History Repeating Itself: The Writings on the Wall

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In the Old Testament, in the story of Prophet Daniel, the Jewish boy taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar, the tyrant king who destroyed and ransacked Jerusalem looking for treasure in the famed Ark of the Covenant, a horrific event transpired when the scion of the tyrant, Belshazzar, the successor to the throne, while partying, saw a hand writing on the wall. "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN" Belshazzar bribed Daniel with money, as often did with the wealth his father accumulated. Daniel rejected the bribe but interpreted the writing. MENE means God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; TEKEL means you have been weighed ... and found wanting, UPHARSIN means your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. That very night, Belshazzar was killed and Darius the Mede became king. This ancient biblical story is being repeated in my country these days. Once upon a time in a not so distant past, a tyrant also ransacked the wealth of my people and reduced the nation to mountains of filth where hungry people scavenge for food. That is why the Filipinos went into a diaspora, to seek food for their families left behind. Like Nebuchadnezzar who became like an ox and ate grass for seven years, our Almighty God put this despicable creature to shame. The entire family was thrown to Hawaii. But did that stop the megalomaniac from clinging to power? No. The fallen strongman even planned an invasion of the islands to regain the country. But the lipid body was dead on the third year of exile. Did that humble the family and impede them from a profligate lifestyle? No. In fact, the scion is now sowing discontent again and dividing the people by running for the highest office in the land claiming his father's loot and persecution of the people the 'golden age.' This scion, of senior age, contracted CoViD-19 last year, when he was gallivanting in Spain, leading the reckless life. Yet he lived... Perhaps to test the resolve of the people to fight power grabbers. But the writing on the wall is clear: "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN"