That Maserati mauler

When the sh-t hits the fan, the perpetrator suddenly plays a game I’ve called “pa-victim.”

So it is with Joseph Russel Ingco, the driver of that blue Maserati who is accused of evading a traffic enforcer of the Metro Manila Development Authority who called him out for a violation, and then mauling the same enforcer (and breaking his nose) and dragging him for a few meters before driving away. Ingco even made off with the cell phone of Jorbe Adriatico, the traffic enforcer, after the latter took a picture of the car in question.

Of course, for many ordinary citizens, the most striking word in the news stories was “Maserati,” a high-end brand of sports car of which there are only a few in the country. The car delineated the stark divide between the driver and the traffic enforcer, the distance between their social and economic statuses, and even offered an “explanation” for the incident. The Maserati spoke of arrogance, privilege, wealth and entitlement. No way the owner of a sports car in these parts would submit to apprehension by a humble enforcer.

And so Ingco’s “pa-victim” explanation strikes us as absurd, comical even. Saying he was a “very private person,” Ingco even played the “wife and children” card, saying they “are severely suffering from all the cruel statements being made against my person.”

Cue retching sounds.

Some netizens have rushed to Ingco’s defense, saying that perhaps the owner of a Bulacan-based trucking business was simply afraid that Adriatico was part of a “hulidap” or “carnap and arrest” operation and so was worried about his safety.

True, there have been recent news reports of policemen—and even police teams—engaged in kidnapping and extortion. But Ingco could very well have availed himself of legal assistance—he obviously has a lawyer on call—if he was arrested, or his car was confiscated, or his life threatened.

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MMDA Chair Francis Tolentino has rushed to Adriatico’s defense, citing the enforcer’s “good record” in all the time he has served as a traffic cop. The MMDA had in fact offered a cash reward for information on the identity of the Maserati mauler.

The other day, his identity finally revealed, Ingco expressed willingness to “let due process take its course,” something he refused to grant Adriatico while attempting to flee responsibility for his traffic violation. But the first thing he did after his identity was exposed was not to submit to police investigation but rather to appear before media outlets to defend himself.

More retching sounds.

Perhaps Ingco’s actions indeed indicate the level of citizen mistrust and fear of our law enforcers. We don’t know how we would precisely react if the same thing happened to us—even if it’s doubtful anyone of us would be driving a Maserati.

But if the mauling of Adriatico and Ingco’s flouting of the law are allowed to go unpunished, then we might as well surrender to anarchy and criminality. Ingco is no more a victim than Janet Napoles is a volunteer in a nongovernment organization.

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THANKSGIVING is undergoing a measure of revisionism these days, with historians and activists pointing out that it is not so much a celebration of “brotherhood” between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans they encountered, as a triumphant banquet after the massacre of hundreds of men, women and children who had the misfortune of encountering the new colonizers.

Our colonial education has drilled us on the mythology of Thanksgiving: Pilgrims hosting a huge banquet as a gesture of gratitude for the help given them by natives who saved them from starvation.

But traditions evolve and meanings change. The traditional menu may have its mainstays: the turkey, of course, sweetened yams, cranberries, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, stuffing and pumpkin pie. Still, through the years and America’s changing racial profile, new menu items have emerged. I notice that my own relatives in the United States have added Filipino fiesta staples on their Thanksgiving tables.

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FILIPINOS have, as a whole, not historically observed Thanksgiving. Our own traditions have revolved around Christmas as the highlight of the year, the occasion for celebrating family togetherness and for pigging out—sometimes literally, since the traditional centerpiece of Pinoy celebrations is the lechon (roasted whole pig).

American friends have declared that the real occasion for celebrating family is Thanksgiving, not Christmas. Members of America’s far-flung families make the time and effort to gather at this time, creating horrendous traffic jams and airport congestion. Christmas often seems like an afterthought, although these days Americans take “Black Friday,” the day after Thanksgiving, as the day to begin their Christmas shopping given the huge bargains in stores.

Still, even if we don’t join in the American observance of Thanksgiving, we should think about creating a similar occasion. Our Thanksgiving might not need to be about Pilgrims and Indians or even feature a roasted turkey with all the trimmings. But we can all use a day to focus on the things that we are grateful for, including the people in our lives and whom we often take for granted.

So here goes: I give thanks for my family, including a grandchild whose arrival we anticipate with excitement, eagerness and enjoyment. I give thanks for friends who’ve shared the same life journey and have given me understanding, sympathy, support and comfort. I give thanks for work that allows me not just to earn my keep but also to express my feelings and thoughts. And thanks to all my readers, just for being there, always.