Heneral Rizal

A man walking with a hat forgot his own motherland. He is labelled as one of the heroes in the
Philippines’ era of liberation. People are impressed by Dr. Jose Rizal’s achievements and contributions but
as I watched the short film of Paciano Rizal, it all captured the hurt by his voice and disappointment on his
face because the martyrdom of his brother befell nothing. Dr. Jose Rizal’s death resulted the revolution,
but we vanquished our own triumph. After our deliverance from Spain, new set of monstrosities came,
the Americans. Spain sold us to the Americans and many Filipinos, some of them are well-known, became
the dogs of the newly landed colonizers.

The dying Paciano Rizal was portraying Dr. Jose Rizal as someone who lost his sight about the on-
going oppression during that period to prove something to the colonizers, which reflects some Filipinos
who forgot their own identity just to please the outsiders and stand tyranny or when we depend ourselves
with the help from foreigners. That is just one thing: We do not trust our own abilities and importance
then we praise foreign intellect. We learn the same thing they know just to prove ourselves that we are
not slaves, as it was mentioned by Paciano, “whether we are great or not, it is irrelevant!” No matter what
your social status or class you should not be conquered by the tormentors and colonizers.

As the film showed the scene where the people are marching to rally to junk the now Anti-
Terrorism Act of 2020 that happened on June 12, 2020, the proclaimed Independence Day, a man who is
dressed like Pepe, Dr. Jose Rizal’s sobriquet, was walking in a different path from the people who are
marching forward towards the support of human rights. It is symbolic moment whereas out of many
Filipinos, there will always someone who is going to go and vanish just for his comfort. I also think that
the striding man, Pepe, is all the Filipinos. “Ang mga halimaw na ngayo’y pinupuri ka tuwing kaarawan mo
at anibersaryo ng iyong kamatayan.” Paciano Rizal was trying to wake all of us with the current situations
we are in. “Pepe, bumalik ka.” He is conveying a message of persuasion to everyone who is still blinded
by the toleration of people’s agony that the happenings in our country are inhumane and create monsters
who should not be.

In our society’s standards as a good citizen, being silent or neutral is what we should attain in any
situation or the government’s decision to the laws for its people. If you talk or voice out your facts,
experience, and thoughts, you are boosting your ego and the cynical manipulators will use your words to
hunt and silence you. But if you stay silent at the beginning, you are a good abiding citizen – a great
follower. The horrors of the past are being repeated but this time it is Filipino versus Filipino. Many heroes
in the past met their tragic ends to offer us the liberation and peace but did we really win the war towards
freedom? How many deaths do we have to witness to convince ourselves that we are experiencing
insurmountable paves of oppression? When we are driven by fear, we kill each other. At this moment, we
see each other as nemesis. We sold each other’s out to be comfortable, to fulfil our interest, and to be
safe or to have privilege from the oppressor.