that was then. now it's different. it now means a time to relax, extra hour to ponder on things (okay, okay, i meant sleep), of course be home with my family, and a time to expand this web space (until now i don't know what i am writing about actually). i was also browsing the internet of headlines i missed for this week. i don't have my HD TV with me now but very soon we'll be reunited. aside from the Boston Celtics winning the NBA '08 championship (this i didn't miss watching :) wuhooo! panalo ako ng P500 keh Jod hehe), there's really not much news to uplift someone's spirit..
the green tradition
though i was rooting for another team at the start of the '07-'08 season of the NBA, the Boston Celtics had been my team come playoffs time. i always side with a defensive team rather than an offensive one. i personally liked Kevin Garnett's chances of finally having his own ring when he was traded to Boston. along with P2 (Paul Pierce) and Ray Allen (whom they call as the "candyman" since his stroke is so sweeeet) they more than just capture their 17th title Wednesday morning Manila time, they played their finest game of the season and crushed the spirits of their longtime nemesis, the L.A. Lakers. final score, Boston 131, Los Angeles, 92. nope, your math isn't wrong. 39 points it is. that was obliteration. no other word. obliteration. Kobe Bryant and company, with their lack of intensity in putting up a fight that night, looked like they wanted to catch a flight back home during halftime.. to the C's, continue on with the green tradition. let's play some nasty defense. de-fense! de-fense!
the raw emotion of KG summed up a perfect night for every Celtics fan. (image taken from ESPN.com)
jungle hell
i don't know how to describe the feeling and i don't desire to be there first hand to be able to illustrate. but that's as far as Ces Drilon described her 10-day ordeal with her captors in Indanan, Sulu. what was supposed to be an agreed interview with an Abu Sayaff commander turned into a kidnap for ransom. together with her 2 cameramen and a professor from that province, they were held hostage for P20 million. but here's the twist: Ces' family chose a lady vice governor of that province to be the third party in the negotiations but the rebel group chose a town mayor. so negotiations happened and thru the direct help of senator Loren Legarda all the hostages were released. (thru some research, i found out that senator Legarda was the same person who negotiated for the release of a 2002 hostage of some journalist and tourists, here at the same town, of probably the same group. rightly so the ABS-CBN honchos chose the lady senator to mediate since she already has the "connections" so to speak). but that's not the twist. at the end of the ordeal, it turned out that the mayor was believed to be the one who staged everything. at least that's what the PNP is looking at right now. together with his son, they're being interrogated. hala, eh dahil pala tatakbo ng pagka governor ata this coming August election kaya nangailangan ng pera. tsk tsk tsk. yan na nga ba ang sinasabi ko, mga pulitiko talaga. akala mo parang tupang nagmamagandang loob tumulong, siya din pala ang lobo na lalapa sayo. oh well, let the law extend its hand on the perpetrators and bring them to justice. as for Ces, i think she learned her lesson:
"It taught me that the story is not everything. Before kasi I was always in hot pursuit of a story without thinking of my own safety... Maybe there are other stories I can pursue without taking too many risks. That’s how I will draw the line now..."one of this cameramen meanwhile said something very good about humanity throughout this ordeal.
"..if there is evil around you, there will always be good too.."
Frank's fury
as i write this, Metro Manila is being pounded by a typhoon. kanina malakas ang hangin ngayon ulan naman. what saddens me though is that another passenger ship is reported to have sunken in the Visayas region, several kilometers off Sibuyan island in Romblon. the ship en route from Manila to Cebu was carrying more than 700 passengers. first question that came to mind is why the ship has been allowed to set sail with a typhoon approaching? haven't we learned our lessons?? nakakainis naman tong mga nasa maritime institutions natin. ilang beses na bang may nangyaring ganyan at bakit hindi pa rin nila na-anticipate. i sympathize for the victims' families. i believe many of these passengers opted for a cheaper fare going home kaya nag-barko sila tapos magiging biktima lang sila ng kapabayaan ng mga otoridad. nakakagalit!! bakit di natin pagsama samahin ang mga tiwaling opisyal ng ahensya ng gobyerno na namamahala sa paglalayag ng mga pampasaherong barko, isama na natin ang mga may ari ng mga barkong lagi na lang sangkot sa mga mass murder sa dagat na parang walang pakialam pagkatapos ng mga ganitong trahedya, isakay natin lahat sila sa isang butas na barko at palautin sa dagat habang bumabagyo. tignan ko lang kung hindi magbalahaw ang mga yan at magmakaawa ng saklolo. pero hindi na dapat umabot sa ganon. kailangan ng suspindihin, panagutin at bigyan ng mabigat na parusa ang mga nagkasala para hindi na maulit ang mga ganitong mass murder sa sinuman nating mga kababayan..
one ship crew, who is among the four survivors as of this moment, recounted that the sea was really rough and waves as tall as mountains were pounding the ship which later developed a hole in its hull. water started to fill in then after about 15 terrifying minutes lang the ship was already underneath the sea. ang bilis at sobrang nakakatakot tsk tsk. what's sad about this is that four lifeless bodies have been washed ashore and the fate of the rest of the passengers and crew is still unknown. what's even more disheartening is that there are at least 45 children listed in the ship's manifest. so sad. thru his sunday speech at the Vatican, Pope Benedict in Rome sympathized upon learning of the tragedy. whenever i hear death of children in whatever way, my heart breaks.. so so sad :(
rescuers were prevented by bad weather for a search and rescue mission. but according to later reports, they already boarded the coast guard ship and estimated to arrive at the scene Sunday afternoon. i hope they find survivors. there may not be many, but i hope there are. God bless these people.
