Other than suffering from a painful and debilitating illness of prostate cancer,the late Senator Raul Sagarbarria Roco had to endure another traumatic experience, courtesy of his detractors and the skeptics. They accused him of feigning illness in order to go to the USA and in effect almost abandoning his presidential bid, for a consideration.

Now that he is dead , let those sinister minds be tortured by their own conscience and let them swallow the venom spewed by their irresponsible tongues. In RSR’s death came his vindication. What a way to vindicate!

And yet this is one reality our society has to contend with. Many of us find so much difficulty recognizing the goodness of others while still alive. We exert so much effort and look for superlatives in order to praise one who is dead.

This is true even to our National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, who in his lifetime did not find sizeable followers for his works. It was only after his death that his writings had an impact on the Filipino people. Ninoy Aquino is another. In his incarceration, he did not enjoy much support. His assassination made us realize that his words “the Filipino is worth dying for,” came straight from his heart.

On this score, Ex-Senator Dominador Aytona, one of the few Bikolanos who almost knocked by the doors of Malacanan, doggedly defends his view that one of the reasons for this very passive attitude of the Filipino is in the last line of our Pambansang Awit—“ang mamatay ng dahil sa ‘yo.” He asserts that we have to express our patriotism in a more positive note. That is why he sings the last line this way—“ang pumatay ng dahil sa ‘yo.”

Roco’s death, in all fullness, has created a vacuum in the region’s search for one of its own , to bring Bikol into the centerfold of national leadership. It will take decades again for the region to find someone of his caliber to attain national prominence and a promise that Bikol’s dreams and aspirations be accorded a more just and fair treatment from the national government. Imperial Manila has long deprived this region of a just deal.

Don’t get it wrong . Bikol has many potential leaders. In fact a few of them have been very successful in converting their respective jurisdictions into virtual fiefdoms. They have seen to it also that leadership in their area be treated as a private property, capable of inheritance.

This, apparently, however, is the very defect of their political career. Instead of aspiring for national posts, they have contented themselves in seeing to it that their family is simply able to lord it over politically, only in their limited area. They do not possess the guts to aspire for higher positions—which may either be due to their awareness of deficiency in intellectual acumen or insecurity in their leadership capacity.

This is probably the grievous wrong they have committed not only against Roco but to the entire region as well. They dared not gamble for national leadership and yet have contented themselves in opposing , sneering and heckling a fellow Bikolano who tried.

In the usual fashion the region’s leaders are well-known for, they cling to the crab mentality, while in the process not being able to present a better alternative. The current political crisis we are now in should be enough wake up call for this kind of Bikolano leaders.

These are the same people who did not support Roco, whose campaign kitty was too limited. They are the very same people who likened him to the “man from La Mancha.”

Now they sing praises to Raul. Come to think of it. Is this sudden change of heart actually indicative of a secret wish, so that when their inevitable end comes, the society be kinder to them or even be lavish in praises? Whatever, such attitude is still vain.