Where in the World is Ninoy?

Remember this?


It used to loom over Paseo de Roxas and Ayala Avenue in Makati City. Then it was moved to Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac City for feng shui reasons. Urban legend has it that the statue's posture (stumbling) and the number of steps (four - signifying death) augured bad luck to the country's premier financial district. Thus, it was moved to the Cojuangcos' Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac. I guess they are not afraid of bad feng shui or they really do care more about family, bad luck or not. Look at how they always rally around Kris Aquino, har-har.

But then, when we went home last March 2, I was intrigued to note this:

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS NINOY???

Some idiot or idiots moved him in Cut Cut I and made him sit.


Now, this bothers me. Extremely. I am not sure if the masterminds behind this even have the permission of the artist. If you were the artist, would you like your masterpiece to be vandalized like this? And yes, it is vandalism because Ninoy sitting on a bench is not the artist's original vision and execution. The artist's vision was to depict that exact moment in history when Ninoy was gunned down to his death. Many didn't like this particular interpretation of a snippet of history so the statue was first, relocated and now, disassembled and re-assembled into its current form.

This statue is now the butt of jokes in Tarlac. Some say Ninoy got tired and walked away to just sit on his butt and rest. Others say he looks like he is driving a right-hand drive vehicle, the way his arms and legs are posed. And someone has made lechon manok out of the bird, some jest. I say, they should have left well enough alone. It was not even nicely executed. Coming from the highway, you see a round white lamp aligned perfectly with Ninoy's crotch. It's a mockery of everything Ninoy stood for. Public art is paid for by public taxes but let's respect them and the artists' rights, shall we?