The Little Tin God

Political violence is common if not the norm in Philippine politics. Prior to the declaration of our independence more than a hundred years ago, our founding oligarchs still found time to whack each other out in order to gain control of the new political order. They were like mongrels fighting over scraps – pathetic. The plebeian Andres Bonifacio, who led the revolution against our old Spanish masters was the first prominent victim of the violent power struggle among Filipinos in the shortlived first Philippine republic. Emerging victorious, Aguinaldo (FYI: this guy framed Bonifacio and ordered his summary execution, pina-salvage na), lost no time to bask in his political glory by unwittingly declaring independence for the archipelago at his residence in Cavite. And the rest was history…

We were up to a bad start. To the unfamiliar, it should be noted that it was the shrewd and scheming Humabon who manipulated Magellan and his men to invade Lapulapu’s turf in the 16th century. Humabon had a grudge against Lapulapu. The arrogant and cocky Magellan even boasted that their guns and swords would be enough to subdue the bamboo spears of the heathens and there was no need to wear heavy armor. Sadly for Magellan, it cost him his life. Interestingly, after losing this battle, the surviving men of Magellan were tricked by Humabon to a sumptuous feast and slaughtered them when they got drunk and the rest were taken prisoners and sold to slave traders. (He was really pissed off by their defeat and worthlessness.)

Anthropologically and demographically, our distrust and disloyalty to one another is fueled by our diverse ethnicity, regional, feudal and clannish tradition. I find it unfair to use the crab as an analogy for our selfishness and egocentricity since contrary to the popular adage, if you observe these carefully, the crabs were actually pushing each other up! Wasn’t him, the late Claro M. Recto who said that as individuals we are successful achievers but as a nation we fail? But wait, I am not going to talk about this.

The past and recent political killings in La Union, particularly in Tubao, is a classic example of the primitive egotistical masturbation of psychopathic individuals who fancy themselves as gods in their petty squabbles over their political dominions. Like feudal lords in medieval times, eliminating their enemies through the use of force and violence is their way of flaunting their power and authority. It seems the stakes in politics are so high nowadays, that it’s worth killing or being killed to protect one’s interest.

But Tubao is not unique. Almost every corner of this country has similar or far more ruthless incidents of political killings and violence - ubiquitously endemic, so to say. Obviously, it’s even impossible to compare it to the violence happening right now in Iraq and Zimbabwe. What makes it interesting though is the psychological effect it leaves on the impressionable minds of the common folk which ultimately waxes their fear and apathy. It gives them the bonus thrill and melodrama typical of soap operas they watch every day and night in the local t.v. channels with a twist and flavor of Tubao politics and intrigues. Some would shrug off their shoulders and ignore the trivialities, but to the familiar kibitzer (often those who are abroad), it relishes their appetite for the hottest news they could devour from their tiny sleepy town of Tubao. They feed on misery and gossip. For them, nothing can be more entertaining than witnessing the fall of the rich and the mighty; the humiliation of the hypocritical sinner, or the death and punishment of a despised enemy, neighbor or relative. But what could the poor and the helpless do? The truth is - they are mere subjects and victims of this callous display of brawn and greed.

Our “little tin god” had risen from obscurity to notoriety. In its desperate attempt to compensate for its mediocrity, its idea of grandiosity and megalomania is unfortunately disconnected and delusional. It had a promising start but hubris and avarice corrode its surface until it rots away exposing its brittle and precarious form. It’s only a matter of time before it could be proven to perpetuate itself or replaced by another for people to worship and fear.

In the meantime, Tubao could only be seen on the map of La Union with this mortifying and confounding reputation.