rallyista, dahil duguan na sila, nagtakbuhan sila papasok sa jeep. Pero kahit nasa loob na sila, pinapalo pa rin sila. Ayun oh..."
He tells me more things about Martial Law, and because of my very limited knowledge on the subject, I react with a nod and mentally note of what he says, being that I was once really into literature about Martial Law.
"Sir, di ba, tito mo si Emman (Lacaba)?" I remember seeing his name on the frontpage yesterday.
"Oo. Nung makita yun, di na makilala. Grabe yung..." (Gestures on his face).
He takes a bite on his cheese pandesal. "You kill one person or two, you go to prison. Kill a million, gagawin kang bayani."
I sit. He speaks to me. "Gustong ipalibing ni Chiz Escudero sa Libingan ng mga Bayani si Marcos."
"Yeah, I heard. Yung father daw po kasi niya..."
"Oo, KBL kasi yung tatay nun."
...
"That photo, yung jeep, one of the iconic photos of Martial Law, ang kwento niyan is yung mga rallyista, dahil duguan na sila, nagtakbuhan sila papasok sa jeep. Pero kahit nasa loob na sila, pinapalo pa rin sila. Ayun oh..."
He tells me more things about Martial Law, and because of my very limited knowledge on the subject, I react with a nod and mentally note of what he says, being that I was once really into literature about Martial Law.
"Sir, di ba, tito mo si Emman (Lacaba)?" I remember seeing his name on the frontpage yesterday.
"Oo. Nung makita yun, di na makilala. Grabe yung..." (Gestures on his face).
He takes a bite on his cheese pandesal. "You kill one person or two, you go to prison. Kill a million, gagawin kang bayani."
