1 THE NEEDLE

The Needle

(Sept. 21, 1972-February 24, 1986)

(Ricardo F. Maulion)

The Needle in this fiction represents the fourteen long years of Martial Law declared on Sept. 21, 1972, to the recovery of democracy on Feb. 1986. The skull mangled represents the Filipino people specifically human rights victims from all walks of life and persuasions – enforced Desaparecidos to combatants, students to professionals, soldiers to civilians, peasants to landlords, laymen to religious, civilians and or ordinary taxpayers to politicians, officials, and academicians, – all victims of militarization offered as sacrificial lambs in the altar of Dictatorship. The crucifix and holy rosary, guns, and bullets are symbols of protagonists – heroes and villains and the cause and institutions they represented. The red roses and love affair bloomed and blossomed among the main characters.

Martial Law was declared until February 2, 1986, during the restoration of democracy ushered in by People's Power in EDSA. Post EDSA events to PNoys Presidency are treated in the Epilogue.

The dictatorship or militarization is undoubtedly the darkest era of the country's history that each Filipino should learn. For it is only in learning what happened in the past that we could rectify whatever excesses committed and continue searching for that elusive dream of pursuing lasting peace, prosperity, and development for our country. The choice of fiction is deliberate because of its timelessness and lessons learned instructing the Post Martial Law babies "Beware and never again to Martial Law!"

Never Again Dictatorship!

Copyright © 2020 by Ricardo Fajutagana Maulion

Dedication

To all freedom-loving Filipinos:

Pre-Martial Law adults - May you never forget that dark episode of our history. And to Post Martial Law babies - May you grow old enjoying the freedom and living life to the fullest!

May both of you would not allow any pretender or mythmaker to steal Democracy again EDS Revolution of 1986 restored. God forbid and never again to that experience rule of an Iron Fist!

Especially offered to Filipino priests – IFIs and Roman Catholics -, laymen, and Pastors of the Church represented by Fr. Driarco in this project who offered their lives for the country and its people. Bless and cleansed all their[F1] souls O Lord making them whiter than snow.

R. F. Maulion

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Synopsis

(Symbol of Martial Law Protest. Source: File 07-01-2022)

The Needle in this fiction embodies Martial Law. The skull mangled exemplifies the Filipino people specifically human rights victims from all persuasions – enforced Desaparecidos to combatants, students to academicians, civilians to soldiers, peasants to landlords, laymen to religious, ordinary taxpayers to oligarchs, voters to politicians, officials to professionals, – all victims of militarization offered as sacrificial lambs in the altar of Dictatorship. The crucifix and holy rosary, guns, and bullets symbolize the protagonists – heroes and villains - and the causes and institutions they represent. The red roses, a love affair that blooms and blossoms among the main characters.

The timeline was September 21, 1972, covering fourteen long years of dictatorship when Martial Law was declared until February 24, 1986, during the restoration of democracy ushered in by People's Power at Epifanio de Los Santos or EDSA. Post EDSA events from Fidel V. Ramos

to Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III or PNoy to Duterte's presidency and Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. are briefly treated in an Epilogue.

The choice of fiction was deliberate because of its timelessness and very important lesson drawn from that historic event–the restoration of democracy no less by President Cory Aquino. Whether it succeeded or not thereafter doesn't matter. Filipinos are that unpredictable. Their memory is way too short and the hardest to please. But what is important is we have thrown away the tyrant, award-winning Investigate Journalist Shiela Coronel emphasized restoring fourteen long-lost hostage democracy in 1986. Add to that is the consequent didactic message to all Filipinos especially the Post Martial Law babies: "Beware and never again Martial Law!"

In format, the author uses four of Irving Wallace's criteria in writing fiction from his "The Writing of One Novel" with some innovation on grounding characters using flashbacks and other tools characterizing bestsellers like Dan Brown, Grisham highlighting the author's premium on the relevance of the said historical event and its political ramifications surrounding the subject throughout the story. First, no loose ends in the plot. This one is a tough act to follow. The subplot should be tied together as much as possible to the end. Second, narrative excitement rings the bell for readers. Third, is the use of research to disabuse and mitigate elements of violence and sex. Treating this work as social commentary on different implacable social issues of the day was deliberately utilized by the writer given his Philosophy, Theology, and Sociology background. Note that pictorials used in the work unless indicated in the caption are meant to highlight the theme of each respective chapter. Lastly, the most unlikely ending squeezing creative juices of the imaginative mind. Breaking the rules of writing known to man is also a challenge here. Ergo, treating the subject as fiction against the social commentary backdrop to make the narrative captivating journey instead just plain Martial Law account which is surely dry and monotonous story.

How these criteria are treated and addressed by the writer especially the first, third, and fourth is left to readers and critics. Copy editing of the first draft has been done by the author using Grammarly, relevant creative writing tips culled from the internet from the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Jeff Goins, Catherine Reid, Cynthia Jones-Shoeman, Joe Bunting of NaNoWriMo, Billy Wilder, and Pruelpo, an FB friend and OFW dabbling as free-lance writer and guru. The third is actual editing from Ricardo S. Maulion Jr., my son, doing the proofreading. I have yet to accept any copy editors to do the favor for me packaging this project into a cohesive whole work.

Any suggestions and criticism from the right eyes for the better is in order here since this is the first attempt of the author to break into the international market and hope to register a mark there. This gauging from the encouraging comment of Mr. Tom Wallace of publishers on Demand Global of Asia Writes who send in an online contract after reading and evaluating the First draft of ten chapters of this work in progress approving for global publishing and marketing right away. No thanks for the compliment. Bolero man diay gihapon ning mga kano in the highest order. But thanks anyway whatever he meant commenting: "You could be one of our future bestsellers!" Dorrance and Ex Libris Australia similarly extended their contract for this fiction. So far more than close to 12,000 page views as of the latest and still counting as of 2021 after posting the book online. That is on top of more than 100 bookworms all over the globe reserving their copies. You too can put your order.

Having written too several articles as social documentaries on issues of the day as a columnist of Mindanao Gold Star Daily and SunStar Cagayan de Oro City, writing fiction is welcome development exploring far challenging genre given valuable issues for the resolution we have in the country sharing this to humanity. Ruthless hostility between military and rebels, hostage-taking or Sunshine Industry of Abu Sayyaf in the South, Folk Christian Belief, politics, graft, and corruption – who could not be crazy over these sensitive issues affecting ordinary taxpayers!

The dictatorship of militarization was undoubtedly the darkest era of the country's history each Filipino should draw and learn a lesson from. George Santayana says it all: "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it!" Learnings what happened in the past are a treasure. How could we rectify whatever excesses committed in civil strife if we don't go back from our infamy of the past? From there we could refocus our collective energy towards fulfillment and liberation moving on to searching for that elusive dream of pursuing peace, prosperity, and development for our country.

Characters revolve around Protagonists once childhood bosom friends - Driarco de la Cruz and Taklin de la Rosa - Martial Law separated morphing into a nemesis that sealed both their fates in the end. But all is well that ends well. Both realized that they were both victims of circumstances not of their own dragging them instead into a situation beyond control. This we would see when both carry us into their world baring the soul of Dictatorship as the plot progressed and thickened. They represent two diametrically opposing paradigms in the context of the nationalist's struggle for survival one the preservation of the status quo and the other, the nationalist struggle for democracy.

Specifically, this novel tells the story of friendship among protagonists Driarco and Taklin, starting when they were both sacristans to Fr. Julio Lefuve, an Italian missionary, and parish priest of Osigan. There they formed a clique serving each other's aspirations sustaining their bond friendship until the declaration of Martial law and beyond. Isagani, Monera, Theodore, Horace, and Erly developed while still pursuing secondary education at Osigan Agricultural College. All are told the military dictatorship shattered their innocence sending their dreams into bits and pieces away each chartered their destiny until meeting again during their Batch Re-union.

Betrayal too was seen in the story from the twist of events facilitated by the Brown Shirts represented by repressive town Mayor Jose Torres in cahoots with Power-Brokers-that- be.

Crusaders of peace, social dreamers, and sometimes revolutionary romantics seem to be an apt description of Driarco and Taklin embarking on a different journey. First up entering religious life starting their journey on the road less traveled at the Seminary searching for meaning and fulfillment only threading separate ways later. Taklin shifted to Military Academy after his Philosophy probably emboldened by the accident that happened to his family - his father's death and later his elder sister featured as the casualty in an unintended ambush at Mindoro.

Honed with discipline their parents vigorously imbibed, both became masters of their trade. Oozing with talents, ideas, zest, and faith, each day was lived with meaning by these two gentlemen. Lust for life would have been the better alternative description sans immoralities characterizing bona fide artists like Vincent Van Gogh. Both struggled to carve a niche in their own lives albeit lost in the maze of the system succeeding only to become a casualty while still in their prime at the time yet they're most needed and productive.

Taklin became a decorated soldier of the AFP promoted to Major overnight because of his series of exploits. The rabid nationalist Driarco became a Catholic priest only to lose his vocation just like any ordinary priest falling in love in a 'No exit' predicament fleeing to the hills at the height of civil strife joining the underground movement, a decision he never regretted even at the expense of his own life and vocation. Bp. Valdes of the Diocese of Osigan once advised the young priest Driarco not to fall into the familiar trap of committing any mistake selling his vocation to Marcos.

"That's the easiest way of losing one's vocation," he remembered the good Bishop admonishing him.

But fate probably had in store for him to that quandary as he finds practicing priesthood with rebels instead later. "After all, a priest is forever a priest in the Order of Melchizedek, the archetype of Jesus Christ who gave bread and wine and blessed Abraham upon his return from battle," he oftentimes rationalizes.

"If this theology of liberation in practice Leonard Boff, and Cardenal brother-priests of Nicaragua and other progressive theologians preached and practiced, so be it," he further qualified. "This is a rather better alternative than merely concocting theology of liberation in papers only," he once wrote while in prison later.

The plot begins with the discovery by Fr. Driarco of the dirty job done to his father. The needle no less planted on his cranium was traced as the root cause of his murder. Same with the rest of the protagonists. A similar incident happened to Taklin's father but was not known though until both Fr. Driarco and Taklin, erstwhile friends inadvertently met in Esperanza, the hotbed of militarization in Northern Mindanao changing the scene of the story. Major Taklin leads his battalion in conducting the military operation with two Toratora, three Sikorsky, five 150 Military gunships, and one Huey helicopter providing air cover and spearheading an air strike in the campaign that ensued. It was the 13th plenary plenum held by the rebels with Fr. Driarco coordinating. All are told, that hundreds of civilians including children were caught in the crossfire. Many died and the survivors were herded in nearby schoolhouses as internal refugees. Unfortunately, Fr. Driarco captured the military officer who happened to be Major, Taklin de la Rosa. There ensued the twist of events. The military officer killed or so we were told but survived savoring renewed freedom is another re-awakening.

Friendship transcends boundaries, creed, and ideology. The interrogator priest renamed Ka Emir surreptitiously released him under cover of darkness. What could he do if he was the one calling the shot over the Plenum while the country was on fire? Yes, but not at the expense of the bond of friendship tying together the two gentlemen no ideology could break off. There's the rule of the camp alright but there's also the rule of the forest. Each one should bend a bit meeting at the center to find meaning and fulfillment in that friendship. The plot unveils the dirty reality but not when it thickens and in silence reveals a hidden twist of events.

Both anyway suffered injustice at the hands of the wolves spread around silencing those in Order of Battle of RSM. Mayor Torres's men's brutal killing of both their fathers further aggravated their partial view of reality. It was a clear conspiracy involving not just the Chief Executive himself but also, the local officials wanting to end their fathers' political comeback in the local scene. The murder was delivered clean with no semblance whatsoever nor precedent. But not until the young Driarco took a brief vacation from his overseas missionary work in Taiwan and conducted his inquest and post-mortem. The needle securely inserted into his cranium discovered bares it all how ruthless the Mayor was to his opponents.

Debraining is how any student of Animal Husbandry would call this barbaric slaughter, good only among helpless livestock in slaughterhouses. Soon both realized what they both discovered was merely a tip of an iceberg learning the penchant for the Mayor's orgy killing those whose faces he doesn't like to see.

Coming into the full circle of the story from the rollercoaster ride of action, hot pursuit, and scrimmages protecting his dear life, Driarco has no choice but to flee for safety. But to no avail, he succumbed to the "No Exit" predicament first defending the cause of innocent people until he was inadvertently lured to joining the underground movement first as a mere supporter and later as an armed combatant. Where else would an innocent man go finding cover and solace than in the collective protection and safety of his people? Must have been lucky too God providing cover He is an ordained priest in dire need of protection and how to untangle himself from the web of conspiracy. There at Mt. Sungcal, both protagonists met and what an end restoring and reliving later their friendship during the People Power celebration when Lakay Apo and family were ousted officially from Malacañang US through President Ronald Reagan intervened by securing the first Family's safety first bringing them over to Hawaii for needed rest and security.

This is also a story of love, struggle, and the quest for lasting peace and a better life for every Filipino. As each story unfolds so too of the country caught reeling from the impact of Martial Law and American imperialism. The transformation of the military into an important segment of the country proved a great fiasco, however. It did not only arrogate the power of civilians themselves but also left an indelible mark in the country's history as unpredictable opportunists.

Suffering Messianic complex thinking they could run better the government than their civilian counterpart, they even staged coup d' etat later in 1988 and 1989 as if to remake an extension of military dictatorship.

Whether Martial Law succeeded in reforming the Philippine society or merely a military takeover, a death blow to democracy creating Constitutional authoritarianism in the process is undoubtedly mere platitude. Suffice it to say that much damage has been done to many Filipinos.

Various institutions fell one after the other. Human rights violations documented by Amnesty International, the polarization of the masses between the rich and poor, proliferation of graft and corruption in bureaucracy, implacable and systematic accumulation and amassing of wealth by Marcos and his cronies left $28 Billion in debt in 1986 – all these and many others are enigmas upon the Filipinos. Like cascading waterfalls that swiftly float into the sea, they would surely go down into the pages of history each one has to account to his children and grandchildren's children asking whatever happened and 'why?'

Above all else, this is the story of faith. Despite the untrammeled problems and tragedy of Taklin and Driarco, both protagonists were able to share the value of faith they nurtured and

developed: faith in living with others without fear, and faith in going beyond the fear of death. That life is only lived once and the best gift from above is a fact nobody can deny. But it is, even more, richer living it rightly for others. That makes living even just once more than enough. In a nutshell, this story is also our story. In the words of St. Paul to the Romans 12: "As much as possible as it depends on you, live peaceably with everyone," a valid maxim for the protoganists of this work.

Lest this work would be misconstrued as a result of a stream of consciousness to borrow the oft-repeated words of William James, it took many years of meticulous and painstaking research, interviews with those who suffered under Martial Law, and critical observation of fourteen long years military rule to come up with this very special project. This work admittedly is never easy. For one, atrocities committed by both parties against each camp were so glaring that narrating them in this project it seems, would make a biased interpretation let alone, might define the progressive character of the writer. If this is the case, then be as it may. When would we come out from our senses anyway revealing the truth? While we are still breathing or blown away to the world of the unknown ourselves dead!

After all, who is winning in any civil strife? Or to put bluntly, who suffers most?

There is a family of both military and rebels of course as collateral damage. The country is also bleeding to death. But the worst casualties, according to many observers are civilians themselves caught and affected by civil strife. In war there are no victors only victims, Ninoy Aquino would write later in "Testament from Prison Cell."

Why did all these sufferings happen? Aberrations or excesses, you might say. Damn good answer. Unfortunately, ours is a civilized country and democratic yet whose civility is not gauged by the number of excesses. Truth or consequence but an International Body tasked with monitoring and promoting world peace ranks our country at the lowest later in terms of civility. Not surprising actually as we've been similarly featured as one of the most corrupt countries in the globe validated later by Transparency International Study.

War in general being very prohibitive is always at the expense of civilians. For instance, it has been claimed that those caught in the crossfire far outweigh the numbers of direct casualties. Such was the trend in the first two world wars. Just consider the eighty-five percent of civilians killed in two World Wars. Galling! There are no better words of remorse for all the damage to victims in war than when Capt. Lewis, American Pilot of Enola Gay dropping the bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima seeing all the irreparable damage from the mushrooming smoke uttered in useless remorse: "My God what have we done to Thy people!"

The Philippines is just a portion of our small beautiful world. Let it be forever that way.

We don't own it unless we could outlive it. But we are no mortals. "How could you ever own the land that which would outlive us?" narrated by an Igorot peace advocate Macling Dulag before his murder.

Peace, order, prosperity, and happiness in our troubled land– are all that everybody else strives for and needs. Let there be peace on this planet and let it begins with us, the song says. Indeed, why not. Just stand and be counted.

The author recognizes many friends whose invaluable help and participation enabled him to complete this long-delayed project albeit late. Special thanks to Mayet, my wife, and my five children Nikki for encoding; Mike and Maricar for book cover layout; Ricardo S. Maulion Jr. for editing of content and John Rafael and Nikki as stand-by Personal Computer troubleshooters when an entry in the computer got messed up. To Atty. Mar Conrad Ruiz for his legal mind.

Ricardo F. Maulion

For book order:

Email ad-ricardomauliond1205@gmail.com

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