Convention Of ‘IGOROT WARFARE’

The Igorots were a warlike people before the majority of them were Christianized

.A tribal war usually starts after a tribesman takes the head of a member from another tribe. Head taking was a rite of passage into manhood. It can be initiated also by a tribesman who intend to marry.

The offended tribe can demand retribution. If the one taking the head desires continued peace, Influential tribal leaders are sent to the other tribe to negotiate. Compensation is paid and the accord is sealed with an exchange of articles. If no agreement is reach then a war challenge is issued by the offended party.

Nearly all men from both sides will participate in the battle within a few days. They will appear at an opportune place shouting challenges at each other. Peace is still possible at this stage if one party decides to capitulate. A member is sent to the other camp with a peace offering usually a pig or a chicken. Friendship is restored if it is accepted. Else, if not all hell breaks loose

The corpse of ‘Juan Gorordo’

The corpse of Bishop Juan Bautista Perfecto Gorordo
Bishop Juan Bautista Gorordo lay in state. (Source: Prof. Ambeth Ocampo)
The Gorordos, who own Casa Gorordo Museum, were among Cebu’s most influential families during the Spanish era.

In fact, Bishop Juan Bautista Perfecto Gorordo (the corpse shown above) served as Cebu’s first Filipino bishop. He died in 1934 and was laid to rest using the traditional practices of that era.

And in case you’re wondering, the cloth encircling Bishop Gorordo’s head was purely for sanitary purposes. It stopped insects from entering his mouth and also prevented possible bacterial transmission.

‘Manuel Roxas’ playing golf at Malacañang park

Manuel Roxas “wack wack golf club”

Interesting fact: Another avid golfer, the late President Roxas was the one who ordered the establishment of the small 9-hole golf course at Malacañang park. He did it out of convenience as both Wack Wack and Caloocan were too far from his office. When playing either alone or with companions, Roxas was always accompanied by an aide who would follow him with an umbrella.

Although he was relatively poor at playing golf compared to other past presidents, Roxas was a terrific poker player and also succeeded in truck gardening.

From the lips of a dying President Ferdinand Marcos

From the lips of a dying President
By Salvador H. Laurel
Former Vice President of the Philippines
Chairman, National Centennial Commission
Manila Bulletin
Tues., Oct. 21, 1997

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and the House Committee on Good Government are now conducting separate investigations on “Operation Big Bird,” a cloak and dagger operation undertaken eleven years ago to bring back the alleged “hidden wealth” of Ferdinand Marcos. The investigations were called in response to President Ramos’ request for specific congressional authority to settle the Marcos issue once and for all.

Mr. Ramos was quick to add that the hidden wealth issue could have been resolved earlier by the Cory administration.

I can attest to that. Weak and already on his deathbed when I visited him in Hawaii on February 3, 1989, Marcos personally asked me to convey to Cory Aquino his offer to give up 90% of his earthly possessions to the Filipino people, through a Foundation which he had set up, but Cory only would allow him to die in his own country and be buried beside his mother.

I related this incident in a book “Neither Trumpets Nor Drums,” published in 1992 right after I ended my term as Vice President of the Philippines.

Pertinent portions that book I now quote for the benefit of those who have not read it.

“One of the most unforgettable trips I took as Vice President was my visit to Honolulu on February 3 and 4 1989.

“On February 2nd, at about 5 p.m., I received an urgent call from Mrs. Imelda Romualdez Marcos in Honolulu. She was sobbing on the phone. “ Doy, pwede ka bang maka-punta rito? Masama na ang tayo ni Ferdinand. Gusto kang kausapin. Baka hindi na siya magtagal Please, please come,’ she pleaded.

“I’ll have to cancel my appointments. Maybe I can go in few days?” I asked.

“She interrupted me, ‘Baka hindi mo na siya abutin. Please come as soon as possible!”

“I thought about it. The cases filed against the Marcoses had been pending for three years, yet nothing had happened. And the nation remained fragmented. Perhaps, if I tried the Lincolnian approach – ‘With malice toward none, with charity for all’ – we might be able to settle the issue and unite the nation.

“Then I remembered Imelda’s plea: ‘Gusto kang kausapin.’ Maybe there is a chance – maybe he is ready to settle?

“She first briefed me about President Marcos’ condition – that he was very weak. The doctors who were attending to him told me he had a less than 50 percent chance of surviving, that he might not even last three months.

“Then they took me to the Intensive Care Unit.

“I could not recognize Ferdinand Marcos when I saw him. The Marcos I knew was athletic, active, and articulate. The man I saw was skin and bones. About eighty-five pounds. Imelda announced cheerfully: ‘Andy, Andy, narito na ang Batangueño, narito na si Doy.’

“His eyes opened. He recognized me. He tried to talk. But only his lips moved. There was no sound.

“He signaled the nurse to remove the tube imbedded in his throat.

“The Nurse pulled out the long tube and asked me to bend closer so I could hear. Finally I heard his voice, very faint, almost a whisper. “Salamat, brod, nakarating ka. I have something to tell you.’

“I interrupted him: ‘Before you start, Mr. President, may I ask just one question?

“He nodded.

“Why did you call me, Mr. President? Why me of all people? I vehemently oppose you. I was probably one of those responsible for your ouster Why Me?’

“He signaled me to stop.

“Say no more, brod,’ he said. ‘I never held that against you. You did what you had to do as leader of the opposition for many years. You opposed me on principle, never on personality. You were against martial law but you were noble about it, unlike some people. Besides, I cannot forget your father. I owe him my life, not once but thrice. Let me talk now. I have very little time.’

*** “Please tell Mrs. Aquino to stop sending me her relatives. They are proposing and asking so many things. All I want is to die in my country…I will run over 90 percent of all my worldly possessions to our conversation to our people. I ask only 10 percent for my family.’

“Just let me die in my own country. I want to be buried beside my mother.’

“His breathing had become more labored. The nurse stopped our conversation. ‘He has to rest not,’ she said.

“Before leaving I told him: ‘Mr. President, I do now know if Mrs. Aquino will listen to me, but I will try.’

“I hurried back to Manila to transmit Marcos’ message to President Aquino. I asked for an appointment but Cory would not see me. Here I was, her own Vice-President, asking only for three minutes of her time to convey an important message from her predecessor, and she would not see me. I was told by her Executive Secretary (Catalino Macaraig) she was busy. I learned later that she had allocated an hour to Tom Cruise, an American movie star.

“In view of her repeated refusal to see me and hear what I had to say, I wrote her a letter dated February 5, 1989: “Since my arrival yesterday, I have been trying to get an appointment with you…

*** “I hope you will find time to listen to the highly confidential message of Mr. Marcos considering its serious import and far- reaching consequences upon your administration and the nation as a whole.”

The next day, Cory replied:
“As to the highly confidential message from former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, I feel that in the light of your representation of its ‘serious import and far-reaching consequences upon your (my) administration and the nation as a whole,’ such message should be disclosed to the public rather than kept confidential. This is in accordance with my announced policy of utmost transparency in the management of the affairs of the country.”

On the same day I wrote back: “ I am still hoping that you will change your mind and receive the message in a private, non-political, direct, and unfiltered manner, beyond any personal and partisan consideration.

“As to your published suggestion that I share with the public the highly confidential information, I am afraid I am not yet at liberty to do so considering that the message was entrusted to me in confidence to be delivered to you personally. Only you and former President Marcos can declassify or disclose this message.

“Let us give national reconciliation and national stability every chance to succeed for the sake of our fragmented people..” (Neither Trumpets Nor Drums, at pp 104-111, 1986 ed, Second printing)

I never received any further reply from Cory.

Cory’s refusal to receive Marcos’ message was perhaps her biggest mistake. Had she studied it carefully, she could have settled the Marcos wealth issue eight years ago. Perhaps we could have paid off our foreign debt!
© 2009 Doy Laurel. All Rights Reserved.

PH must rely on own defences.

Date on the Photo: June.27,1985 of FEM checking the blow pipe missile system:
In Pres.Ferdinand E. Marcos time we Already Had One of These.why do we have missile projects before like “Bongbong Missile Project?” Secret Project Santa Barbara.

Now is there any? even similar to santa Barbara missile project? and they have this missile system fitted on our gunboats? If Pres.Marcos was not a good President? Why during his time we are Called TIGER OF ASIA? Do we have a missile capable gun boat on our Navy fleet Today? A proof that we had one before! No one else only the Strong man of Asia! Legend!

Date on the Photo: June.27,1985
(this statement is in the time they have fitted the said missile system)
•Manila Philippines Pres.Ferdinand E. Marcos peeps trough the controls of a “Blow Pipe Missile system installed” in a newly built “Philippine Made” Navy Patrol Boat Unveiled thur. At ceremonies marking the navy’s 87th Anniversary.
•The surface to air and surface to surface Missile System Has a range of 5.5 kms. (3.4 miles).

‘Giant Snake’ reticulated phyton in the Philippines

“Giant Snake” reticulated phyton

A giant snake, killed and skinned by US soldiers. (Source: Prof. Ambeth Ocampo)
Who says Philippines is only home to humongous crocodiles? Measuring 29 feet and 7 inches long, the big snake above was captured in the Philippine islands during the early 1900′s.

The caption describes the animal as a “boa constrictor” which was obviously skinned and all its meat already removed. However, boa constrictors are more common in South America where it can grow up to 13 feet. It could be a species of reticulated phyton, considered endemic to Southeast Asia and one of the world’s longest reptiles. They are nonvenomous constrictors, meaning they don’t swallow their prey and only squeeze humans to death if feel threatened.

Hanging at Caloocan the punishment

“Hanging at Caloocan”

Two Filipino doctors are checking the limp bodies for signs of life.

Seeing an actual execution can be a spine-chilling experience you’ll never forget. So just imagine how the scene above would make you feel if you witnessed it firsthand.

The photo (circa 1900) is just one of the gruesome moments perpetuated by the Philippine-American War. The conflict between American soldiers and Filipino insurgents lasted from 1899 to 1902. It all started when a Filipino guerilla was shot by an American patrol on February 4, 1899. Soon, Aguinaldo’s plan to build an independent nation backfired, resulting into a three-year conflict that brought thousands of fatality.

First and only existing photo of Emilio Jacinto also known as ‘Utak ng Katipunan’

Perhaps you have already seen portraits of Emilio Jacinto plastered in post cards and notebooks before. Surprisingly, his first and only existing photo was actually his last one.

Also known as the “Brains of the Katipunan”, Emilio Jacinto died in a battle at the tender age of 23. At that time, people in Nueva Ecija was also accustomed to the ritual of taking postmortem photographs.

Shown in the picture above is the stiff remains of Emilio Jacinto in front of his grieving friends and family. Catalina de Jesus, the woman sitting on the second row (second from left), was Jacinto’s widow. It is believed that both married under Katipunan rites. Catalina, who hailed from Pampanga, was also pregnant at the time of Jacinto’s death.

Noynoy Aquino has one bullet still embedded in his neck

A screencap of Noynoy Aquino gesturing to the patched-up gunshot wound in his neck. Source: National Geographic Channel

On August 28, 1987, rebel soldiers of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) led by Colonel Gregorio Honasan staged a coup attempt with the desire to seize control of Malacañang.

The group gunned down members of the Presidential Security Group and wounded the President’s son, Benigno S. Aquino III. In total, three of Noynoy’s security escorts were killed while leaving another one seriously wounded. Noynoy, on the other hand, was hit by five bullets, one of which is still lodged in his neck.

Later in his political career, Aquino trained to become a sharp shooter, probably due to his near-death experience in 1987. He was the 2003 champion of the 1st Speaker Jose de Venecia Cup Shooting Competition held in Marikina City.

Ferdinand Marcos and his dirty, naughty sex scandal.

 

Ferdinand Marcos and his dirty, naughty sex scandal.

Ferdinand Marcos (left) had a short-lived affair with Hollywood starlet Dovie Beams  (right) between 1968 and 1970.

On November 11, 1970, the whole nation was shocked when American actress Dovie Beams called a press conference, bringing with her a tape recorder containing erotic murmurs, moans and the genuine voice of President Marcos while making love with Beams.

The actress came in the Philippines to film Maharlika, a movie about the president’s war

The actress came in the Philippines to film Maharlika, a movie about the president’s war exploits and partially funded by Marcos himself. As the casual encounter blossomed into a full-blown love affair, so did the start of Beam’s penchant for hiding a tape recorder every time they made love.

Her affair with Marcos, although secretly guarded by the presidential aides, was finally pushed to the public spotlight after Beams received several death threats. Marcos then denied all allegations, even putting Beams to shame by branding her as a “psychiatry case” and releasing a nude Polaroid photographs of her in the newspapers.

In turn, Beams released more sex tapes as well as clippings of the president’s pubic hair.