The fruits never fall far from the tree - a tale of repression in banana country

6 Abra students were "kidnapped" a few weeks back. The AFP's local brass vehemently denied involvement in the crime (as they always do). They made up a story of some the students not being students at all and instead were supposedly in their forties already.

"The village of Kili, with the help of the neighboring villages in northern Sagada, organized search teams to locate the missing schoolchildren. Later, they found out that soldiers detained the children at a military camp in Lagangilang."... The AFP official again denied that they abducted the teenagers. He said they took custody of the children to protect them from being harmed in sporadic clashes between NPA rebels and government soldiers along the mountain trail.

Asked why the boys remained in the soldiers' custody for 11 days, the officer said: "The number of days was immaterial. What was important was the intention to keep them safe."

The fruit never falls far from the tree. Another tale of repression in banana country.

A Tribute To a Real New Filipino Hero

Many Filipinos have been touted as new heroes for our nation to honor. There's a Pacquiao who i strongly disagree to be a hero. How can someone who does it first and foremost - for personal wealth and glory - be a national hero? He wouldn't even fight for a world championship because the money is not right... Some would say that he is a hero for representing the Filipino nation, but then shouldn't every honest and excelling athlete, OFW and export-based entrepreneur be in the same league? Sorry, but where is the selflessness, where is the sacrifice? Their work makes all of them honorable, but not heroes.

One true hero is Musa Dimasidsing, a true Filipino Muslim patriot, someone who does what he did (sacrificed his life and his family's future) deserves not only the quiet admiration of every Filipino citizen, he - first and foremost - deserves justice. A real hero (and a hero's family) loses materially in life what he gains in death - the admiration and respect of a grateful nation. Can commercial media's so-called heroes match up?

How can this nation ever "move on", as one woman would like to constantly advise, if we still hide the truth. How can we continue living if our new heroes are not allowed to live? If people like him are made to live in fear, if the nation is made to live in the darkness brought about by a policy of deceit.

A hero does not plan to be one, he does not live knowing he is one, he does not receive - while living - the plaudits of being one, but he always dies like one.

Lord god please take care of their families, please take care of all our real heroes.

Advise for the "leaving"

Hmmm its been quite a while hasnt it?

Which gets me back to my post's title "Advise for the 'leaving'..."

Well, i am totally confused with what i want to do...

I have told everyone else that if you leave then do so because you love (or may love) where you are going rather than leaving because you hate what you will be leaving behind.

Emotion is a bad driver for good decision making...