Rene

How could you die when we agreed to do other campaigns together?  How could you be ambushed in the dead of the night when you’re savvy enough to lead a 1,700 km. march – on foot – for more than two months?  You managed to pull us through various threats: mud, heat, sickness, military, NPA in the course of the long fight for 144 but you weren’t able to see danger on your life?  You led the campaign for CARPER and you wake me up before it’s my time to work to tell me that you think a vigil, instead of a rally, might be a good idea.  In that way, you argued, Nogie would not have a chance to use the farmers as excuse for not passing CARPER.  Ang husay husay mo pero di mo nakita yung may hawak ng shot gun?

One of our last times together was when a police colonel asked PAKISAMA and SBC to go home and immediately stop the vigil in front of congress.  You whispered to me, “ikiskis natin ito.”  I saw you were excited to do it so I did not say anything but silently I was disagreeing with your idea.  Then you came back to me and asked, “ano tingin mo?”  I simply said, “mukhang lugi pag pinatulan natin ang pangit na pulis na yan.”  You nodded and went to the colonel and said, “Sir, pahiram nga ng megaphone mo, may sasabihin lang ako sa lahat…” 

Hindi rin naman matapang ang mukha mo ano?  Talagang hiniram mo pa ang megaphone. 

“Mga kasama sa PAKISAMA at SBC,” you addressed the crowd looking to you for leadership, “tama si Sir, uwi na tayo, pahinga tayo, tapos balik tayo bukas para magdasal ulit sa harap ng Congress na ipasa na nila ang CARPER.  Sir, babalik kami bukas ha.”  From a kiskis decision to one that even borrowed the megaphone to say we are going home, you made me laugh big time.  My last comment was, “ibang klase ka talaga, Rene.”

You were flexible and savvy in life.  How could you not see danger when it faced you in that dark road in San Vicente?  In the first place, nganong naa ka sa Sumilao? 

And then there was the Red Carpet Screening of Lupang Hinarang when as emcee I reminded you to give a short and sweet speech.  “Pwedeng mga 5-minute speech lang, Ren?”  You said, “gusto mo, 3 minutes lang eh.”  And you did; you gave a wonderful 3-minute speech that would be immortalized as one of the best speeches made by a farmer leader.

After the screening, I asked Reggie to take our photo and warned you that I’d send our picture to Diding.  “Hay naku, di magagalit yang si Diding ano, kilala ka nun. Natulog ka nga sa karumata nya.”  To which I said, “sabagay, kung ako naman si Diding, di talaga ako magseselos kahit matagal kitang di nakikita; daig mo pa ang bato pagdating sa landian… di ka kagaya ni Yoyong.” 

Such is our relationship.  And such is my loss.  You were not just a PO leader to me, one that sleeps in my office, one that speaks in forums and rallies, and someone I could derive inspiration from in my daily struggle for goodness and light.  You were my friend, someone I’m happy to be with, comfortable to be in a campaign with, and excited to discuss novel ideas with.  You were the only person I hugged in the middle of EDSA and Aurora Blvd.  In that crowd of Banasi, Calatagan, PKSK and PAKISAMA farmers, I was shouting your name because I missed you after a long time of not seeing each other.  From the crowd, I could hear you happily shouting my name as well and looking for a way to embrace me through the adrenalin-pumping photo op in the middle of the busiest intersection in Manila. 

How could I join the “Lakaw for Rene” this afternoon when I don’t have you to execute our tactics and media-savvy antics?  If I get frustrated over our comrades who do not understand our ideas, who would I immediately talk to?  How could you be in that coffin when you should be the one leading the walk? 

How could you die when we just won?  How could I strive to win more victories when they kill my friends to whom I dedicate my victories?

Sa susunod na mananalo ulit tayo, di mo makikita na maganda ang ginawa ko.  Di ka makikipag apir sa akin pag maganda ang ideas ko.  Di ka makikipag debate pag hindi tayo nagkaka-intindihan sa gusto nating gawin.  Di mo ako sasabihan na, “ok lang yan; sa susunod ganito ang gagawin natin para manalo tayo.”

Pwede bang bumangon ka na sa lusak na yan at mag trabaho na?

Salamat, Rej at Aison, sa mga kuhang larawan…