The Passing of the King of Pop and the Icon of democracy

At 50, on June 25, Gloved One, Wacko Jacko, Peter Pan, or simply, MJ has finally made real his wish to stay young forever doing the moonwalk but in heaven – with no hyperbaric chambers nor cosmetics surgery – but with endless joy of singing songs more than “Man in the Mirror”, “We are the World” and “You Are Not Alone”. He was pronounced dead at UCLA Medical Center after a failed resuscitation.

Michael Jackson was supposedly to restore his legacy by doing a series of 50 concerts starting July 13 at London. Unfortunately in his rented posh Holmby Homes, he suffered a cardiac arrest in his sleep after a series of rehearsals. When paramedics rushed him to UCLA Medical Center, doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Michael Jackson will be remembered as the feisty lead singer of the kids’ band Jackson 5 in the 60’s. Among the band hits include “ABC” and “I Want You Back” He climbed to superstar status in the 80’s after he consistently topped the charts by his “Thriller”, “Beat It” and “Billie Jean”.

He was constantly battered by anomalies due to his irregular behavior. Most shocking of which was on 2002 at a hotel in Berlin where he dangled his son Prince Michael in the balcony. He was also rumored to habitually sleep in bed with children thus attributed to his being pedophilic. A suit has also been reported filed against Michael Jakcson for alleged child abuse but was later grinded to a halt because of a settlement to the tune of $20 million.

What were certain which killed Michael Jackson was a cocktail of drugs had eventually caused the cardiac arrest. What is uncertain though was either it has resulted from homicide – by doctors giving him the prescription of the drugs including a sleep inducer propofan – or not. His remains are finally laden in Forest Lawn Cemetery of Glendale on September 3, almost 10 weeks after his death. The Neverland Ranch and Staples Center had filled with endless Michael Jackson fans in his wake and necrology service.

A day before the king of pop died, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III rushed his mother, Corazon Cojuangco Aquino fondly known as Cory, to Makati Medical Center who was then complaining of loss of appetite and chronic baldness.

Then the news went out. It was so hard to believe. “Our mother peacefully passed away at 3:18 AM., August 1, 2009, of cardio-respiratory arrest,” declared Noynoy Aquino after he was ushered by the hospital guards outside to give the announcement to awaiting members of the press.

Witnessed over the national television, the announcement sparked a national mourning which spilled over to the international community. Cory was known as the icon of democracy by her people power which toppled the Marcos dictator. The People Power revolution spawned similar uprisings in foreign countries including Ukraine.

Coming from affluent Cojuangcos and was schooled in Mount Saint Vincent College in New York, Cory after her husband was assassinated, accepted the challenge the people had kept on mounting. She eventually stood as opposition against Ferdinand Marcos in the snap elections for February of 1986. But after knowing of election fraud declaring the dictator as victor, Jaime Cardinal Sin the then head of the Roman Catholic Church, called the people to protest in the streets which led to a mounted four-day protest now known as People Power Movement.

During her burial August 5 at Manila Memorial Park, people estimated to be of hundred thousands finally delivered her remains to a simple grave beside her husband Ninoy. Former US Senator Stephen Solarz and José Ramos-Horta of East Timor are among the attendees from the International community in the private funeral. Both were generous in their complements to the late comparing her to Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Indira Gandhi of India.

The whole nation mourned for her passing. Even children who weren’t bore yet in the 80’s mourned for her and are almost aware of her contributions to the country. Rich and poor indeed came for Cory. Last August 4, 2009, the college organized a tribute and was silent – if it’s just for the simple offering than compared to her – for the country.

In our hearts, what we had felt will never easily wane.

Reference: Philippine Daily Inquirer Archives