from the readers

"Mourn the dead that in the cool earth lie, but rather mourn the apathetic, throng the coward and the meek who see the worldâ's anguish and it's wrong, and dare not speak.' -Ralph Chaplin-The death of Aklanon Jhonard Allanza, one of the ten marine soldiers decapitated and mutilated by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on July 10, 2007 at Tipo-tipo, Basilan is the most inspiring, yet, seemingly heartbreaking experience Aklanons have to face recently.
He, who was in his mid-twenties, is a reflection of thousands of Aklanons who live through life everyday in honesty and integrity through the course of their toil, tears, laugh and sweat.
Yet, far greater and more heroic is Jhonard that he had to sacrifice his young life (by shedding his blood) to ensure that we continuously enjoy the essentials of our democracy and freedom: liberty to speak our thoughts, express our opinions, and be free from fear - in such that no person will be in position to commit an act of aggression to anyone or anywhere.
We owe it to the fruition on the labours of the likes of Jhonard to develop our full stature and commonly raise the level of our human dignity as an Aklanon. We feel the duty to speak up and to remind those responsible for doing tremendous evil and wrong, that in facing the consequences of their actions, there is no escape into easy comforts.
But what happened to these same thousands of decent Aklanons having to face and be slapped three times by the blunders of fraudulent appointments of Antonio V. Viray?
Why the Aklanon educators, medical practitioners, lawyers, professionals, heads of proper government agencies and the clergy are suddenly become subdued, even preferred to embrace the unthinkable culture of apathy?
Aklanons are known to uphold their religiosity and spirituality in an ever deafening ati-atihan celebration of spiritual thanksgiving for heavenly favours.
Why are they now meek on the issue of Viray? Or is it that - are they really afraid to speak up against anyone?
Congressman Joeben Miraflores who is the brother-in-law of Viray, Governor Carlito Marquez who unwittingly made the appointments, ...or both? ... Are they just waiting for the outcome of the investigation of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan?
No one really knows.
These politicians owe all Aklanons the acceptable explanation; and the victims of fraud and deceit of Viray the necessary recompense.
At the even furthermost end, are they just simply unconcerned, heartless, and insensitive to the plights of their fellow Aklanons?
If they are, we can bluntly say that Aklan is a dangerous place to live because it is there where the apathetic and corrupts thrive.
It is similarly horrifying because the hungry, uneducated and the innocent have been stripped off their dignity and rights in exchange of marked value of money on their foreheads. In addition, the social and medical services for the poor sick and dying are set aside in exchange for so-called economic profit and politicians’ personal gains.
But will Aklanons ever allow that? …Never and not at all.
We can assume that they must have been pushed at the head of the queue, of the queue of discreet, decency, compassion and caution, much against their will. For such is a more acceptable assertion.
But to show compassion, like God's love, must be accompanied by the implementations of truth and justice for it to be right. Because like God is merciful, He is also truthful and just.
It is even incredible to believe that the hundreds of victim-patient of Viray, by being the head of three district hospitals in Aklan, have all died from his wrong medical diagnosis and erroneous prescriptions so as not to file any case against him and the people behind his appointments.
This picture is not at all bright (as the concerned people might do the sigh of relief). By continuous muteness, callous disregard, little by little and delaying resolve of the Aklan Provincial Government on this very serious matter, they are putting themselves into the middle of the fire, incurring more unspoken hatred and persecution from the Aklanons.
The word hospital came from the French word "hotel dieu" or God's hotel. It is a place where the sick and the dying are cared for. And to intentionally assign Viray three times – whom Cong. Joeben Miraflores and Gov. Carlito Marquez knew who is illegal to practice medicine and whom experts say unqualified, is unforgivable. And the reason, ____________said, 'We thought we will never be caught and no one will complain!"
The failure of local government officials to act swiftly on the matter will surely cement their monument of shame. The failure to present their innocence to the deliberations of the court throws themselves into the Bay of Pigs.
Yet, with all the caution and the waiting, the message is still clear: This situation calls for a courageous effort, for a radical change in Aklanons attitude, in the entire concept of politics.
This situation calls for continuous vigilance and historical documentation of their acts so that they will never be forgotten.
And like a voice coming down from heaven, we, Aklanons, want the concerned people to hear our voice - "No, no we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like mighty streams. "
And for the good of all, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS

anonymous