YOU are probably familiar with the movie, The 300, starring Gerald Butler as King Leonidas.
If you know the legend of the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, you would realize that Thermopylae in Greece is similar to the Baguio mountains.
In the courageous last stand of the Athenian army led by Leonidas, only 300 Spartans fought the Persian army of Xerxes.
The Persians had The Immortal 10,000 while the Greeks had only 300, and some have said there were maybe 1,100 more from two other Athenian armies.
But the 300 Spartans willing to die makes for a more dramatic movie.
In fact, there was a 1962 movie of the Spartans already called “The 300 Spartans” and another called “Spartacus.”
It definitely inspired a lot of children then. A Filipino flip-flop company even came out with Spartan tsinelas which were known for their durability. And rubbery smell.
But we are getting far ahead. And way, way off to the left turn.
PROCOR Regional Director PBGen. R’win Pagkalinawan has just announced that there are 300 left-leaning media personalities and government employees in the Cordillera.
He said that he will release the list by the end of March. Pagkalinawan is set to retire this month and is already on his farewell tour.
What a set of fireworks he has lit.
Pagkalinawan has induced members of the RLECC to a resolution to wage an Oplan Tokhang apparently for these 300 alleged leftists.
He said his intentions are pure and will be bloodless. But still a chilling idea. The police will knock on the doors and then maybe discuss the evils of communism with these personalities?
We know what happened with the Tokhang approach to the war on drugs. How many died? How many of the police officers were actually invited to the house of a suspected drug personality? And did a discussion on the evils of drugs ensue?
Apparently, everyone was “nanlaban” and killed or shot. That was what investigative journalists have learned. All suspects were nanlaban and killed holding the same revolver. The same gun, not just the same model. The same gun over and over.
Well, many now say that the war on drugs is just a myth. So is the Battle of Thermopylae.
But the deaths are all real.
Now you want us to believe that the Tokhang approach on Baguio media will be bloodless?
“The resolution is patently illegal and unconstitutional,” the NULP said, mentioning seven reasons. These include red-tagging, lack of right to due process, witch-hunting, loss of freedom of expression, and fostering impunity.
Xerxes was undaunted and wanted his glory.
Let’s see what the 300 will do. Xerxes, aka known as Aldwin, went into semi-panic when he received that call.
He suggested to his callers to meet him at the PIO in City Hall instead of his house. Then the other Spartans learned about it and decided to join.
So they had a meeting. And they decided not to talk about the evils of communism.
Instead, they talked about how they would help each other. And later, they said they will not talk about Tokhang because it is embarrassing the Persian army. They said forget that.
And so Xerxes decided to make an official statement.
Can’t outwit the Spartans.
