When Manuel L. Quezon ran for president of the Philippine Commonwealth, his rival was no less than the legendary Emilio F. Aguinaldo, erstwhile president of the First Philippine Republic,captured in Palanan, Isabela in 1901, at the height of the Filipino-American War which lasted until 1907. It can be argued that Aguinaldo had not totally lost his magic as Independence remained a collective aspiration, a vital political issue even during American colonial times.

A formidable orator,Manuel Quezon went around the countryside making fiery campaign speeches, always carrying a burlap sack bulging with human bones. He would horrify the audience by claiming that those were the hapless remains of Katipunan

Supremo Andres Bonifacio and the valiant Gen. Antonio Luna, heroes of the Philippine Revolution and the Filipino-American War, respectively, and victims of Aguinaldo's compulsive power-grab.

Needless to say, before DNA testing was invented, the veracity of Quezon's claim could not be ascertained.

He also blamed Aguinaldo for sacrificing the young and gallant Gregorio del Pilar at Pasong Tirad. Quezon's message was astoundingly clear--Aguinaldo was stained with the blood of martyrs, do not vote for him!

In his time, Manuel L. Quezon used the force of history to his advantage. Mar Roxas could very well have done so but he somehow missed the point. (To be continued) gemma601@yahoo.com.