PESTAÑ0)
MANILA, JANUARY 15, 2012
(BULLETIN) By JULLIE YAP DAZA (PHOTO) — Don't tell him
yet, but the President is a Rat, and in the Year of the Dragon romance is a big
zero.
However, the Wife Star shines on this particular Rat in Malacañang.
Feng shui master Joseph Chau told titillated journalists that "the Wife Star
is rising" on Mr. Aquino's horoscope, but he has to be careful because the
Philippines, as with the rest of Southeast Asia, is not favorably aspected
(positioned).
SE is where the Disaster Star shines, and if he sits in the SE he would be
facing northwest, ruled by the Robbery Star, another unfavorable direction.
"I pray for Malacañang to have good luck," said Mr. Chau, not smiling at all.
(Could be because the Travel Star that governs the military is quite active.)
The good news is that tourism is due for a boom. Why, declared Mandarin
Oriental's resident feng shui expert, "Chinese New Year celebrations are more
fun in the Philippines than Hong Kong!"
Who wants a celebration without firecrackers and fireworks? Nobody's home,
the stores are closed, everybody's off somewhere. We should force them to come,
if they don't want to be invited.
Dragon is predicted to bring change, as in "Obama, change. Russia, change.
Look at North Korea, change." Yes, but does it look like PBSAIII's bachelor
status will change?
FROM MANILA TIMES EDITORIAL
Murder most foul Published : Saturday, January 14,
2012 00:00 Article Views : 638
GOD must have heard the cries and prayers of the murdered hero's
parents, and the prayers too of Fr. James B. Reuter and those who responded to
his call for prayers. The prayers were for Navy Ensign Philip Pestaño and the
girl he was to marry but couldn't because he was bludgeoned to death and shot.
The prayers also asked God to let justice to be done and the truth be told.
For the hero was slandered by our country's military authorities and the then
Ombudsman. They declared that he had committed suicide.
The current people in the Office of the Ombudsman have filed cases of murder
at the Sandiganbayan against six still active-duty Philippine Navy officers and
four retired ones. Some of the four retired officers are said to be living in
the United States. The murdered hero's parents want the US government to
extradite them.
We in The Times joined Fr. Reuters prayer brigade for Ensign Pestaño and
wrote in this space about the mistake the Armed Forces and Navy brass were
making in helping cover up the hero's murder by his own fellow officers.
This is what Fr. Reuter emailed to friends. His friends passed it on to their
friends, including some of us in The Times. Some of the material in the email
had come out in his now-defunct column "At 3 a.m." in the Philippine Star.
***
Phillip Andrew A. Pestaño graduated from the Ateneo de Manila High
School in 1989, entered the Philippine Military Academy, and became an Ensign in
the Philippine Navy in 1993. He was assigned as cargo master, on a Navy ship.
He discovered that the cargo being loaded onto his vessel included logs that
were cut down illegally, were carried to the ship illegally, and were destined
to be sold, illegally. Then there were 50 sacks of flour, which were not flour,
but shabu – worth billions. Literally, billions. And there were military weapons
which were destined for sale to the Abu Sayyaf.
He felt that he could not approve this cargo. Superior officers came to him
and said: "Please! Be reasonable! This is big business. It involves many
important people. Approve this cargo." But Phillip could not, in conscience,
sign the approval.
Then his parents received two phone calls, saying: "Get your son off that
ship! He is going to be killed!" When Phillip was given leave at home, his
family begged him not to go back.
Their efforts at persuasion continued until his last night at home, when
Phillip was already in bed.
His father came to him and said: "Please, son, resign your commission. Give
up your military career. Don't go back. We want you alive. If you go back to
that ship, it will be the end of you!" But Phillip said to his father: "Kawawa
ang bayan! [Pity the nation!]" And he went back to the ship.
The scheduled trip was very brief. From Cavite to Roxas Boulevard, it usually
took only 45 minutes. But on September 27, 1995, it took one hour and a half.
When the ship arrived at Roxas Boulevard, Ensign Pestaño was dead.
The body was in his stateroom, with a pistol, and a letter saying that he was
committing suicide. The family realized at once that the letter was forged. They
tried desperately for justice, carrying the case right up to the Senate.
Senate investigation results ignored
The Senate investigating committee examined all the evidence, carefully. The
official statement said among other things: Ensign Phillip Pestaño did not
commit suicide. He was murdered. He was shot through the head, somewhere outside
of his stateroom, and the body was carried to his room and placed in the bed.
The crime was committed by more than one person.
In spite of these findings of the Senate, the family could not get justice.
The case is still recorded, by the Navy, as suicide. For 12 years they have been
knocking at the doors of those in power, to no avail. Now they realize that they
should knock on the door of HIM who said:"Knock, and it shall be opened to you.
Ask and you shall receive. Seek, and you shall find."
Prayer for justice and truth
So they are asking all of the friends of Phillip from the Ateneo, from the
PMA, friends of the family—including the girl he was engaged to marry—to say
this prayer:
"LORD, we know that Phillip is safe with YOU, and will be safe forever,
because he gave up his life, as YOU gave up YOUR life for justice. If it is YOUR
will, please let the truth be known of his heroic courage and strength and love
of country. Let justice be rendered here on earth. But if it is not YOUR will
that justice be rendered here, give each of us the grace to live and die as he
did—following in YOUR footsteps. And at the last judgment, LORD, when all that
is hidden will be known, let Phillip be seen as he really is—a brave young man
who gave his life for honesty, truth, and justice."
***
In a column in The Star, Fr. Reuters wrote these paragraphs:
"He was a martyr. A martyr is one who dies for the faith or for a Christian
virtue. Phillip died for a Christian virtue—justice. It is not likely that he
will ever be canonized, but he takes his place among the Unknown Saints.
"Some military men are killed in battle. They are given a hero's burial. But
Phillip died for a much deeper cause—he was trying to preserve the integrity of
our Armed Forces. He died out of loyalty to the Philippines, in an effort to
keep the oath that he made when he graduated from the Military Academy.
"Graft and corruption are the curse of this nation. But when they take root
in the heart of our Armed Forces, they threaten our existence as an independent,
democratic country."
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE
HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
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