Chapter 22
Imprisonment
The handcuffs were taken out from the accused priest and his sacristan by the Provincial Warden setting him and Rene temporarily free roaming around within their prison cell.
"Darknight of the soul," this what engulfed Fr. Driaro after he settled down on a couch inside Prison number 13 along with Roger, his sacristan, and co-accused of the murder.
"Good luck Fr. and take care," the Warden, one of his parishioners uttered with reservation leaving behind the two new occupants of the iron cage.
"Thanks and God bless," the good priest retorted in all honesty and courtesy knowing that his parishioner is just doing his job. Nothing personal there. But of course, it reminded him of a Thief who bargained Jesus' dying moments on the cross to remember him once He is in paradise.
"This must be it," he thought thinking of the implication of his sorry predicament thrust and herded in prison not sure what charges were thrown against him.
"Nothing new here from the experience of the Church from the time of Jesus, the apostles, Papacy all the way down to clergy and laity all over who underwent persecution. How would I survive the fidelity of suffering?" This is a crucial question given his humanity. This he doesn't have an answer. What he knows is harassment is just part of the journey toward Calvary. Jesus suffered on this at Golgotha in Calvary. Definitely road less traveled and only those with great resolve could take it.
"The harder the road traveled the better and easier one becomes an Alter-Christus," he evoked an inspiring message from his co-priest in Osigan Diocese.
"For as long as you hold on to your sanity and character unsoiled, I think it would be a win-win situation," he recalled.
"What is important is I can still afford standing tall after the storm with my integrity and character intact?"
"Man is both an angel and a beast," he cleared learning the reality of life.
"Living is a constant struggle because of this duality. He is an angel when he is inside the Church and a beast when he is the in the restroom," he remembers a relevant mantra.
"Did not early Philosophers struggle finding meaning in life before liberating their souls for good after attaining needed peace and fulfillment? On from Pre-Socratic or Milesian Philosophers in Ancient Greece from Thales, Father of Philosophy to Anaximander and Anaximenes relating life to nature the use of reason was already there. It metamorphosed all the more when Empiricism from Modern Philosophy of Rene Descartes, the Father of Modern Philosophy became a stepping stone to further development of world of ideas. Blaise Pascal's Wager was there giving win-win solution to man on to David Hume and Immanuel Kant. We have really to deal with reality or we become irrelevant. Decartes show how to arrive to that situation. Just question everything until finally you are exhausted returning back to your own human nature and there discover your own awakening. Hence, his Cogito Ergo or I think I therefore I exist giving him fulfillment and liberation," the thoughts preoccupying his mind.
The Nicaraguan Jesuit Ernesto Cardenal of the brother-priest would later reecho a similar discovery, remembers Fr. Driarco."
"We turn outward, attracted by the beauty we see in created things
without realizing that they are only a reflection of the real beauty.
And the real beauty is within us."
. . . . . . . . . . .
Events happened so fast overtaking the post-election euphoria and shocking the people of Osigan. This was so because elected officials haven't even warmed up the seats of their new posts and there it was. No less than the Chief Executive was added to the long list of casualties, an incident not seen by the majority. The principal suspect is the parish priest himself.
Fr. Driarco was herded into a prison like a lamb, willing victim from the virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Pedrosa. His crime – the death of Mayor Jose Torres!
"How could it be when nothing was heard about the incident until today when a warrant of arrest was tendered to him," parishioners collectively thundered
"He was discovered dead in his office last night still sitting on his chair with a hole in his forehead." Police Inspector told him.
"That simple and here you are arresting me?"
"Sorry, but a witness is there to testify how and when you did it. "
"Who?"
"One of your trusted sacristans."
"Come again." he protested in disbelief.
"Roger! How could he be Judas?"
"You have the time for your defense Fr. And you could have all the time talking with Rene. Your Counsel could facilitate that," the Inspector retorted locking the key of the main door for his temporary incarceration until a formal complaint would be charged against him.
The National Tribune, a nationwide daily picked up the incarceration of Fr. Driarco and Rene, the fourth sacristan he took under his wings after Jojo, Abel, and Roger. The newspaper wrote that the faithful has been remiss of their parish priest's services. His Excellency, Bishop Julian Valdes, was also quoted saying he would not send any replacement protesting the injustices committed against his parishioners notably Fr. Driarco, Rene, and their families.
"Due process of law? That's what everybody else is for," the good Bishop was quoted.
Mayor Torres' was Marcos' top gun in the province and the Apo might just want to show his invincibility and strong grip on the law down to the lowest local officials and yes even against priests! Losing him was deliberately endanger his chance of controlling the province.
The parish, on the one hand, has been moving heaven and earth raising funds to bail Fr. Driarco and his sacristan Rene out from the prison cell.
"If you would only be after my freedom leaving behind Rene inside the prison cell, then better forget it. But if you do with Rene also out from prison, I'll be most happy," he said.
The bail was two hundred fifty thousand pesos probably thinking that the priest could not afford to mount. The amount included that of Rene implicated in the issue who in his early twenties is yet to understand his bitter metamorphosis from a mere sacristan to a prisoner in his tender years. He is yet to complete his high school at Osigan Agricultural School.
Sedition, serious political offense, and murder were slapped on Fr. Driarco. To his surprise, the pressure is suffocating deliberately applied from the top to drag further the issue to his disadvantage. He was undaunted however knowing his innocence. He knows for a fact that the case would not prosper and would not stand a day in Court.
He is even optimistic that his case might be the key to opening Pandora's box of salvaging and extra-judicial killing spree in the province.
"Tip of an iceberg indeed," he said.
Should that happen, that would be the perfect time to unmask the ruthlessness of the Mayor or whomever the Mastermind is to the whole world behind his people's persecution including his family. The needle would ignite an explosion of the devil gripping the once peaceful Osigan. But some other time would do it.
"No used producing it this early. It might nip the bud given the case has not yet progressed."
"When opportunity reveals itself. That could be it," he calculated.
"This once sleepy town would no longer be the same again," he said thinking aloud of possibly reaching that scenario. The needle is encased in a small bottle on the altar in the convent. What if it has been gone taken by the policemen when they raided the convent? So far to his knowledge, the Chief of Police, Ben Yalung, Mayor Torres' firebrand loyalist, did his homework recovering Fr. Driarco's .38 Magnum caliber. Alas, an additional charge of illegal possession of firearms was added to his case having recovered several rounds of ammunition, explosives, and confidential documents linking him to an underground movement. Driarco could only blow a whistle from the trumped-up charges, convincing him that the lowland is not a place for a freeman given an atmosphere of military dictatorship pervading the atmosphere.
"Anything could happen."
"The hinterlands, yes the mountains and hills- they are the strong fortress of those who have been driven away by the military. Where else would these people go? Not in Court. Not the Mayor. No not the Chief of Police. The more their issues would be complicated. No, because are the Mayor's eyes and ears too. Parish priest? Yes, because they are most comfortable with it. Fr. Driarco's spirit sunk deeper knowing that the addition of seventeen years and four months would be meted against him should the court prove that he owned those explosives and ammunitions and highly classified subversive documents.
Now it dawned on him the reality of what is to be a Catholic priest. People put him on a lofty pedestal but it is the same people now persecuting him.
"The path towards the road less traveled is indeed tough. But the harder the journey the Christ-like your travel is" he remembered again a note shared by his co-priest overcoming a similar sad experience.
What happened to the Apostles came to his mind. Among the twelve, only John died his natural death. Judas, the traitor of course committed suicide. The rest suffered a tragic end. James the Greater stabbed with the sword; James the Lesser stoned to death; Thaddeus (Jude) felled with arrows; Thomas stabbed with a spear; Matthew pierced with a sword; Mathias, Andrew, Phillip, and Simon – all crucified. And the brutal and dirtiest tragedy of them all given their roles as strong pillars of the Church – St. Paul beheaded and Peter crucified upside down!
The most unlikely prisoner didn't mind his present persecution reflecting on the tragic fate of the earliest precursor and defender of the faith of the Church.
"Too far from what his predecessors experienced," he related.
"True enough, the harder the road traveled, the closer Christ-like the journey," rang a bell again the words of wisdom from a friend.
"But who knows the conspiracy putting him under Order of Battle by the Powers-that-be! Just who knows," an idea cropped up not farfetched learning how unpredictable devil works.
. . . . . . . . .
Dark side of the soul – This is indeed the dark episode in Fr. Driarco's priestly life. But no like a true warrior, he is undaunted. Knowing that vocation is put in line, the more he is brave to bring it on.
"Sorry but the occasion is givingdarkest side of man prompting him the opportunity to bear witness to his ministry facing God face to face. It's an opportunity denied to many and now he is given the rare opportunity of making himself a Living Gospel. Why really not?" he challenged himself.
". But no, he is still alive. Suffering?"? Yes, as if your soul is charged against the wall facing reality.
"Deal with it or it would result in an identity crisis," Fr. Driarco learned.
This is what happens to those who gave up surrendering their soul to Devil for convenience. They succeed but lost everything in the end because the Devil is right there waiting to claim his prize as agreed. This is crucial because you allow yourself to be corrupted when what matters most is just to stand and validate your long-held strong belief and persuasion. Many did it in various ways. Priests marry each other rocking the boat doing all sorts of antics when they have all the freedom to do it and go out from that tradition joining other Church that allows married priests like Greek Orthodox Church, Anglican Church, and yes Iglesia Filipina Independiente. But marrying a girl at the same time holding on to his priestly vocation. No way and never for the Roman Catholic priests. The case is Fr. Driarco's junior at St. Joseph Regional Seminary Frs. Cornada and Jesu Avez. They solemnized each other's marriage. The incident created scandal to the Church. National paper of general circulation took it seeing the two priests' antics was too much. Even CNN picked up the news but to the tune of buying its rights in dollars of course.
Fr. Driarco wasted too no time speaking his mind writing on the issue under an article "Identity Crisis" to temper the wild imaginations of the two renegade Catholic priests. His message: 'No more rocking the boat baby. Enjoy now that you embraced married life!'
The Church's stand has been clear as a sunny day anyway: You cannot serve both God and mammon. Ergo, if the desire is strong and irresistible so on you go for good cutting your relationship with the Vatican. Never mind holding on to this desire because they are still Priests anyway of the Order of Melchizedek and they can ask for clearance from the Vatican just in case they need to dispense sacraments again.
This is very clear to Fr. Driarco in that so far as he has not entertained breaking his vow of celibacy, he feels the best gift given by God to man. Imagine serving Him through His people keeping on the faith ad infinitum till Kingdom come.
His memory went back to the Saints who remained unperturbed defending their faith to the end. St. Francis of Assisi whose rituals of rolling over bamboo thorns naked injured his fragile body every time his excessive selfish sexual desires overpower him. Standing naked finally he succumbed to God allowing him to serve the moon and the stars, animals, and birds. The same about St. Augustine's mantra "my heart is restless until it rests unto Thee O God". Many others would follow suit most in search of wisdom and peace of mind. The best place to be? Monastery. One could be a contemplative monk searching the ultimatehis happiness of the world. The likes of Thomas Merton, Ernesto Cardenal of Cardenal brother- priests all find their way there. How about Jesus Christ? Did not tradition reveal that he went to the Monastery after he had a debate with Priests and Pharisees at the temple. Esau, the man a Russian traveler would learn later was Jesus Christ. The people were divided on this issue but this author's work thinks otherwise. Clearly, Jesus Christ traveled to India and on to Monastery passing by Afghanistan preaching there all the way back to Jerusalem in the Bible.
"Connecting the missing link of 18 long years absence of Jesus until he went back to resume his missionary work he died after three years at the age of thirty years old at the Calvary at the hands of Pontius Pilate," Fr. Driaco heaved a sigh of triumph putting closure on that long absence never mind people are still debating of this.
. . . . . . . . . . .
The handcuffs were taken out from the accused priest and his sacristan by the Provincial Warden setting him and Rene temporarily free roaming around within their prison cell.
"Dark night of the soul," this what engulfed Fr. Driaro after he settled down on a couch inside Prison number 13 along with Rene, his sacristan, and co-accused of the murder.
"Good luck Fr. and take care," the Warden, one of his parishioners uttered with reservation leaving behind the two new occupants of the iron cage.
"Thanks, and God bless," the good priest retorted in all honesty and courtesy knowing that his parishioner is just doing his job. Nothing personal there. But of course, it reminded him of a Thief who bargained Jesus' dying moments on the cross to remember him once He is in paradise.
"This must be it," he thought thinking of the implication of his sorry predicament thrust and herded in prison not sure what charges were thrown against him.
"Nothing new here from the experience of the Church from the time of Jesus, the apostles, Papacy all the way down to clergy and laity all over who underwent persecution. How would I survive the fidelity of suffering? Yes, there were many controversies that rocked the Catholic church. But these were all normal and the Church has remained steadfast on her stand. Why, did the Church digress from her mission to the world. No and never. The same themes reverberates in the four corners of the Church – love and forgiveness!"
Such was a crucial issue for Fr. Driarco given his humanity. Man errs but time heals.
"For as long as I remain focus on the board, I would not get lost."
Harassment is just part of the journey towards Calvary. He is elated that Pope Francis, the present Pope is addressing all challenges with fervor reversing an old practice of the Church on Vatican II in 1965 opening the windows of the Church for fresh air. This time, he enjoins the Clergy to come out from their comfort zones and reached out to marginalized all sectors of society, opening even Secret Archives of Vatican Library for Scholars and Theologians giving them benefits of doubt of the Church rules on past decades and centuries. He even appealed for recognition of the civil union of same sex drawing ire and criticism of traditional Catholics. 'Who are we to deny the love of God to them?'. Fr. Driarco noted his words. His recent encyclical nurturing and protecting family inspired by the story of his namesake St. Francis of Assisi tells it all. Jesus suffered on this at Golgotha in Calvary. Definitely road less traveled and only those with great resolve could take it.
"The harder the road traveled the better and easier one becomes an Alter-Christus," he evoked an inspiring message from his co-priest in Osigan Diocese.
"For as long as you hold on to your sanity and character unsoiled, I think it would be a win-win situation," he recalled.
"What is important is I can still afford to stand tall after the storm with my integrity and character intact?"
"Man is both an angel and a beast," he cleared learning the reality of life.
"Living is a constant struggle because of this duality. He is an angel when he is inside the Church and a beast when he is the in the restroom," he remembers a relevant mantra.
"Did not early Philosophers struggle to find meaning in life before liberating their souls for good after attaining needed peace and fulfillment? From Pre-Socratic or Milesian Philosophers in Ancient Greece from Thales, Father of Philosophy to Anaximander and Anaximenes relating life to nature the use of reason was already there. It metamorphosed all the more when Empiricism from the Modern Philosophy of Rene Descartes, the Father of Modern Philosophy became a stepping stone to further development of the world of ideas. Blaise Pascal's Wager was there giving win-win solutions to the man to David Hume and Immanuel Kant. We have really to deal with reality or we become irrelevant. Descartes shows how to arrive at that situation. Just question everything until finally you are exhausted returning back to your own human nature and there discovering your own awakening. Hence, his Cogito Ergo Sum or I think I, therefore, I exist giving him fulfillment and liberation," the thoughts preoccupying his mind.
The Nicaraguan Jesuit Ernesto Cardenal of the brother-priest would later reecho a similar discovery, remembers Fr. Driarco."
"We turn outward, attracted by the beauty we see in created things
without realizing that they are only a reflection of the real beauty.
And the real beauty is within us."
Meanwhile given the tacit approval of the warden on his earnest request he conducted a socio-economic survey among inmates around the prison camp ironically, he once served. And true to his observation, the result of the survey validated his theory namely, not all those put behind barbed wires are per se criminals. How could they be when the court has not proven them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt? Reviewing his simple statistics – 113 prisoners, 52 females, 61 males. Crimes committed: Estafa, arson, murder, qualified theft, and surprisingly one libel. The rest were not that serious. Mostly with the exemption of some, were ordinary workers. Masons, farmers, carpenters, fishermen, and laborers. Taken in its entirety, what irked him most was roughly half of the prisoners' cases hadhave not been solved. And the hardest thing to reconcile of all – libel among those in jail.
"How is this when there has been a move in Senate and Congress to decriminalize Libel," he recalled Sen. Raul Rocco and party lobbying said bill. Even then-Senator Ninoy Aquino Sr. head started the issue for possible decriminalization.
"But here this rubber stamp of Malacañang wanting to gag people questioning their actions," the thought playing in the mind of the good priest. Whatever happened it might also be that the concerned broadcaster just used a radio station berating at will his subject earning the ire of a noted Senator from the South who caused his incarceration.
"This is good homework, especially that broadcaster guy who is facing the criminal offense of liber," he reminded himself.
Unfortunately, the young priest was not allowed to say mass openly in the prison cell.
"There's the separation of church and state we are observing in this jail," the Warden reminded
the provision indicating that his now co-equal with other inmates he must comply with the prison's House Rules before invoking special treatment as an ordained priest. But this did not dampen his zeal in celebrating the mass by his lonesome self-required of him as a Catholic priest. Sometimes with Rene and later some inmates joining!
"It's a commitment I vowed to comply no matter what the cost may be. And that no one can bar me from dispensing sacraments. That has been my job," the driving force propelling him to comply with his work as priest.
Here's the chance too of becoming more productive writing unlimited given his privacy inside the prison. This he indulged in along with music despite his oftentimes heavy schedule in the prison cell. Writing normally early dawn and humming a song when tired becomes his new Oro et labora,inseparable duo keeping him alive and productive.
"If by working with my parishioners giving them and teaching them how to fish, freeing them from the bondage of sins and injustices is the theology of liberation in practice, then so be it. I believe this is a better alternative than concocting it on the pulpit."
"Did Christ not instruct us to help the oppressed, the poor, the marginalized and manipulated by those in powers-that-be?" he qualified his present predicament by writing to selected friends.
On the importance of writing. "Isn't it that Tom Paine wrote his 'Age of Reason in the shadow of the guillotine?'" he reminded showing the importance of time to write. Many writers propped up in his mind from Jose Rizal to classic writers whose works are a testament to the genius of man as a writer. Even how the Bible was written so engrossed him reading the whole book albeit lost how it has evolved from the present form from the time the Church put those books in the Old and New Testament together as one that is now Bible.
"But surely not all practicing Catholics knew that only eight books comprised the New Testament if you reckon the forgeries among New Testament authors!" he cleared learning that only twenty-five percent of Catholics are reading the bible.
"Not farfetched idea to considering that twenty-one books in the New Testament were accounted to St. Paul, for instance, few others to four other evangelists," he synthesized from his readings and output from scholars the likes of Barth D. Erhman, author of 'Jesus Interrupted' and several other scholarly books giving premium on historical criticism instead a devotional approach to Scriptural studies, a must-reading for any Christian who professes as truly Christ's follower.
Similarly, he wrote social commentaries speaking his mind on different issues of the day. But in the meantime, he is in prison, he opted to remain silent finding what mostly he could be more productive. Writing of course is all that he knows reflecting on engrossing issues for his readers and parishioners.
"Way to go while my privacy is sealed in the prison cell," his natural reaction.
From there he went finishing three articles in successions. That feels him good as usual venting his ire at his imaginary enemies. At least he keeps his sanity intact. Reading them over and reviewing them, seeing if there are some loose ends, he felt they're good reflections on pressing social issues of the day. This after publishing "Identity Crisis" in Tabloid.
"Time to write some more speaking his mind on different relevant issues of the day educating the general reading public, especially his parishioners.
First is "Edith Stein and Pope Pius XII" his synthesis of the role the Church played during Hitler's Holocaust. Glad that Pope Francis opened Vatican Archives clearing the issue in the spirit of transparency.
"All of us . . . fear the worst for the reputation of the Church
if this silence lasts much longer."
(Part of the letter of Edith Stein crying for help wrote to Pope Pius XII, 1933)
Why this article? The December 2020 documentary "What did the Pope know about Holocaust?" got more than two and a half million views and hundreds of commentaries mostly recognizing and sympathizing with Edith Stein's effort. That mostly was critical to the silence of Pope XII is explainable. Second, Hitler, the past dreaded Fuhrer remains an interesting topic viewing and reading about his incredible rule during Holocaust. There are still reviews and documentaries what with the implacable ongoing hunt of the remaining Butchers in Argentina and all over by MOSSAD, Israel's Secret Agent tasked with capturing them for trial. Israel's Ben Gurion exactly just did that taking the matter into his hand after the US refused to provide the necessary lift to catch Adolf Eichmann, one of the remaining notorious butchers of Hitler. He was tailed in Buenos Aires and abducted. Taken back to Israel he faced interrogation and after nine months was convicted of all 15 heinous crimes charged. He was the first of the two Nazis meted the death penalty in Israel and the first since the war of independence. He was hanged on May 31, 1962. How was his escape to Argentina made possible? Funny but a Bishop with Nazi sympathies concocted false documents allowing his escape to Argentina in 1950. That leads us to the third reason.
Most importantly, the Roman Catholic church has been dragged too in this controversy. Better deal with it by resolving the issue now to give benefits of doubts to practicing and beneficial Catholics no matter how inconvenient the result might be to the public. There is no alternative to a transparent church, no more room for secrecy. This is what emboldened present Pope Francis in opening the case. On March 2, 2020, Vatican Archives retrieved and declassified all documents surrounding Pope XII. This also resulted in the opening of the Jewish Virtual Library, a project of American-Israeli Cooperative analysis 1998-2021) made available to scholars, historians, and researchers. Truth should be revealed at all costs, his categorical message. Might be easier said than done though. But Pope Francis is undaunted and even promised that there would be no cover-ups earning more respect and appreciation not just from Roman Catholics but also from other Christians and non-Christians as well.
Fourth, Hitler too though not part of the subject in class has been in the rounds of discussion in the light of similar crimes committed against humanity. The same evil seen perpetuated by Pol Pot in his reign of the Khmer Rouge of Cambodia, persecution of the Uyghurs minority in China, and yes President Duterte's "War on Drugs" and EJK. That ICC is bent on conducting an inquiry on DDS atrocities committed involving 1,424 casualties documented by Fr. Pircardal during his reign of terror as Davao Mayor is welcome development although long overdue. Rappler's Investigative team has also been printing lately this terrifying narrative from an Affidavit of Arturo Lascaῆas, original DDS member in three decades and once loyal Duterte's henchman turned whistleblower. Then there's Matobato once under Lascaῆas coming out in the open against his former boss Duterte. Both validated the conspiracy involving now Senators Bato de la Rosa, Bong Go, and the rest of the gang under the overall supervision of Superman today President Duterte, and how they did it all. The same strategy has been replicated nationwide in fulfillment of his 2016 campaign promise to stop the menace drugs bring. The statistics differ from 9 thousand to 24 or 30 thousand casualties. Anyway, ICC is starting its job going to the bottom of the problem.
While many comments welcome Pope Francis's initiative, some also could not hide their annoyance over this opening can of worms involving sexual, and financial scandals and Pope Pius XII's rule played during Hitler's Nazi reign of terror. What did Pope Pius XII know about Holocaust? Of course, everything, J. Kumar commented. His silence tells it all, another one revealed.
But not all were convinced of defending the Church. All lies and calumnies, one possible Neo-Fascist and or closed and rabid Catholic single out my comment. Thanks whatever you mean buddy, was my outright response entreating him to hold his fire yet this early. What an onion-skinned this man was even nipping the bud when all is done in the search for an elusive truth, the Church has been supportive and respecting the free market of ideas. Second, the gospel truth of loving and forgiving neighbors is the same message the Church preaches as it was two thousand years ago today. A certain Luis Uymerich's beef is uncalled for unless he is disoriented living his world. The guy has even the gall challenge "What's next – Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code!" No need. I know I'm done reading Lincoln et al's "Holy Blood, Holy Grail", many ideas Dan Brown parroted from.
Analyzing back Edith Stein's letter. It was part of a simple letter but pregnant with meaning, Edith Stein wrote it in 1933 and addressed it to Pope Pius XII. She was a German with Jewish lineage and had advanced education in Philosophy. Like St. John the Baptist who prepared the way of the Lord, she was first to speak loudly and publicly invoking mercy and crying for help against the impending persecution of the Jews. But to no avail. Had said Pope heeded her plea thousands of Jews would have been saved from Hitler's Final Solution, the Holocaust exterminating the Jews in different gas chambers. What exactly happened in this mass murder of Jews could be gleaned from an anonymous report from Tulcin in Western Ukraine almost a decade later early 1944. The report revealed:
"We know exactly how we will die. Crammed in Gender barbed wire, mass graves we dig ourselves, children thrown in alive, adults stripped naked,
beaten with a club, and into the grave, fear bullets fired as an afterthought."
The recipient of that letter was Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli. He was 23 years old when he entered the priesthood. He was transferred to Berlin in 1925 and facilitated Concordat with the future Fuhrer of the Nationalist party. He was appointed Vatican Secretary, second in power to the Pope. He was no stranger to Germany having been there living twelve years between 1917-1929 until he was appointed papal Nuncio in Bavaria. Later he was finally elected Pope taking the name Pius XII respecting his predecessor Pius XI.
Whatever happened to that letter? The Vatican received it. But other than getting the usual Papal's blessing, there was no mention of any possible lift whatsoever of her request. It was just like flash in pan catching fire for a start followed by earsplitting silence later, a historian remarked. Jewish problems were not a priority, wrote Niῆa Valbusquet, Historian, Ecole Francaiside Rome. That is as good probably as consigning it to the dustbin of history gathering dust in the corner. Edith Stein would later convert to Catholicism and together with her sister Rosa became nuns. Ironically too she and sister Rosa would later suffer the same fate that she seriously lobbied against - the wanton destruction of Jews' lives. That happened when the Nazis conquered and annexed later Netherland to Germany's Socialist Republic. Both were deported along with thousand nameless casualties. The Video showing the two praying together while German soldiers waiting for them to be herded into gas chambers is too much graphics to view let alone, bear sending a tremor down your spine.
Recognizing her effort, however, Pope John Paul II would be declared her a Saint later on October 11, 1998. What an inverse poetic justice, a vindication that good works reap respect and appreciation in the end!
Incidentally, the same treatment was received by the Envoy sent by President Roosevelt later to the Vatican on September 1942. The mission is an urgent response from a Jewish Agency for Palestine to intervene persecution of Jews in Poland and Ukraine were ". . . bodies used to make fat and bones to produce fertilizers . . . in camps . . . . "The plan for possible Allied joint protest against Hitler's systematic extermination of the Jews was stalled naturally. Nothing new. "Yes, but we have to verify the truth on this statement," Hubert Wolf, Church Historian of the University of Munster, noted. Non-partisan was all Pope Pius XII could muster. Ergo, there was no definite intervention from the Pope thus perpetuating mass murder just the same.
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian by birth but whose rabid nationalism for Germany transformed him into a monster holding the top post as Chancellor after staging a successful Coup de' etat. He came to power in 1933 and after the burning of the flag proceeded with mass cleansing of Jews followed immediately sending his message to the rest of Europe and the world. That prompted Edith Stein to write that letter knowing that now Pope Pius XII- Elect could have deterred killing and would have saved many guiltless Jews' lives given his influence and position. The deafening silence of the Pope though caused instead thousands of untold innocent lives dead exterminated in various Gas chambers.
In sum, six million Jews were registered dead in that Final Solution terminating the Jews and paving the way for Aryan race supremacy. The number however could have probably almost doubled. This if Jakiw Palij, the oldest living Nazi guard migrated to the US in 1949 is to be believed. He was deported on order by Pres. Donald Trump earlier this year (2021) back to Germany. As a complicit Nazi guard, he testified that six thousand Jews were murdered in just a single day alone! No wonder many casualties could have reached the 11 million mark according to that December 17, 2020 documentary "What did the Pope Know about Holocaust?" Wikipedia even recorded 28.7 million casualties involving soldiers and civilians constituting the deadliest warfare in history. Ironically, Germany was a signatory of the Geneva Convention of 1929 reason the protection of non-combatant civilians was expanded in the ensuing convention in 1949.
Silence is just like cancer grows. People speaking without listening, writing songs whose voices never heard, no wonder within the sound of silence, Simon and Garfunkel duo would tell us. Not sure but definitely that epic "Sound of Silence" song is more apt and relevant in relating to this stunning deafening silence of the Church in 1933. People writing letters but never acted upon would probably be an apt clincher of that song.
There were thousands of letters mostly petitions entreating the Pope "to help them out get out" from the mess of the Nazi regime. The numbers were not seen in abstract numbers but were precise individual stories, noted the historian. Unfortunately, mostly fell on deaf ears. Had the Church through the Pope intervened specifically asking not to touch the deportees, then mass death would have not happened, Isaac Herzog, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem clarified on July 7, 1942.
But in fairness to Pope Pius XII, he gave his reason 'why' the long overdue silence. Under pressure, Pope Pius XII finally came out of his comfort zone revealing his take. This happened when he celebrated Christmas Mass in 1942. Michael Bard in his "The Vatican and Holocaust" mentioned four equally important reasons: Fear of Nazi reprisals, feeling that public speech would have no effect and might harm Jews, the anxiety of possible schism among German Catholics, and fear of the growth of communism as the Church position has been traditionally neutral. Sadly, though there was no reference to the Jews. To add injury to the wound measly 16 Roman Jews returned home among more than roughly thousands of them chartered to gas chambers in Auschwitz when Nazis occupied Rome entering the Basilica far ahead.
This hard reality inspired writers to reveal their sentiments on the subject. One was Rolf Huchhuth, a German author and Playwright who wrote "The Deputy," a play depicting Pope XII's indifference to Hitler's extermination of the Jews. The other John Cornwell even goes further writing Pope Pius XII as "Hitler's Pope" published in 1999. No wonder that stupid Neo-Fascist guy derided seeing these developments coming.
Given the various narratives on Pope Pius XII, the important question is in order here. Were his complex and inconsistent reaction to Holocaust reflect the sentiment of the Catholic Church? Easy to tell but not until other variables pervading that time would be analyzed. First up Hitler digs all there is in Catholic Church. He was talented though never advanced beyond secondary education. The black color of the Jesuits' sutana symbolizes power, the hierarchy of the Church, rituals, and all that were the clear influence of the Catholic Church adapted by the Fuhrer in his colorful and vibrant uniform and paraphernalia. How about the book "Three Popes and the Jews" by Pinchas Lapide published in 1967 revealing how instrumental he was in saving as many as 860,0000 Jews from the certain death of Nazis? The number was said to be "more than the International, agencies combined."
There are two sides to the issue here. Let further research provide the definitive answer. At least it is clear by now how the Catholic Church through Pope Pius XII reacted to Holocaust.
As a parting shot, it is clear that Pope Pius XII contributed to saving the lives of Jews. Was it enough? Definitely, not! He could have done more, has been the resonant collective sentiment.
If we clear the silver linings that blurred his long silence, we could see he did it his way. Explainable.
He was declared "Venerable" in 2009, a step toward sainthood. Unfortunately, opposition came from Jews and non-Jews as well naturally. There is no single miracle recorded, says Pope Francis in 2014. "If there are no miracles, it can't go forward. It's blocked," the present Pope further said. Historical record plays an important role here to resolve the Canonization issue, Cardinal Angelo Beccui, Head of the Vatican Office scrutinized cases for possible sainthood clears. Let us then wait for further disclosures on this matter to understand or perhaps finally resolve the issue now that the Vatican Archives are open. Your take!
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Second is his take on the Philosophy of Old Greece, the cradle of Civilization that influenced the Culture of Europe, the West, and yes Asia notably the Philippines.
Unleashing that Ancient Grecian DNA in You. Read on:
Reality check. It was said that God gave and shared His blessings to all people of the world during the creation story. But some got more than others. While many were given more than they could ask for – a handful – the rest were in ganta and sacks. The rest are left-brainy while others, right brainy; thus, accounting for why there are those excellent figures others creative. Unfortunately, God seems to favor Ancient Greece in that He poured his blessings in full. Truth to tell but it might be Ancient Greece was more circumspect than any other tribes of the world that they open right away the gifts received and developed them before giving them back to God.
Are you a Renaissance man, a Jack Whirler of all trades, or just simply a warrior? You must be religious, introverted, and individualistic but oozing with creative juice. Is there a competitive spirit in you, a fighter in real life engaging in sports, going to the gym regularly, writing a lot, musical, singing, playing piano writing songs, or just performing? Do you speak your mind on different pressing social issues of the day and engage in the free market of ideas finding it irresistible not to deliver your take in print or social media? Do you abhor injustice, join rallies, love peace and order, or marvel at great architectural designs? Are you a regular card-bearing Library member reading a lot updated on significant events of the world? In sum, not at all contented with ordinary dreary life looking for a better world and would rest only after becoming successful and productive.
How about embarking instead on an impossible journey never mind a road less traveled or path that is difficult and rugged towards Calvary? Check out any of these traits. This qualifies you to have Ancient Grecian DNA in you. You're lucky because you are a harbinger of classical Greek legacies left to Europe and the modern world. Similarly, if you don't respect yourself not give a damn about demanding real life just content allowing each day to pass by conjecturing what there is in life, then you are on a losing end. Life is what you make it! If you don't give a premium on industry, creativity, and persistence then you are lazy consigning yourself to the dustbin of history. You are nothing and no different from a zombie feeding on your fellow man for survival. In that case, you are simply a loser in the world of the unknown suffering an identity crisis.
Elated that old Grecian legacies reached the Philippines, this part of the globe. Famous for our religiosity, sky-high rise buildings all over from Makati to BCG to practically everywhere in the country from Cebu and now Mindanao what with Davao and lately Cagayan de Oro as the liveliest place to live recognized by Asia Magazine, the country is showcasing all the best we inherited from old Greece. I would say we exceeded the expectation with Filipinos extraordinaire occupying the world stage in sports, entertainment, and knowledge. There is Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao considered the best boxer with incredible eight championships in as many boxing weights available, a feat that would take hundreds of years to achieve or even a lifetime, says Coach Roberto Garcia. Yes, sir, his legacy should also be protected and preserved the reason why this writer was bold enough to write "Pacman: the 21st Century Ring Gladiator" is a way of securing his lofty pedestal in world boxing at the same time returning the compliment to him. But nice that the people didn't elect him into the highest position of the land or we would have become the laughing stock of the whole world. Not sure how BBM, the latest occupant of Malacañang palace would give to the Filipino people. Did he win with the biggest majority votes in his favor over Leni Robredo or he was just an SD Card President given the widespread and wholesale rigging of votes this past election? Here's the challenge to the representative democracy of Filipinos. But are we a democratic country or merely a pretense of being one? Unfortunately, many Social scientists believe that we are not. Who controls the economy of the nation? You could only mention a few from Oligarchs. With land distribution skewed more toward the big landed Landlords beyond the control of Agrarian Reform, how could we have true democracy in practice? Why could we not hold a run-off election for the first two highest candidates to bestow clear majority rule given the Presidential derby system we are practicing during an election? Plurality votes favoring moneyed politicians practically take the electoral system hostage. Sad to tell how Filipinos have corrupted instead democracy given to us by Ancient Greek. If we have the pretense of being a democratic country, why could we not practice it then in the first place? The answer might be blown in the wind. Given this reality, sorry but could we not just adopt Monarchy instead? Muslim countries like Dubai, and Brunei did it, and look where are they now.
Religion too was left open for enterprising Christians to exploit. Nothing new here because most Filipinos are innocent and easy to be exploited by sweet-talking Reverends who finished taking their Theology after 3-5 times circling a Mango tree. Want to get super rich? Take the bible and preach! It used to be Jueteng Lord and Drug Lord getting rich fast. But don't count out the Pastors who feed on the ignorance of the masses, especially the naive ones. Praising the Lord has been there and it raked up volumes of money. Look how I Need your Cash Church in Iglesia Ni Cristo did it. Kung lumago ang simbahang ito, paano masasabi nyo na wala si Kristo sa amin, the elder Manalo popped up in FB the other day. Yes sir, no question about it except you transformed your million members into robots joining your block voting where one vote generates millions of votes delivered to your prodigy candidates. Same modus for Pastor Quiboloy and the rest of the Protestant sector capitalizing on the innocence of members. Imagine revealing that he's the Son of God without a Certificate of Appointment or the latest prophet in the case of elder Manalo. Maybe it would be better for these two leaders to settle first their civil cases before collecting money beyond their needs from members to show sincerity.
Sad but true, but we have more litanies of proud culture that redefined those ancient Grecian classics. Can we reconnect back to the past? But of course, if only DepEd do their jobs
You may not be a Manny Pacquiao or Leah Salonga and other Filipino greats but just a mere mortal and ordinary taxpayer. It doesn't make any difference for as long you have that lust for life that characterized Vincent Van Gogh, Michael Jordan, Mohammad Ali, and the rest of the cream of the crop whose names are immortalized, their replica stood in a monument and faces inscribed in a coin. You have not exceeded your expectation but who you are- a fighter and winner are a matter of mindset. No difference here. Excellence transcends beyond class, gender, persuasion, and what have you. You have a bloodline of a warrior you would not rest until you become a winner in your career. For as long as you are crazy about life feeding that insatiable hunger and curiosity for knowledge challenging your metamorphosis from a simple mindset to a better version of yourself then that could be it. You have the DNA of ancient Greece.
There are eleven legacies Greeks bequeathed to Europe and the rest of the modern world. Among them – are democracy, the Olympics, Science and Philosophy, Medicine, Jurisprudence, and many others that save mankind from ignorance making the world a better place to live. I dig practically all of them especially direct democracy, trial by jury, and yes library the first ever built at Alexandria when Egypt was under the control of Alexander the Great with an initial 700,000 scrolls of work. Though its veracity is challenged because of the existing one far older in Sumer it doesn't make any difference. Look Alexander the Great even facilitated a decree that those boats passing by the port were required to have their books, documents, discovery whatever should be copied and deposited in that library. What a nice gesture – returning the original to each owner after copying is done. This reminds me of present Pope Francis's opening Vatican Archives stressing transparency of the Church in any sensitive issues of the past. Hope there would be the closure of the participation of Pope Pius XII's conspiracy during Hitler's rule of Europe killing millions of Jews. Had said Pope didn't conspire to provide the necessary lift to persecuted Jews instead, casualties would have been less. Many other sensitive issues rocked the Vatican to its foundation and what a gesture Pope Francis opening the Vatican Library helping resolved issues of the past. What a compliment Pope Francis gives back to this old practice of opening the library for scholars to dig deeper on the issue moving on together as a fellow sojourn to a journey with the singular purpose of forgiveness and love of all. If we could do that then indeed Ancient Greece continue running in our blood.
"Wow! Just fine," he said elated after reading a copy of his work at least confident that those who will read them would surely learn and benefit.
"At least readers would think aloud if he is to engage writing. Taking again his underworld typewriter he writes back this time as his special message to his parishioners on the occasion of Easter never mind if they knew he is imprisoned now
. He aptly titled it "Playing with God," he wrote:
"It's early Saturday morning and probably this piece would see print Easter Sunday or later where Christendom would be celebrating the best and the happiest part of Church's calendar of the year hearing all those Alleluias in every Christian church. Far significant and better than Christmas, the heart and soul of Christianity and where the Church grows, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is by far the best experience albeit it might have baffled many people of other beliefs all through the ages.
Why not? Here's a first-century Galilean Jew who bearing no credentials and certification has changed the face of the world forever. It's unprecedented in the history of salvation eclipsing the beauty and wisdom of earlier beliefs from Buddhism,
Confucianism, Hinduism and yes later, Islam pervaded back then and are still now practiced by millions. But it's loud and clear that while these great religious leaders in history all slept for good after their appearance and preaching, Christ went all the way up there with a promise of returning to make us one. His indomitable proof is God raising Him from the dead after hanging on the cross for six hours at Golgotha under the watch of twenty-four Roman guards. That no other equals dared to claim is explainable. It's such a vital cog that sparks that belief in Christianity, claims R.C. Spruce, a theologian.
It is. It was such an unprecedented development in salvation history that even nature (the earthquakes, birds chirp ….) as Paul Tillich, a great American Theologian taking the Gospel account of the resurrection observed, joined in celebrating mankind's greatest achievement. That albeit many doubting Thomases, Skeptics, Agnostics, and Atheists are yet to come into the full circle of reality before they would probably accept, embrace and live such historical reality in practice. Man will rot and nothing, not even his ego will survive, Bertrand Russell, Atheistic Philosopher, bared. No problem there for as long as he stands and dies for it. He did and there rots like his peers, becoming a good fertilizer to mother earth. John Mc Dovell, another Skeptic Theologian should have probably seen daylights had he added more research hours than what he did in getting 700 hours of research concluding that the "resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted upon the minds of men exclaiming it was such a fantastic fact of history." How so? He may spend researching a lifetime but if he constantly tiptoeing the resurrection account, nothing would ever convince him to save his predicament.
Lindell Black of course similarly imposed his Conspiracy Theory in his St. Peter's Obra. Well taken. But it's all in the mind. Where has all the ripple effect he concocted indicated possible waves generated by throwing a pebble in the middle of the ocean anyway? Hello there! That he is even sued for parroting what Abraham et al earlier wrote in their epic and gripping Sacred Blood, Blessed Grail scholarly work, indicates that his theory is simply suspect. Plain and simple. Of course, there's the discovery of the Ossuary, which the Titanic director misconstrued to refute Christ's resurrection. That would have indeed set an unprecedented discovery requiring the re-writing of the Bible. But not until authority dumped his tentative theory in the absence of
DNA test. Lately as uploaded on the internet, there are these nine lead codices discovered after the deluge in Oman and now in safe possession of Bible Scholars in Europe for possible study hopes to shed light on the last days of Christ. So what when the Vatican has been open in accepting even a married Christ . . . !"
It was such the shortest piece but it's good to have spoken his mind out especially since next Sunday would be Easter. At least his general reading public would be kept posted on his thoughts. But not on his incarceration. He doesn't have any business talking about his predicament to save when the people get the news from secondary data.
Writing some more this time on the horror that is war sends a strong message that peace is all that we need, he aptly titled it "War Crimes" having read the moving book earlier graphics of true stories contributed by journalists themselves too cruel hurting the human eyes.
"Who knows Mayor Torres and his cohorts might come across on this piece and read and get the wisdom awakening them to become crusaders of peace themselves." The third article is about war.
War Crimes
"What the public should know about crimes of war? Where do you stand as far as the war, in general, is concerned? I do know that as we live in a civilized world, how I wish that there is no such thing as war and that there should be peace zones that as they engaged in war, there are no civilian casualties sacrificed."
"But let's accept the hard truth: sometimes we have to kill to stop the killing," he recalled a professor back then at Xavier Univ. supporting the immediacy of war.
Thus, the concept of Jus ad Bellum and Jus in Bello or that branch of international law governs the reasons why you fight and how you fight. In effect, the two are inseparable distinct ways of looking at war with the second concept deserving strict compliance if only to mitigate the prohibitive cost of war. But have we?"
The United Nations is even more emphatic on the necessity of war. Article 2 from the Charter of United Nations declares: "All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state . . . and in Article 51: "Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations."
"Such branch of law relies the customary law, based on recognized practices of war, as well as treaty laws (such as the Hague Regulations of 1899 and 1907) which set out the rules of hostilities. Other principal documents include the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 which protect war victims – the sick and wounded (first); the shipwrecked (second); prisoners of war (third); and civilians in the territories of the countries in conflict (fourth) – and the Additional Protocols of 1977, which definite key terms such a s combatants, contain detailed provisions to protect noncombatants, medical transports, and civil defense and prohibit practices such as indiscriminate attack."
Thus, said to what extent have we complied with such criteria? Regrettably, excesses far outweigh the casualties incurred on both sides.
By excesses, I mean those crimes
against humanity incurred in the conduct of war, that irreversible result of crimes of war.
There are only 23 letters in the alphabet but if we sum up all war crimes committed presented in the book would give dizzying figures that cannot be swallowed, let alone, accepted. Add several graphics too gruesome to see presenting uncut and you have the worst excesses of atrocities of war crimes of the century. And the saddest reality of these figures, they are far from stopping crimes against humanity are still happening around us, right in our backyard, country, and the rest of the world.
Of course, we thought that gone are the days of the Holocaust where millions of Jews died courtesy of Hitler's Superiority of the Aryan race; annihilation of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, and the use of agent orange and napalm strike leading to the senseless massacre at My Lai in Vietnam survivors utilized as human mine detectors perpetrated by the USA. Who too would forget Pol Pot of Cambodia whose insanity through his dreaded Khmer Rouge's taking pictures of victims before torturing and killing them led to killing fields; or the use of humans as guinea pigs in medical experiments for their medical students in World War II against the Japanese.
And who would think that war in its ugliest would end after the Fall of the Berlin Wall in Germany paving the way for the restoration of democracy not just in Europe, and Asia but also in China and other countries in the world of the 21's Century? Sadly, what once abhorred for its evil and prohibitive cost has metamorphosed instead into highly dangerous warfare characterized by the use of sophisticated weapons through terrorism and mass extermination, another name for ethnic cleansing.
This I know after reading the War Crimes edited by Roy Gutman and David Rieff (W.W. Norton & Com. Inc., New York, New York 1999 397 pp). No doubt that war happening in the 21st Century is unparalleled in that it is more ruthless, savage, and gruesome than those preceding ones. True enough, truth becomes the first casualty in every war. Ninoy Aquino's dictum "In war, there are no victors only victims!" interrelated facts could be summarized from the wisdom of the book. First, the numbers of casualties in crimes against humanity far offsetting than the combatants, and second; comprehensive excluding none regardless of color, age, creed, and religion. Third, unprecedented how the warfare was conducted giving you a feeling of fear and trembling. Oh, how I wish, there was a Genie in a bottle that would invent more peace than war, unity than division, and justice instead of prejudices and discrimination. Of course, that would only be true in the mind, just imagined as John Lennon sings.
Consider the sad reality of apartheid Nelson Mandela clears as "color lines that all too often determine who is rich or poor. . . who shall get food, clothing and health care . . . and who will live and who will die."; use of biological weapons for ethnic cleansing as in Sarajevo and Bosnia; carpet or area bombing as in Saigon, Vietnam in 1968 giving rise to bomb craters ensuing from B-52 strikes; Iraqi chemical warfare used by Saddam Hussein against Iran and Kuwait; and using children soldiers and killers in Afghanistan, Liberia, Jordan, Iran, Sri Lanka, and Spain; collateral damage and collective punishment typified by Israel against Palestine. Concentration camps in 1992 ran by Serbs for Bosnians images reminiscent of Hitler's Nazi camp, destruction of cultural property and historical landmarks; disappearances, executions, and extra-judicial killings; free-fire zones, genocides, hostage-taking, and indiscriminate attacks.
. . . . . . . . . . . .
By far, the graphics of the Sept. 11 bombing of the World Trade Center captured by CNN remains indelibly embedded in his subconscious and failed to escape him. But those in the book contributed by different journalists just simply tell how devastating war is. "The list is long and sad to say that it is still counting."
Incidentally, the Philippines had its slice of atrocity featured in that book. One, government General Sostheno Fernandez, a Cambodian of Filipino ancestry who rose into Chief of Armed Forces was a notorious architect of a "new form of psychological warfare," a euphemism for using ethnic Vietnamese civilians as protective shields for his advancing troops into the waiting guns of Vietcong. Second, several healthy young Filipino prisoners were used as guinea pig used in teaching neophyte Japanese physicians the art of surgery. After the lesson is over, and proper technique is shown, patients would then be shoot by the surgeons for good.
Living in Mindanao later Fr. Driarco experiencing all those implacable hostilities, hostage-taking and terrorism happening around just send trembling down in bone and marrow far more he imagined. Add the senseless beheading by Abu Sayyaf, hostage-takings of innocent International Red Cross personnel, clergy, missionaries, teachers, and innocent persons – constitute too that war crimes against the norms and standards set by Geneva Convention in 1948 and Protocol II.
Hostage-taking particularly is so pervasive and unpredictable that it has been so rampant that it has become Sunshine Industry
among terrorists. Add those senseless killings of men in the Media Industry and you get a familiar picture of crime against humanity.
"No wonder we have dislodged Iraq as the most dangerous place in the world for any journalist."
It's sad that notwithstanding those excesses happening before our eyes, ending those countless innocent people as additional statistics of crimes against humanity, there's hardly any collective resolution of addressing them to avert further escalation of hostilities. Even those related to drug related-industry, many suspects ended up freed than prosecuted, as complained by officers who apprehended them in Region 10.
It is just hoped that crimes against humanity in this part of the country will soon one day see daylight. When would that be? You may be one that could make it happen.
As John Lennon sings: I hope someday, you'll join us and make the world will be as one."
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True to the parishioners' promise and those of his co-priests, they were able to secure the bail bond. There was a joyful celebration in the convent when he and Rene were finally bailed out. The parish was able to dish out one hundred thousand pesos cash and the rest to Fr. Driarco's glee, were all ten sacks of coins courtesy of his co-priests in the diocese. Undoubtedly, the Cashier of Esperanza had her day full counting thousands of coins.
Among those who attended Fr. Driarco's and Rene's celebration was Roger who has grown bigger sporting long hair. He was told a very special friend had an urgent message for him.
"How you've been? I'm sorry I'm a bit disoriented." extending his hand.
"Been fine and sorry leaving the convent without a word. Confidential you when able."
"And who was that guy as a witness to my case? clean-shaven one," clarified the priest. Roger was taken aback.
"Hmm I'm very sorry and I regret to inform you that."
"You're double ...."
"Got it and more than that,"
"My identical twin."
"My oh my and that explained all the mess in your parish. The good mayor just did it to you even to the extent of buying the participation of innocent people
holding himself in power liquidating those people barring his way. "
"And making sure putting people behind bars if need whoever they are fabricating all those shreds of evidence for their good.
"Seems true there's the urgency of the matter. "said the priest enlightened but shaking his head as if taking away the cobwebs out from his mind.
"You're right. And please do him a favor now." Roger whispered fidgeting him to go right away.
"In your study room, he's there." Roger told the good priest and hurriedly complied.
It's Ka Mario. The visitor speaks right away before he could open his mouth.
"You must leave immediately this convent Fr. A plot awaits on you," the visitor confided shocking the priest.
"Oplan Kasiyahan, that's what they call, hatched by the Wolves, a joint military-civilian organization out to deliver the goods to whom they are due. Their specialties are salvaging and extrajudicial killing. The operatives were plucked out from different places. They don't mind their target. They don't know them anyway. But they have your picture!"
"Who could have provided him?" the poor priest reflected for a moment.
"You've been in their OB. That's what matters. And they would not go home until they brought home the bacon. Your head no less! They've been headhunting you and better confusing their presence now. Anything will happen."
"Guess who their godfather is? Big Brother no less and their counterparts – Brown shirts spread just everywhere. The Governor or the Mayor of course is his top gun here in the province who else?"
"Why me?" the priest ventured.
"You've been bugged sorry, let's go."
"The order came from the top. They could not just operate you know without their Godfather's blessing."
"What's all this?"
"Maybe all for power and money, why not? Please know time is of the essence. If you don't have any more questions."
The visitor said as the priest rummaged for important belongings and documents his hands could get setting all the rest on fire to leave no further traces of evidence.
"They're on government payroll receiving a fat salary of course. Think of the dirtiest job they're doing for the President."
"Mercenaries you mean!"
"Not ordinary ones definitely but Specialists in their trade. Yours is a choice depending on the deal. They could kill you anywhere and anytime. That's how they do it. You probably wonder about all those senseless killings – murder, cold-blooded ones but done in secrecy and conspiracy happening around. That's their handiwork, their mark of work ethics. Again, all these were done with the imprimatur and blessings of the Big Brother."
Fr. Driarco was astounded listening to the revelation. It was like small pieces are falling into their proper place relating all spate of killings lately from left, right, and center? No limit for as long as they are enemies of the state or are promising pretenders and trouble makers of the government.
The nasty thought including his father and Mang Tonio, hyphenated priests, church workers and the rest sent again shiver down his spine.
"The Mayor then and his men delivering the dirty work were just accomplices."
"That including people working with me in the church," the priest thought tying the pieces together.
The tough revelation here thinking of how Jojo, Abel, Roger, and their parents sold him to Big Brother's counterpart in the province.
"What now of Rene as the guy is most unlikely far from suspicion," he was disturbed for the first time.
"Is he a bug? If so, could hold the key of solving the mystery for all those messes in the province."
"Problem however is, that he's part of the team and would be joining with them seeking refuge for safety somewhere. But how sure he doesn't provide their whereabouts to Big Bro and thus ending their participation to Nationalist struggle for democracy." Important thought doubly disturbing him.
"Now I'm learning," he said knowing how other party works bugging him early on.
"Twenty-four hours operation. Must be very tough work really," Ka Mario opined breaking the silence.
"Tough operation?" the priest nodded.
"You're right. You could even request or demand ahead of your enemy from them as proof of delivery of goods. Not only that you could also select which place you'd like the body or parts of it dumped!"
"We should be ready now. We have still barely ten minutes left to save our neck from this place. Be still, the parishioners on the right wing were already briefed. Roger probably finished narrating to them how the Wolves operate killing at will their clients without any trace."
No doubt Ka Mario was telling the truth, Fr. Driarco thought otherwise, he and Roger would have not surreptitiously come down from hills and joined in this fun.
"Why not after all rebels have also their deep penetration agents in the military, a job reserved only for a selected few artists in the same way the military had assets clearing area of operation setting offensive spree against the rebels.
Hurriedly, he checked if everything from books, cassocks, surplice, shorts, sandals, and money from his vault were secured. At least, he and never mind Rene should be out from the convent before darkness engulfed them.
"From now on, the journey will continue back from himself," he challenged himself resolved not to get services from people he doesn't entirely know.
At exactly seven in the evening, the convent was jolted and rocked by an explosion.
Looking back, Driarco sighed, and though his heart revolted just maintained his sanity thanking Ka Mario for the effort of saving and of Rene's life. All the while, he thought that freed from Sta. Rita's prison cell provided him ample time lobbying his cause together with his counsel outside the court only to be surprised anew by heavier crimes against the government this time. To his knowledge, he was merely practicing what the Church teaches him to do i.e. serving the people, especially the poor and the marginalized. True that he has been resolved to pursue his cause against the evil Mayor but never igniting let alone, causing the people to raise arms against the government.
"If this endless persecution would go on unabated depriving me of any breathing space to breath, then I might as well follow where my heart goes," his avowed promise changing the course of his life.
"Better to act fast now or event might overtake us faster than what we think."
"What do you mean. . ."
"There's far and serious offense they are concocting on you. Sedition yes for having transformed making your convent haven of leftists and communists hatching the conspiracy against the Mayor. . . "
"And who could have broached this highly classified information to the Wolves."
"Who else father?"
"You mean any among my sacristans from Jojo, Abel, Roger to Rene. All planted by the Wolves?"
"Yap. You just said it. And as you can see, even at their expense to clear doubts on their roles as eyes and ears of the Wolves."
"My oh my!" Fr. Driarco took deep bated breath whirling in disbelief.
"Don't forget including…," Ka Mario concluded.
All were told now leaving the innocent priest more dumbfounded than amazed.
"Come on now. Faster and look who's talking to men in seven colors uniform down on the ground in front of the facade," Ka Mario fidgeted beckoning him to move running fast on the standby vehicle that would take them to a beach nearby to awaiting speedboat that would take them to Roxas, Oriental Mindoro just roughly 50 kilometers or 31 miles.
"No choice but to go against the strong current of waves as it is nighttime to travel," Ka Mario explained.
"Rene!" Fr. Driarco mumbled as he hurriedly follows Ka Mario negotiating downstairs away for his freedom.
"Don't worry Father, we are leaving the convent without a trace. I have my men there left securing you from the Wolves on loose for your capture. Trust me." the leader said slipping away from the dragnet set by the Brown Shirts.
. . . . . . . . . .
Fr. Driarco could only sigh deep bated breath anew as he walked through the forest of Mindoro. That after flying in a helicopter rescuing them from a speedboat that almost capsized but was never intercepted by the Wolves in the sea.
"The war just started Rev. Fr.," Ka Mario said smiling to get the stress out from his guest.
"Don't worry you are safe. Our organization has an antidote of what the Wolves has in store for you,"
"Why even bother me? I'm just doing my job for my people in the church."
"Because you miss out Lakay Apo's desires . . . validating your inclusion in the Order of Battle."
The young priest could only heave a sigh of relief moving his head in disbelief.
A few hours' rests more would be enough for their second leg of the journey. Where it would be, the new immigrant doesn't have any idea yet. But it would be Mindanao, the proverbial Land of Promise.
. . . . . . . . . . .