THE most distressing news recently was the tragic death of four young men on Marcos Highway last Nov. 6. Their Honda Civic crashed into the back of a wing van, reducing half of the car nearly to a pulp. It took rescuers nearly four hours to retrieve the bodies of the victims from the wreckage.
The fatalities were Juanito Magsino, 22; Kidrock Jola Magsino, 21; Lawrence Ivan Jose, 21; and Ireneo Balmonte, 22, all residents of Antipolo City. The sudden and profound loss of their very dear loved ones has been unbearable for the families.
‘Armed with the proper gadget, police can patrol major thoroughfares at night to try and break up the demonic stronghold of deeper darkness assaulting motorists who have ingested alcohol and drugs.’
Police have yet to release a report on whether the accident was caused by drunken driving. Only booze or drugs could feed the adrenalin with such deadly recklessness.
In an interview with the media hours after the incident, Antipolo police chief Lt. Coronel Ryan Manongdo should have stressed the need to strictly enforce the law on drunken driving, especially on Marcos Highway, one of the most-accident prone major avenues in the country. He just reminded motorists to avoid over-speeding to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The police, of course, are unable to enforce the said law without the alcohol-detecting equipment, which so far has not been a priority of the PNP leadership. Even DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, who exercises overall supervision of the PNP, has not said anything about this. The lack of manpower has been a lame excuse for decades.
Armed with the proper gadget, police can patrol major thoroughfares at night to try and break up the demonic stronghold of deeper darkness assaulting motorists who have ingested alcohol and drugs.
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Our congratulations to Malou Choa-Fagar, the president of the UP College of Mass Communication Alumni Association, for this year’s homecoming and awarding rites for the “Glory” awards bestowed on outstanding graduates of the college. The award was named after the late Dr. Gloria Feliciano, the founding dean of the then Institute of Mass Communication in the late 1960s.
Malou is the only UP alumni who has served the longest in any college alumni association. Many remember Malou as also the longest executive producer of the noontime variety blockbuster “Eat Bulaga” which she left in 2017. Many remember her as uncommonly helpful, generous and compassionate.
Two of the awardees, Lynda Jumilla and Atty. Rowie Morales, are good friends. Lynda, who was then with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, was a very capable fellow news reporter during our Senate stint as beat reporters. She was particularly helpful with some TV broadcast reporters, including me, by feeding us with the occasional news-breaking stories and preventing us from being scooped.
Lynda would blush whenever the late Sen. Ernie Maceda, who had a way with the ladies, teased her for her good looks. Lynda later joined Channel 2 (ABS-CBN), becoming a prime mover in the network’s public affairs programs and an incisive host of an award-winning talk show.
Rowie won the award for Public Service. She was cited for her zealous and fearless efforts as head of the UP Law Center’s Legal Aid which provides free assistance to indigents and victims of sexual and domestic abuse. After graduating with a journalism degree, she ventured into law because she “could no longer turn her back on the sad plight of defenseless victims of violence and other abuses.” She was also a law professor for many years.
Along with a friend, Rio Bancaya, from Christ’s Commission Fellowship (CCF) in Marikina, I sang the worship song, “Above All” to serve as the opening prayer.
It befits the glittering event celebrating one’s highly-applauded achievements and distinctions and points to our loving and merciful God and Savior, Jesus Christ, our true and greatest resource who has made everything good in our life come to pass. “Above all powers. Above all kings. Above all nature and all created things. Above all wisdom and all the ways of man, You were here before the world began. Above all kingdoms. Above all thrones. Above all wonders the world has ever known. Above all wealth and treasures of the earth, there’s no way to measure what You’re worth. Crucified, laid behind a stone. You lived to die. Rejected and alone. Like a rose trampled on the ground. You took the Fall. And thought of me. Above all.”
