Saturday, February 28, 2015

Game over

Game over, Mr. President

Manila Bulletin – Sat, Feb 28, 2015
Many are amused when they find out that President Aquino, the bachelor that he is, is very fond of cars, video games, and handheld consoles. But when they see and feel that his enthusiast/gamer/player side is getting the better of him, nay, seemingly reflect his priorities, the people are no longer amused.
Take his penchant for cars. He once reportedly wanted a Porsche, shocking many of his supporters who thought that his Daang Matuwid was about moral renewal and simple living, and not fancy cars and car racing.
When he pushed through with inaugurating a car plant and checking out an array of cars prepared for presidential inspection – at about the same time the caskets of the 44 fallen Special Action Force commandos arrived at Villamor – the public exploded in anger.
Unmindful of the disappointment of the grieving families and the uniformed officers and in utter disregard of boiling public anger, he even doubled down the following day: He arrived late for the necrological services, delaying it in full view of the sad and angry entire nation.
We didn’t know what he was thinking. We didn’t know what his staff, many of them bright and educated, were writing. But we gasped at the self-centered and self-absorbed speech he delivered at the necrological rites. Not well thought of. Not a bit inspiring or inspirational. It was all about himself and his family.
It was like a recycled speech, updated with general references to the incident. Many felt that it was as if he was too busy with more important things at the time - infinitely more important than his constitutional duties as President, Commander-in-Chief,  and Head of State.
As we demanded answers to troubling questions about Mamasapano, we were treated to references that remind us of gaming, games, game play, and game “cheats.”
Were the SAF sent out to die a horrible death, as if they were mere characters in Call of Duty or the Defense of the Ancients? Did the president and active chief of police know anything more than the “advice” or “cheats” from a suspended chief of police?
The script changes almost by the day, with a singular focus on covering up the hand of the president in the console and dashboard of the Mamasapano operations. Whether about the time he was informed of the catastrophic results, it was either 5:00 am or 5:00 pm. The conflicting replies were akin to what players too engrossed in a massively multiplayer online game would give to non-players. They appear to have lost track of time.
But Operation Exodus wasn’t anything like DOTA. It involved hundreds of backup SAF, belated aid from the Philippine military and overall direction from the US military. It wasn’t supposed to be a game.
Those who have been “fortunate” to have been sought by the President to offer “explanations” – the widows of the SAF 44 – were reportedly given replies like:
“Kayo ba kapag kunwari itetext nyo friend nyo, ‘Kita tayo sa MOA,’ ganun lang ba kadali sa inyo na pumunta dun?”
“Ano gusto nyo gawin ko, kunin natin ang fingerprint ng mga kalaban? Aba madami iyun, para malaman natin sino pumatay sa mga kamag-anak nyo.”
“Tignan mo kung namumula ang mukha ko?”
“Namatay rin ang tatay ko, alam ko pakiramdam niyo kaya patas na rin tayo ngayon.”
“Naglalaro ka ba ng computer?”
Such words are emblematic of the coarse, craven language consistently used to “bamboozle” the public amid the many scandals that rock this administration. Whether it is about the unconstitutional Disbursement Acceleration Program, the fabrications in the State of the Nation Address, the disastrous relief, rescue, and rehabilitations operations in Eastern Visayas or Zamboanga, and the like, the answers sound the same: Arrogant, a la cacique, deceptive, double-tongued, and without respect to the intelligence of the public.
In yet another monumental folly, the administration this week shut down EDSA for tiny events at the People Power Monument and EDSA Shrine. No apologies were offered by the geniuses behind this year’s biggest, agonizing traffic mess. The only news the palace wanted out were the President’s speech and the “unity march” of police and soldiers professing loyalty amid coup fears gripping the administration.
At the other end of the blockaded EDSA, thousands gathered for a “human chain and interfaith prayer for truth and accountability,” only to be rebuffed by a Marcosian phalanx of police and firetrucks. The people in Cubao welcomed the rallyists with cheers and applause.
For many of the President’s former supporters, the Mamasapano was the last straw. And the ensuing cover up reinforces their decision, creates a broad unity with more citizens determined to stop the BS, the madness, the treason, and the incompetence. Never mind Daang Matuwid. Never mind the legacy of his parents. What’s important now is fundamental competence, the ability to unite and to govern, and to find the truth.
Whether you want the President to step down, or want him to speak the whole truth, or to change gears to fix this mess, or to step up and hold himself and others involved in Operation Exodus accountable, the message we send is one and the same, truly unmistakable, matching the feeling we have been “gamed” or “played” once or many times. We’re no longer amused. We feel too abused.
Sobra na, tama na: Game over na.
Follow me on Twitter @tonyocruz and check out my blog tonyocruz.com

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