A case of ‘Wish ko lang’?

Much as we would like to keep only beautiful memories of the very successful holding of the Philippines-Mongolia football game in Bacolod last Wednesday, many unpleasant facets continue to come out as the hours go by. Among them is a xeroxed copy of the Sports section of the Daily Inquirer dated Jan. 21 that was sent to me by an anonymous reader yesterday. This was the DI issue that carried the headline “P-Noy to watch Azkals match”, with the item following it saying: “President Aquino will be among the thousands of fans when the Philippines battles Mongolia in the first leg of their qualifying series in the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup at the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City.”

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That was how it was stated, clearly, positively, and without any qualifications as to any circumstances that may prevent the President from coming. The next paragraph says: “This was confirmed yesterday by Philippine Olympic Committee chair Monico Puentevella who also said that Senators Miguel Zubiri, Teofisto Guingona III and Bong Revilla are also expected to watch the game slated on Feb. 9.” Well, Zubiri did come, but the two others mentioned apparently didn’t.

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The sender of the Xerox copy probably was reacting to the statement from Malacañang, released just before the event that there was never any confirmation from the President’s office that he would attend the game. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda, who informed local media about this, said they had to issue the statement because of information they received that some media outlets in Bacolod (not the DAILY STAR) are disseminating information – now proven to be false – that the President was attending the match. If you ask him now, maybe the one who “confirmed” it will just tell you: “Wish ko lang…”

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Of interest to us is the fact that the DI item was bylined by Cedelf Tupas, former Sports editor of the DAILY STAR, who, we know, is not the type of journalist who could write such news just based on unverified sources. As for the other unpleasant fall-outs, there is the snafu about the tickets, and reports that there was scalping at the Panaad with free tickets being sold. At least the police were able to apprehend some of those engaged in that act. Then there was also the finger-pointing and the attempts to place some officials on the spot by circulating talks that they had been given so many thousands of tickets, with insinuations that they, too, had taken advantage of them. Well, there are always bad fairies in every major undertaking. The next canard to watch out for is about the announcement that President Aquino is giving the team P30 million. What will you bet that someone will tell the media again that he was the one who cajoled, persuaded, coaxed, or even threatened the President into that?

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It is very disheartening to hear about all these misinformation, disinformation and outright lies being part of what is supposed to be a sporting event. What is the matter – are some officials so hungry for recognition that they resort to these un-sportsmanlike behavior? How funny it is, therefore, that, just before the game started, the FIFA banner that was paraded before the crowds declared its motto of “MY GAME IS FAIR PLAY”. From what we have noticed, some sports officials (not of football, at that) are not playing fair at all.

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Meanwhile, still topping the news up to now is the suicide of former AFP Chief, Secretary of Environment and of Local Governments Angelo Reyes, who is slated to be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani on Sunday. Some may wonder why the Libingan, which is supposed to be the burying ground for heroes or honorable soldiers. Well, Reyes may have been embroiled in a big scandal, but he has not been proven guilty of anything so far, and therefore deserved to rest with his fellow soldiers.

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I wonder, however, why his family did not opt to lay him to rest near the tomb of his mother where he made the supreme act of killing himself. Was he making a statement in choosing that place to die and spill his blood? There are some old folk who, when they want to stress that they are telling the truth, do it by saying “I swear this on the grave of my mother”. Was that his message? A few years ago, there was a politician who declared before the public that he was swearing to the truth of his words “on his mother’s grave.” Those listening believed him, until somebody whispered that his mother was still alive and very healthy in their province.*

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