What was PNoy
bringing to Cambodia?

President Aquino left for Cambodia Saturday night to join other leaders at the 21st Association Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. Reports said he insisted on going there despite the fact that he was suffering from flu, and even missed a meeting with International Monetary Fund managing director Christie Lagarde because of it. And yet he is now in Phnon Penh with all those Asian bigwigs. Aren’t they afraid he will infect them all? Hasn’t anybody suggested that he be placed in isolation?

***

Cambodia. I get a little bit nostalgic when it is mentioned because it is one country where Filipinos are really held in high esteem. When we got there sometime in the late 90s, a Negrense former general, the late Thelmo Cunanan, was the Philippine Ambassador and his wife, then Inquirer columnist Belinda Olivares Cunanan, helped us to get around. Wherever we went, all those we met, government workers as well as drivers and hotel staff, had nothing but nice words about Filipinos. It seems that even in the pre-Spanish occupation days, Filipinos were already helping the Cambodians to develop their country.

***

In fact, while we were there, we met several Pinoys who were occupying high positions in government or private establishments, some acting as consultants who were paid very highly. We were told that the national heads of the equivalent of our water and power agencies, were both Filipinos. But there was a very sad thing we noted. So many people without arms, hands, feet or legs – sometimes both – were lolling around in the markets, or in the streets, begging. We found out that all of them were victims of the landmines the wicked Khmer Rouge had planted all over the towns and cities that those people had unknowingly stepped on and activated.

***

That is why, when I hear or read news items about explosives being planted in heavily populated areas by both protestors and loyalists in the troubled countries like Syria, for instance, I remember those armless, legless and scarred human beings, dragging themselves on the streets, trying to keep alive by begging because they no longer had the capacity to do anything else. Maybe the country has recovered now. At the time we are there, they hardly had any doctors, lawyers, teachers, or other professionals because they had been “eliminated” by the regime who did not want thinkers but only slaves.

***

Like a whirlpool with its widening rings of water after an object has been thrown into it, the reaches of the terrible crime committed by the gang identified as the Aman Futures, is being discovered to have affected more and more areas in Mindanao. This was after the scandal initially broke out in Pagadian City, a quiet and, as far as I recall, very peaceful place. Maybe it was because of that that the widespread swindling had succeeded, leaving thousands of people aghast and helpless, after realizing that they had given away their precious savings in the hope that they would earn more for them.

***

Now, it has been reported that life in the areas hit by Aman group has changed very drastically. The buying power of people has been reduced, or maybe altogether taken away, few are shopping or spending, and even service establishments like barbershops can’t find customers. Just imagine how the loss of P12 BILLION can impoverish a community, especially because chances of ever recovering their treasures are also gone. Even if the gang leaders are caught, would they still have the money to refund their victims?

***

Philippines sports aficionados have reason to exult again with the decisive victory of young boxer Brian Viloria his (again) Mexican opponent, Hernan Marquez. Wire reports last night said Viloria knocked Marquez down three times, and after the last one, his own trainer asked for the fight to be stopped, seeing his man being heavily pummeled by Viloria. So Viloria kept his World Boxing Organization flyweight belt and added the Super World Boxing Association to his stock.

***

By the way, is this Marquez, whose moniker is “Tyson”, in any way related to Juan Manuel Marquez who will soon face our Manny Pacquiao on their fourth encounter? Pacquiao is now training furiously in order to make sure that he proves that his previous wins over Juan Manuel Marquez were not just a fluke. Manny needs our support and prayers more than ever, because Marquez has been girding for this rematch for years now. As for Manny, I personally hope he makes his point clear in this fight and then seriously think of hanging up his gloves and devote his time to his constituents and his country.*

back to top