I came to bury Caesar, not to praise him the evil that men do lives after them so let it be with Caesar
For students and readers worth his/her literary salt the overline is an excerpt from Mark Anthony’s oration on a political friend Julius Caesar assassinated by political colleagues on the Roman Senat (senate to us these days)) written by William Shakespeare.
Cerge Remonde, a media colleague, in a journalistic cliché just typed “30.” No, he was not assassinated. He passed away last January 15. He was a young 51 years, a family friend for ever 20 years. I met him when I was 20 years old, still single that time, at the Bulletin Today (now Manila Bulletin) editorial office.
Good words and longing pour out of the lips of friends, colleagues and even media acquaintances – all expressing just how well Cerge had reached out to them. A workaholic, he rose to the ranks from rungs below.
A warm funny pal, one of the last serious conversations I had with him was when he sincerely offered me to join him in the presidential press staff. I turned the generous offer down. Thank God I did.
This column is not making a judgement of the late Cerge’s decision accept the office. Knowing him, I’m certain he took on the job on the belief that he can make a dent — not out of cynicism.
It is an office one cannot really be too envious of though, especially when it is supposed to prettify someone or something that for some reasons — founded or otherwise — hardly look good or acceptable to many a sector. It takes guts and commitment, it takes character. I saluted him when despite all the flaks, curses and mineral water containers thrown at him by some emotional colleagues during a media rally December of last year condemning the Ampatuan Massacre which killed among many 30 media workers and the silence of the Malacanang residents on the issue. Cerge kept his demeanor and even committed to go to the bottom of the case and work for justice to be served.
It was not too different a situation for Congressman Teddy Locsin a dozen of years ago when the Harvard graduate who for sometime took the same office for the late President Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino. He tried to project an image of exquisite finesse. But confronted by another irate crowd demanding a better performance from the president he was trying to “prettify” he responded by half-raising a left fist with the middle finger extended and a facial expression that silently shouts the all too common seven letter two words F_____U !!!
It is not the same case for Atty. Cookie Diokno, the daughter of the late statesman and former Senator of the land Jose W. Diokno. She accepted the responsibility of sitting on the government-side of the peace negotiation table with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) back in 1986.
The euphoria of the people kicking out Marcos the dictator well underscored the “democratic space” under “a new government” under Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino which opened doors for a ceasefire and negotiations for a long lasting peace between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the NDFP.
But it was cut short in January 22, 1987 by the bloody carnage now called Mendiola Massacre where 13 of over a thousand protesting peasants where gunned down and a score hurt by the military and police at the foot of the Mendiola Bridge now renamed Don Chino Roces Bridge.
So bloody and infamous the incident was that Atty. Diokno chose to resign as a government consultant for that aborted peace process, writing … … as every day pass I find it difficult defending the government position … (underscoring mine.) It is an open information now that Cerge’s intent was to go back to broadcast-journalism practice, his first love, as soon as his stint as Press Secretary, co-terminus with the president which hired him, culminates in June this year. But it was a breath short.
For those who really knew him it may remain a question whether he chose to serve the right party – but he certainly served with commitment and integrity.
For students and readers worth his/her literary salt the overline is an excerpt from Mark Anthony’s oration on a political friend Julius Caesar assassinated by political colleagues on the Roman Senat (senate to us these days)) written by William Shakespeare.
Cerge Remonde, a media colleague, in a journalistic cliché just typed “30.” No, he was not assassinated. He passed away last January 15. He was a young 51 years, a family friend for ever 20 years. I met him when I was 20 years old, still single that time, at the Bulletin Today (now Manila Bulletin) editorial office.
Good words and longing pour out of the lips of friends, colleagues and even media acquaintances – all expressing just how well Cerge had reached out to them. A workaholic, he rose to the ranks from rungs below.
A warm funny pal, one of the last serious conversations I had with him was when he sincerely offered me to join him in the presidential press staff. I turned the generous offer down. Thank God I did.
This column is not making a judgement of the late Cerge’s decision accept the office. Knowing him, I’m certain he took on the job on the belief that he can make a dent — not out of cynicism.
It is an office one cannot really be too envious of though, especially when it is supposed to prettify someone or something that for some reasons — founded or otherwise — hardly look good or acceptable to many a sector. It takes guts and commitment, it takes character. I saluted him when despite all the flaks, curses and mineral water containers thrown at him by some emotional colleagues during a media rally December of last year condemning the Ampatuan Massacre which killed among many 30 media workers and the silence of the Malacanang residents on the issue. Cerge kept his demeanor and even committed to go to the bottom of the case and work for justice to be served.
It was not too different a situation for Congressman Teddy Locsin a dozen of years ago when the Harvard graduate who for sometime took the same office for the late President Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino. He tried to project an image of exquisite finesse. But confronted by another irate crowd demanding a better performance from the president he was trying to “prettify” he responded by half-raising a left fist with the middle finger extended and a facial expression that silently shouts the all too common seven letter two words F_____U !!!
It is not the same case for Atty. Cookie Diokno, the daughter of the late statesman and former Senator of the land Jose W. Diokno. She accepted the responsibility of sitting on the government-side of the peace negotiation table with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) back in 1986.
The euphoria of the people kicking out Marcos the dictator well underscored the “democratic space” under “a new government” under Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino which opened doors for a ceasefire and negotiations for a long lasting peace between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the NDFP.
But it was cut short in January 22, 1987 by the bloody carnage now called Mendiola Massacre where 13 of over a thousand protesting peasants where gunned down and a score hurt by the military and police at the foot of the Mendiola Bridge now renamed Don Chino Roces Bridge.
So bloody and infamous the incident was that Atty. Diokno chose to resign as a government consultant for that aborted peace process, writing … … as every day pass I find it difficult defending the government position … (underscoring mine.) It is an open information now that Cerge’s intent was to go back to broadcast-journalism practice, his first love, as soon as his stint as Press Secretary, co-terminus with the president which hired him, culminates in June this year. But it was a breath short.
For those who really knew him it may remain a question whether he chose to serve the right party – but he certainly served with commitment and integrity.
