Don't provoke mourners at FPJ funeral

Don't provoke mourners at FPJ funeral


Updated 00:41am (Mla time) Dec 22, 2004
By Neal Cruz
Inquirer News Service



Editor's Note: Published on page A14 of the December 22, 2004 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer


Good night, sweet prince, (princess),

May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.

-Hamlet by Shakespeare

AT SUNRISE today will begin the funeral march that will take Fernando Poe Jr. to his final resting place at the North Cemetery. By coincidence, the funeral for Ma. Kristina Casimira or "KC," beloved l6-year-old daughter of Speaker Jose and Gina de Venecia, will also take place a little later this morning.

High-ranking administration officials, the elite, will attend KC's funeral but the more numerous masa will be at the last rites for FPJ. Two persons, both beloved by their families and friends, struck down by tragedies the reasons for which only God can explain. A man and a young woman, belonging to feuding factions, called by God at the same time, a coincidence that reminds us of another Shakespearean tragedy.

Many people are skittish about the FPJ funeral. Although his family wants it to be solemn and dignified, and wishes that it not be used by anybody for politics, it could break out into violence. The police has prepared for groups which want to destabilize the administration. And opposition leaders have appealed to their followers not to use FPJ's funeral for political purposes. At last Monday's Kapihan sa Manila, opposition Senators Nene Pimentel Jr. and Alfredo Lim and former Rep. Mike Romero repeatedly called on FPJ's supporters to refrain from violence as he would not have wanted it that way.

Not that FPJ's supporters are planning to do just that. Still violence can break out spontaneously, without anybody planning it, if the police don't handle it right. The PNP has fielded 1,400 policemen for any eventuality. The danger is that with thousands upon thousands of mourners jostling to get a last glimpse of their idol, there is bound to be some pushing and shoving and the police will certainly try to keep order. If a policeman so much as pushes somebody back in line, it could provoke a crowd--already angry at the death of their hero, made worse by the impression that his death was caused by his depression at being cheated in the elections, and whose patience is worn thin by the long walk under the hot sun from the Sto. Domingo Church and by the crush of people--to retaliate.

The first impulse of the police is to push a crowd back and, when it becomes unruly, to hose it with water cannons or use tear gas. If that happens, all hell can break loose. Once a riot starts, it is hard to control. Hotheads can provoke the crowd, and groups can rampage and even try to storm Malacañang as they tried to do during Erap's presidency.

So it would be well for policemen not to lose their tempers. Keep cool, don't be provoked, use maximum tolerance. And FPJ's supporters should watch out for provocateurs in their ranks.

In his movies, FPJ played many characters with different names and different backgrounds, but they were all basically the same peaceful men. They reacted only toward the end to right a wrong and when they were pushed back against the wall by the villains. FPJ was such a peaceful man in real life. Don't sully his memory by fomenting violence on his last day on earth.

* * *

The talk now is what will happen to FPJ's electoral protest now that he is dead. There are two schools of thought. Pimentel told the Kapihan that he believes it died with FPJ. But Lim and Romero said the protest can, and should be, pushed to its logical conclusion. The people want to know who really won the election, Romero said. And it was the people who were cheated, not FPJ alone, Lim added. They were cheated out of their president.

As for its legality, some lawyers say there is a precedent. A losing mayoralty candidate and his teammate had filed an election protest against the winners. The protesting candidate died before the case was finished. Can his vice mayoralty candidate continue with the protest and take over the mayor's seat? Yes, said the Supreme Court, provided both of them won in the recount.

That is exactly the situation with FPJ and his vice-presidential team mate, Loren Legarda. FPJ is dead but Legarda can continue with the poll protest. If the recount shows that both FPJ and Legarda had won, the latter will become president.

But what if FPJ wins but not Legarda? In that case, Vice President Noli de Castro takes over as president.

Pimentel texted me as this column was being written to say that the sentiment in the opposition camp is to continue with the protest. The problem is now financial, he said.

* * *

Myther Bunag is reminding members of the Thursday Club that its Christmas party will be held tomorrow.

Meanwhile, there will be no Kapihan sa Manila on Dec. 27, 2004 and Jan. 3, 2005. The first Kapihan of 2005 will be on Jan. 10.

The Kapihan sa Manila's 20th anniversary show starring Willie Nepomuceno and his troupe will be held in February 2005. Tickets for the hilarious show at the Manila Hotel's Fiesta Pavilion will be on sale soon.

* * *

Today's jokes:

Vice President Noli de Castro is praying: "Dear Lord, ang dasal ko po sa inyo ay kunin nyo na ang nanalong presidente. Bakit si FPJ ang kinuha nyo? Bakit Lord, sino ba talaga ang nanalo?" [Dear Lord, my prayer to you is please take the winning president. Why did you take FPJ? Why Lord? Who really won?]

* * *

A friend sees Sen. Ping Lacson banging his head against the wall.

"Bakit? [Why] What is he doing?" the friend asks Lacson's aide who is standing by.

"He has been like that since FPJ died," replies the aide. "If he had accepted the offer to be FPJ's running mate, he would be president now."