YPS

In the past, politically inspired violence has in many cases been the result of local area politics and its necessary mafia type rivalry for control over localized areas. Politicians, mayors, Baranggay captains, and even the occasional congressman, have been assassinated, regardless of whether in Manila or in their respective districts, by their political rivals, local armed groups with a grudge, or by local citizens in their districts that they may have pillaged maimed or otherwise abused.

This localization of political violence is, in my opinion, one of the reasons why politicians like congressmen, have been able to see the lower house as their home away from home. It is their refuge of sorts. Congress and its proximity to the money is the excuse of some congressmen who don't even live in their districts yet manage to mismanage their congressional constituent by remote control.

This old boys ( and cranky girls) club is further perpetuated by this exact geographic distancing from their individual areas of personal danger. Congressmen ( or is it Congress-people) slap backs and trade funnies with their cohorts with no regard to whether their seatmate, lunch room mate, or pork barrel mate is a total crook in his or her own district. After all, thievery and corruption are not transferred by physical touch or sharing of the same toilet seat or the commonwealth polluted air. And there is always the plausible deniability of association by claiming mere proximity and casual working/personal relations as the reason for their too obvious camaraderie. Add to that the aura of invincibility that illegal body guards, armored vehicles and an army of moonlighting policemen can bring and they may be made giddy by a foolish confidence that only Ponce de Leon, Dracula, and Jesus Christ have a right to have.

Unbreakable. Invincible. Untouchable. Yesterday, Nov 13, 2007, all that changed.

The blast at the South Wing of the Lower House of Congress yesterday is suspected/claimed to be the work of bandit elements from the Abu Sayaf targeting a specific congressman from a district in the far south. And yet in its wake, the blast took more than the congressman. The explosion also killed and injured several civilians and injured two other congressmen. The police are of the notion that the bomb was meant specifically for the congressman who was killed. Yet by the mere fact of physical location two other lawmakers (?) were injured. Were they his friends? Were they acquaintances? Or were they merely walking along with the victim? And there lies the point. In this case, proximity to a congressman with area specific political enemies was the cause of their injuries.

While political killings are never to be condoned, perhaps this will serve as a reminder for those who play political pat-a-cake on a daily basis. Not only do your friends tell us most about who you are but who you choose as friends will also tell you who is most likely to kill you by accident.

The walls have been breached. The war is now in your back yard. Death is now contagious.

Do you still feel Unbreakable? Invincible? Untouchable?