The Verdict
I got a text message early this morning that classes had been called off today and no reason was given. I kept on thinking about the reason for this sudden announcement, but my sleepy mind didn’t give me any answers.
Most of the answers you don’t know to questions in life, your mom knows. So I asked my mom and learned that it was because of the verdict on Erap’s plunder case.
Erap attempted suicide. He tried to escape punishment by slashing his wrist.
At least in my dream. I will recount a dream I had when I continued my sleep - abridged version.
I was with my family in one happy place that looked like a theme park. Everyone was in a jovial mood. My family and I were about to go home so we were walking towards the parking lot, then suddenly I realized we were at Ateneo college campus area (but it didn’t quite look like Ateneo, I just knew it’s Ateneo. So maybe the theme park was at Ateneo high school grounds.) There was a big crowd of people waiting for something, and then suddenly, I was lost in the crowd. I couldn’t find my family anymore.
I saw people holding up signs which I couldn’t read because I wasn’t wearing my eyeglasses. I walked my way to the front of the line and then saw soldiers with guns and a black Pajero entering the gate. The Pajero entered a building that looked like one of those old Spanish structures in Intramuros, and the building had a very big sign that says "DYING."
I asked someone what’s going on, and that’s when I learned Erap was in the Pajero, and the exact words told me was "nasira yung pulso ni Erap. Nag attempt kasi syang laslasin yung pulso nya." I couldn’t remember which wrist. And then I realized the people were holding a vigil for Erap, praying for him - to be well or maybe praying for his repose so he can escape the verdict - that I don’t know.
I was scared of the soldiers with guns so I wandered off from the crowd. My cellphone rang and it was my mom looking for me. It was very noisy so I entered a building, which looked like a cemetery - not sure if it should be called a cemetery - but it looks like Sanctuarium near the corner of Araneta and Quezon Ave. I saw a classmate from college. We were not close in college but we were blockmates. Someone died in her family and she was mourning… with her was Isay Alvarez (special participation). And then Isay Alvarez walked towards me and said, "Kung may problema ka, sabihin mo lang."
And then something else happened that I think I shouldn’t write about anymore. Hehe…after that, I woke up, feeling tired and surprised that it was all a dream. I quickly told my sister about it so I won’t forget.
I turned on the TV to check what happened to Erap. I learned that the verdict is guilty and that he is sentenced to be imprisoned for 40 years. No suicide attempt.
Acknowledgement: Thanks to Teacher David for giving me the idea to blog this. Kung sa bagay, parang lahat ng ikwento ko sa iyo, suggestion mo, i-blog ko no? 
About the author: Aileen is apolitical, although she did join EDSA II. As this text is being typed, she is now wondering why she joined EDSA II, held in January during her last year in college. If she were already a corporate slave working in Makati at that time, she probably wouldn’t have joined. She now remembers writing a paper for her theology class about it but can’t remember exactly what she had written then. At this very moment, she remembers why she joined, but is not about to write it. Perhaps, some other time.