Martes, Setyembre 13, 2011

Point of Comparison



“The Point of Comparison”
(A Reaction Paper on the AFP’s Issue in relation with the Life of Edmond Dantes)

            One of the hottest issues that terrifies our country today is all about this “Pabaon System” that is being accused on some high ranks officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Allegedly, this Pabaon system is a tradition in the Armed Forces wherein outgoing Armed Forces chiefs of staff are given millions of pesos in cash when they retire and this millions of amounts are said to be the people’s money. Evidently, it is a sign of political corruption. Indeed, many generals, lieutenants, majors, and other high ranking officers were asked by the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to justify themselves. However, one of the generals and the former Chief of Staff of the AFP, and also former Defense and Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes ended his own life by committing suicide last Tuesday, February 08, 2011.  Reyes, 65, shot himself in the chest after visiting his mother’s grave. He died 45 minutes after he was rushed to a Manila hospital. Prior to this event, Former military budget officer George Rabusa last month in a congressional hearing accused officials including Reyes of authorizing no-bid equipment purchases and accepting at least 50 million pesos ($1.1 million) each in retirement money. Reyes denied the charges but because of emotional depression he eventually ended his own life.
            If we will go back to the life of Edmond Dantes in the novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, we shall find out that there is a similarity between Edmond and Angelo Reyes. First, they were both situated in a society governed by moral decay and political corruption. They were both victims of their own government’s dishonesty. They were part of the government scheme in which they tried to justify themselves but ended in persecution. Secondly, both of them were judged. They were judged by their own fellowmen. They were also left alone by their own constituents. In the eyes of many, they were traitor and corrupt. Lastly, the respective families of the two (Dantes and Reyes), their loved ones, are also apprehended and interrupted by these unfortunate events on their lives that is why they Dantes and Reyes were emotionally bothered because people tried to dismantle their families. In these similarities, we can see how Dantes and Reyes struggle for the justification not only by their own selves but most especially for their families and loved ones. However, as we cite the similarities, I believe that there is a very important point of comparison between the two figures.
            In my own point of view, I believe that the comparison comes when Edmond Dantes decided to live and restore his life so that someday he may take revenge to those people who persecuted him and made him experience such tragic life inside and outside the prison. But on the part of Angelo Reyes, he decided to end his life by committing suicide, perhaps, to end his own suffering and also the suffering of his families and loved ones because of this political crisis that he was into. Now, the question is, “Who is more justified in their own acts?” “Is it Edmond Dantes who restore his life in order to take revenge someday?” or “Is it Angelo Reyes who ended his life to end his miseries and also to protect his own family?”
            If I am going to answer this question, I will say, NONE OF THE ABOVE. I believe that as a human person it is our nature to always protect and defend ourselves against all odds but it is not our nature to think of revenge to others and most especially to end our lives. I believe that we humans are born good. We are born with God-given intellect and reason to think what is good and better. We have the capacity to good and to avoid what is evil. Our acts can never be justified by the situation that we are into. We can always choose for our own sake and also for the sake of our loved ones. Thus, this matters our point of comparison with non-human creatures. We are not animals. We are not aliens. We are humans. We are bound to restore our lives and to always stand for what is right and good.    

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