IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to measure the feelings and sentiments of 80 million or more Filipinos, even we exclude the irrational and the children. We live in scattered islands, big or small, with different dialect and culture. But the Filipinos love democracy.

The idealism of the youth was tested in the altar of freedom in Bataan and Corrigidor. Young soldiers, fresh from college, died in the battlefield or in the long march brutalized by the enemy.

The war was not ended, the guerillas and the civil resistance continued to fight and engage the Japanese forces. Thus the hills and the mountains were home for these patriots to cover their military operations. Without the Americans and dollars, the Filipinos survived the war, perhaps healthier relying on fresh food and clean environment and much walking which is good for the heart.

For us Ilonggos, we can not forget our illustrious heroes in World War II in the persons of Gov. Tomas Confesor who was a native of Cabatuan and Sergeant Jose Calugas, who was a native of Leon.

These two Ilonggos with the heart of the giant fought the might of Japanese Imperial Army in their individual heroism that made others affirmed that democracy is our way of life.

Gov. Confesor was offered an honorable surrender by the Japanese, but he flatly refused and his famous reply was: No retreat, no surrender which reverberated in the U.S. Halls of Congress.

Thus the U.S. senators and congressmen lauded him as a supreme patriot and a great nationalist while Sergeant. Calugas was awarded the highest Congressional Medal of Honor, the only awardee in the whole of Asia. He shared this honor with Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

Recently, democracy was again tried and tested but the rule of law prevailed again. The usurpers were arrested and detained again to answer new cases of rebellion.

Unfortunately, the former vice president of the Philippines, some bishops and one priest were included in the arrest but were released by the state prosecutors for humanitarian reason.

But the sentinels of freedom and democracy can never relax their vigilance because their enemies with their pretenses and lies are dangerous and can not be trusted.

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