Joker, the teacher, remembered

Today, Oct. 5, 2017, is Sen. Joker P. Arroyo’s second death anniversary.

How he is sorely missed by some of us in our tiny human rights community, to which divisive, pugnacious and quarrelsome President Duterte gives no importance, judging by his “kill-pa-more population reduction program.”

From Joker we learned many things, like not standing on ceremony. He did not even want an hour or two in the Senate to observe a necrological tradition.

He was a teacher in a real sense; he taught by example on how to stand on principle. Pleasant memories of military commissions and Supreme Court orals galore. Watching him was like peering over Juan Luna’s shoulders while he paints.

And Joker was at the vanguard of many a march/rally, not intimidated at all by the smell of gunpowder.

R.A.V. SAGUISAG, Palanan, Makati City