Wednesday, June 18, 2008 Wenceslao: Ces Drilon, Eldrick and the Celtics By Bong O. Wenceslao Candid Thoughts
I COULD just imagine what broadcaster Ces Drilon and his companions are feeling ten days after they were abducted by suspected Moro bandits. By this time, reality must have sunk in, something not really understood by victims in the first few days of their abduction. That goes, too, with the relatives of the captives and other parties concerned.
In the first few days the abductors can be lenient, the hostages are still physically strong and don’t sense the degree of separation from kin and the mainstream, and relatives’ worries are just starting to build up. As days pass, abductors become impatient and abusive, hostages wilt physically and psychologically and relatives become fearful.
It does not help any that Drilon and company are possibly in the hands of the ruthless Abu Sayyaf and are held captive in the hinterlands of Sulu. One has just to read Gracia Burnham’s book, “In the Presence of My Enemies” to know the nature of the Abu Sayyaf and the difficulties experienced by lowlanders forced to spend days in the forest.
One consolation for Drilon et al is that the Abu Sayyaf does not have much of a history of killing prominent captives, like media people. What Burnham experienced was the worst so far but that seems eons ago. Burnham survived the executions of less known fellow captives and the killing of her husband Martin in a military rescue operation.
I join the others in praying for the resolution of this crisis. Drilon, cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion and Mindanao State University professor Octavio Dinampo should be returned to their relatives alive and in the soonest possible time. The longer they are held captive, the more painful would be the uncertainty gripping their kin and friends.
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Like Sun.Star columnist Frank Malilong, I don’t play golf. But when my second son was born more than a year ago, I ended up suggesting to my wife Edizza that we name him Eldrick. The older brother is named Edison (after the inventor and for “son of Edizza”) and we were looking for another name that started with an E. So Eldrick it is.
The other night, I tried watching ESPN’s coverage of the 18-hole US Open playoff between Eldrick “Tiger” Woods and Rocco Mediate but went to sleep after the fifth hole with both players tied. It was already past midnight and I had to bring my older son to school at 6 a.m. It turned out Woods beat Mediate in 19 holes to grab the trophy.
Eldrick is now 19 months old, healthy, thank God, and inquisitive. Meanwhile, I don’t how many more golf records Tiger will break and when he would overtake the legendary Jack Nicklaus in the number of wins in major golf tourneys. What I am sure is that years from now we will be proudly telling our son where he got his name from.
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The Boston Celtics is a win away from beating the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA finals, and I am happy, though guarded.
That epic performance by the Celtics in Game 4, beating the Lakers in “one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history,” won’t matter if the Lakers can make a “great comeback” of its own, beating the Celtics 4-3.
But I like the Celtics to win it all and I like their chances. I am always for team play and good defense as opposed to individual play and pure offense.
Besides, I like Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen over Kobe Bryant anytime.
