The Running Man

26 July 2006
metrica, manila

Under the scorching heat of the sun, I found myself rubbing elbows with the tubaw-wearing youth on the grounds of Senate. Bored of being bum for weeks, I was in the process of “soul-searching” when I got drawn in to these people’s grasp of reality. Anyway their ideas weren’t too big to take in as I could easily identify with the evil effects of the whopping budget slash in education sector.

Though-looking as I am but I would not deny that at that time, I felt boneless, especially upon catching a glimpse of the marines who looked hell-bent in wiping us off the earth. Sitting prettily while alternately digesting my sandwich and the heart-warming, temperature-rising speeches of the mass leaders, piles of bodies hurled into mine. Blood started to taint the ground as the men in uniform thrashed us to death. The throng was in complete disarray.

I was struggling to get out of the mesh of bodies when someone grabbed me and escorted me towards a safer place. Exactly after she hauled me, blows of truncheon hammered right on the nail where I was ensnarled.

I learned that that girl was Sherlyn, a representative to the University Student Council of the University of the Philippines-Diliman. She had been actively participating in mobilizations, and had developed an instinct in situations such as these.

With my regular stay in Vinzons Hill where Sherlyn was also a tambay, I found out that she was the one who was edged out by the controversial Nancy Navalta in a race. She was a university athlete. Among the tambay, Sherlyn was also popular for her dance step, a sort of “The Running Man” infused with whatever-you-wanna-call-it steps. This “The Sherlyn Cadapan Dance Step” required a lot of intense muscle flexes that no one has dared to follow or imitate.

While she dances gracefully and automatically turns into a horse when running, Sherlyn works like a dog. She has never wavered in her commitment. Yet, though serious, she has never missed to inject fun to her work. In deed, she could transform a prayer meeting into a party, or a market.

Knowing how deeply entrenched Sherlyn is to her commitment, I was not waylaid when one day, she just shook our hands, packed her bag and went out the door. I knew where she was leading to, and I never had a doubt about her decision.

I haven’t seen Sherlyn since then. Until her face flashed on the television screen. She was abducted by the military, being singled out as a terrorist.

Gen. Jovito Palparan, who was acknowledged by Pres. Arroyo in her last State of the Nation Address for his achievement in restoring “peace and order” in the country, was quick to validate the abduction. He said that the military has enough evidence that pinpoint Sherlyn, along with Karen Empeno and Manuel Merino to have linked with the New People’s Army. Whatever these proofs are, however, everyone knows the track record of Palparan for vamping up stories and accusations to gorge his fondness of mercilessly killing suspicious individuals.

Still uneasy and beleaguered by these recent developments, no disclaimer can ditch the fact that the series of abduction and killings only means one thing: the Arroyo government is in full battle gear to flex its muscle to the people going against its interest. Everyone is subjected to suspicion, knowing how paranoid this government is, which could lead to abduction, incarceration and even death.

Sherlyn is just a person whose only passion is to provide genuine service to the underprivileged being neglected by the government. Hers is a work so modest and noble that she is well-loved by the people. Tagging her terrorist is false and malicious.

For a terrorist is someone whose passion is to sow fear among the people. Expert in employing goons, gold and guns, he is determined to defeat everyone just to advance his stake. He has resorted to using all the dirty tricks such as tagging some individuals “terrorist”. A terrorist is shunned by the people.

With the statistics and records staring straightly to us, we know who the real terrorist is.