Ginahasa Ka Namin, Magpakamatay Ka na Lang – first draft

Many years ago I wrote a poem in Filipino in reaction to the rape and subsequent suicide of a movie actress. She was called a “starlet” – the label that sticks forever if one never gets out of b-movie, soft-porn productions – and one of the so-called “softdrink beauties” as promoted by an imaginative talent scout. Three daily TV show hosts were the rapists. It’s a surreal poem which may not work well in translation. I am posting that poem later here. Today I’d like to share a first draft of a new poem that is slightly more bitter (and perhaps less subtle – if that is even possible).  Apologies for the missing translation. I’ll have to see to that when I have more time. This poem came to mind as I read about the new antics of the same lot of “comedians” who remain popular and influential in my country of birth.

UPDATE: as this is a first draft, please feel free to tell me what you think of this new work. well I’m always open to critique, so treat the old poem and its translation the same way. maraming salamat.

UPDATE 2 (thanks to Ed Maranan) HERE is a link to a news article on the rape and death of Pepsi Paloma. Yes, some people remain in power despite everything they do.

Ginahasa Ka Namin, Magpakamatay Ka na Lang

dahil sikat kami at sanay

magpatawa. Softdrinks ka lang,

hindi pa seksi ang iyong bote,

GI goodbye Joe ang tatay

samantalang kami may daily TV show

na patok, habambuhay habang

dinudumog ng masang tila

bangaw. Ikaw, ililibing na balot

ng tabloid. Starlet

na hindi man lang kumisap.

Sino ang mumultuhin mo balang araw?

Hindi kami. Hindi kami.

-o-

Kuwentong Kalbo

para kay Pepsi Paloma

May anghel na nagbigti

sa puno ng kamatsile.

Kaya nagturok ng tinidor

at nagsalang ng kutsara

ang mga palaka

bago bumaha ng kidlat

sa dibdib ng langit

sa mga sandaling hindi pa sila nakapagliligpit

ng patay na butete

at lobong napunit.

Naglampungan ang mga dahon

bago lubusang huminahon

ang araw.

Kung mayroon lang tikbalang

sa kalapit na balete

nagkaroon sana ng munting salu-salo

at nagpamisa pa sana

ang mga mukhang taeng-kabayo.

Subalit mababang uri

ang anghel na ito

na nagbigti,

kahit pa man

siya’y nakaputi.

-o-

draft translation

Bald Story

for Pepsi Paloma

An angel hung herself

on a kamatsile tree.

Frogs heated spoons

and used forks as needles

expecting lightning to come

flooding over the sky’s bosom.

They had not yet cleared up

dead tadpoles

and torn balloons.

Leaves grew ecstatic

until the sun

became less aroused.

Had there been a tikbalang

on the nearby balete tree

there would’ve been a quick feast

and those with horse dung faces

would’ve called for a mass.

But this was only

a lowly angel

who hung herself,

despite her white

dress.

-o-

NOTE: Pepsi Paloma was one of a number of starlets discovered by a talent scout who gave them screen names after particular softdrink brands. Pepsi was raped by three comedians who hosted a popular noontime TV show: Joey de Leon, Richie “the Horsey,” and Vic Sotto (brother of another comedian, Tito Sotto, who would one day be a Senator). After being convicted for the crime, the three asked Pepsi for forgiveness. Soon after she pardoned them, she committed suicide by hanging.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: Beneath an Angry Star, Eat Bulaga, ghosts, Jim Pascual Agustin, Joey de Leon, media, Pepsi Paloma, rape, Richie the Horsey, Softdrink beauties, Tito Sotto