11
editorial MISSING: The Other Side of the Coin
BATA, BATA, PAANO KA NAKAWALA?
In October 2023, Hamas ruthlessly attacked Israel, ending thousands of lives and kidnapping several others. As a result, Israeli forces retaliated through a series of bombings in the Gaza Strip, claiming more lives of Hamas and other Palestinians. Resources such as electricity, water, gas, and food were cut off in Gaza. ‘Hamas are Palestinians. Hence, Palestinians deserve what happened to them. No single soul is innocent,’ was the message that the media framed the Israel-Hamas conflict to be. Israel apologizers are all over the world, justifying their retaliation to every single Palestinian they see in Gaza. But Palestinians say otherwise. ‘The land is theirs to claim. They demand their houses back. They deserve food and water. They deserve freedom from decades of oppression from Israel,’ was what it looked like on the other side of the coin. Public establishments such as hospitals were bombed due to the assumption that Hamas was hiding in them. Children were not spared in the bombings. Palestinians were manipulated into coming together in one area just to be killed on the way. The Israel-Hamas war is clearly a genocide, not a conflict. Many media networks downplayed these facts. They framed the news in favor of the internationally-recognized side of the coin. Media organizations not only dehumanize Palestinians but also legitimize Israeli violations of international law. They stood for oppressors for months, hiding decades of abuse. For a while, the truth was forced to raise the white flag as truth-bearers kept their voices shut. The biased framing of this issue posits that it was used by media organizations or networks to feed their viewers’ and readers’ existing views for more engagement, influenced by economic considerations, instead of telling the whole 75-year history of Palestine and Israel. While Hamas’ attack was called a massacre, Israel’s series of bombings were justified as retaliation for it. This is only one of the many situations that should remind the media of the dangers of wealth, influence, and power. It can mum cry for help, clean dirty hands, and throw stones at the wrong people. It can once again close the eyes of the awakened. However, no secret can be kept forever. The truth will bite oppressors back with a more powerful attack. Hence, Israel may have received various forms of support from different countries over the years, but individuals or groups critical of Israel’s policies and actions choose to participate in boycotts as a form of protest. The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement is one of the movements encouraging boycotts of companies or products associated with Israel, either due to their perceived support for Israeli policies or their business activities in the region. On the other hand, some individuals and groups strongly support Israel and counter-boycott products or companies that they see as being targeted unfairly. The filtering and alteration of truth result in nothing but catalytic outcomes. Thus, painting the Palestinians as the “bad guy” and the others as a “victim” resulted in hatred, discrimination, and ruthless action towards the humans, who are not being treated as humans. This masking parade being directed by the supposed truth-tellers is a choice made not to fulfill a sworn duty but to fulfill their safety, being confined in their safe bubble of lies, exempting one side from any responsibility for its actions. Though we are in a different country on a different continent, the conflict between the two countries and the continuous battle against altered truth should drive us to be discerning about what the world is saying—to be meticulous about different perspectives and to be a smarter audience than yesterday. Whatever nationality—a student, a worker, a parent, or a child—everyone has the ability to see and hear, but it is up to us whether to put on our shades and filter our eyes from the brightening truth or open our hands from a fist of rejecting the truth. <w>
About the Cover The cover presents the growing fear and hatred towards police due to the increasing number of cases of police violence and killings in different parts of the country. The fear stems from the possibility of not knowing whether the police you called for help would be the one endangering you or ending your life. The face of safety and danger is seen in the same face today. What’s worse is having no voice, silently hoping to get justice against people who should be upholding it.
Graphics: Jhena Mae Osia, Mark Brylle Ortega, & Jewel Magpale
|| John Darwin Encarnacion
BATA, TAKBO! Hindi ka dapat naparito, Mapanglaw ang mundo, hindi laging sigurado, Mangangapa sa lilim ng itim na alapaap.
HULI || RV Balbuena “Patay kung patay! Hulihin niyo!” sigaw ng hepe. Naglilinis ako ng lambat na gagamitin ko sa pangingisda nang umalingawngaw ang tunog ng mga kinakasang baril. ‘Bakit nila ako pinapalibutan? Bakit nila ako hinahabol?’ Isa pang putok ng baril ang umalingawngaw, saka nikayap ng kakaibang init ang pakiramdam ko. ‘Dito muna ako sa tubig, magpapahupa ng komosyon. Baka pagkagising ko, makabalik na ulit ako at isang panaginip lamang ito.’ “Napagbintangan ka rin?” nagising ako sa tapik ng lalaki sa harap ko. Hindi ko mahanap ang tamang salita. Nanatili lamang sa kanya ang titig ko. “Ako nga pala si Kian. Napansin ko tatlong oras kang nasa tubig kanina. Tara, baka giniginaw ka na. Tawag na Niya tayo,” natigil ako sa paglalakad nang may mapansin ako. Wala na ako sa ilog, hindi tulad ng inaakala ko. Nanlumo ako nang mapagtanto ang katotohanan. Hindi ko na maririnig na tawagin pa nila ang pangalan ko, “Jemboy, ililigtas ka namin!”
Buksan ang ‘yong mata, ‘wag ipapahalata, mahuhuling tumatama siyang pinagmumukhang sira, huwag magpahuli sa patibong na ikaw lagi ang taya, hindi gugustuhing marinig na hindi sila mandaraya. BATA, TAGO! Iwasang magpahuli nang buhay. Sa paanan nila’y nais bang maiwang nakahandusay; sa larong ikaw lagi ang nasa hukay? Bilisan mo, kay rami nang nag-aabang sa’yo– labaha’t plantsahin na mga unipormeng manstado; tungkuli’t layunin, nabubulok, naglalaho, sa dalampasiga’y aanurin sa hudyat ng gatilyo. BATA, LIPAD! hanapin kung nasaan ang liwanag, kay puti ng ‘yong pakpak, ba’t ‘di mo pa maaninag? Ang mga nasa tuktok ng tatsulok ay nagbubulag-bulagan, sa iyak nila’t mga sigaw, ‘wag ka nang magbibingi-bingihan. Bawat kasa, bawat kota, susunugin mo na, tingga ng balang nanuot sa laman, dudurugin mo na, ‘pagkat kanilang dusa’t hirap kailanma’y ‘di matatapos, sa hangin sila’y maglalaro, mga kinalawang na upos. <w>
Hindi ko na mahihintay na malinis pa ang pangalan ko, “Jemboy, inosente ka!” Hindi ko na matutupad ang mga pangarap ko, “Jemboy, seaman ka na!” Nahuli ako. Huli na ako. <w>
The Warden Publication condemns the culture of impunity among the law enforcers who are supposed to be the protectors of the welfare of the people. <w>
Graphics: Rachel Casaljay
