Moral code

“Ang pagkakaiba, ikaw tapat sa idolo mo kaming mga pinatay at papatayin mo ay tapat sa isang prinsipyo. Hindi ka sundalo. Isa kang aso Tahol, Goyo, tahol!” – Manuel Bernal [Arthur Acuña] in Jerrold Tarog’s Goyong: Ang Batang Heneral (2018)

WATCHING the movies Goyo and Heneral Luna never fails to entertain me as well as reminds me that no single person can turn this country around, make it the best democratic republic and an economic tiger in Southeast Asia. Well, our Republic sure used to be. It was not called Pearl of the Orient seas for nothing.

On Sunday, we mixed up our movie marathon by watching Goyo first before watching Heneral Luna. We thought it interesting to treat the former as a prequel to the latter, although the releases in the cinemas were the opposite.

A few minutes into the movie, we see the youngest general of the revolution, Gregorio del Pilar (Paulo Avelino), lead the torture of Col. Manuel Bernal (Arthur Acuña). Bernal had been a loyal aide-de-camp to Lt. Gen. Antonio Luna. The hunt was in high gear for the officers who were seen as loyal to Luna.

The hunt was ordered by the revolutionary government of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. By the way, he, along with ilustrado Felipe Buencamino, were implicated in the assassination of Luna.

When Goyo asked Bernal about the whereabouts of his compatriots (meaning, those who served under Luna), he shot back at the young general asking if Goyo will do everything the President tells him to do. He then differentiates himself from the likes of Goyo.

“Ang pagkakaiba, ikaw tapat sa idolo mo kaming mga pinatay at papatayin mo ay tapat sa isang prinsipyo. Hindi ka sundalo. Isa kang aso Tahol, Goyo, tahol.” These may not be the exact words that Bernal said as the disclaimer at the start of the movie declares but the words sure do make sense.

Soldiers ought to be bound by a moral code and not blind adherence to a human leader. The reason behind this, I think, is that humans are fallible. Whereas, principles, on their own, are incorruptible just like the words in the Philippine Military Academy’s coat of arms: courage, integrity, and loyalty. The loyalty part is clear to me that it means loyalty to the Republic and not to whoever is sitting as President.

As Joven Hernándo (Arron Villaflor) correctly pointed out in the movie: What is a hero’s true worth? Why do we always look up and glorify without question?

Also, Apolinari Mabini (Epy Quizon) summarized the movie by saying that the Philippine revolution failed because it was badly led.

Turning back to Heneral Luna, played by John Arcilla, the movie also offered gems that could very well have been said in these times.

When he blurted out in frustration against Aguinaldo’s (Mon Confiado) indecisiveness after a cabinet meeting that no one is above all, not even the President, it reminded me of how things are at the present cabinet of this administration.

Every single one of them seems to be at the beck and call of the President. They have forgotten that they serve the Republic. Yes, they have been appointed by the President but not as his unthinking lackeys.

At the height of his frustration, Luna told off the Aguinaldo’s cabinet that the real bigger enemy of the Republic was not the foreign invaders but the Filipinos themselves. As a once-popular song goes: When will we ever learn. Pfft.