Sa bawat sulok ng mundo ay may Pilipino samahan niyo kaming bisitahin sila ito po si pareng Rey Langit tampok natin ngayon ay istorya ng isang promenenting media man, kung paano napaslang at kung ano ang naging buhay nang kanyang pamilya dito sa America.
Gumawa tayo ng isang exclusive na pakikipanayam dito sa America kay Ginoong Manny Lopez ang anak ng isang kilalang mediaman na editor ng dating Daily Mirror sa Pilipinas.
PLANTED BOMB
Rey Langit: Manny Balikan natin ang nakaraan. Mag flashback tayo related doon sa insedenteng nangyari sa inyong father na si Mr. Pete Lopez sometime ago in 1969 ng nag crash yung kanyang eroplanong sinasakyan na kanyang kinasawi. Sa crash ba na yun, ano ang findings ito’y sumabog bago pa mag crash o nag crash muna bago sumabog?
Manny Lopez: When my father died, I was only 11 years old. I cannot remember if there was an on-going investigation regarding his death. The only thing I know was that he was assassinated along with some of his reporters. The plane flew from Mactan and it exploded. They said someone planted the bomb two weeks before the incident happened.
Rey Langit: Nabanggit mo na parang merong nag planted ng bomb doon sa eroplano mismo. Hindi aksidente yung nangyari sa kanya?
ELECTION-RELATED
Manny Lopez: No, someone tried to murder my dad because he knew a lot of things. Before the election there was a rumor that there was going be a flood of fake bills worth billions of pesos. Prior to the election he was asked to investigate this and this was the time when Marcos was the President. Sering was running against him during 1969 election in November.
Rey Langit: Ok, Manny kung meron ganitong insidente na talagang planted na merong pumaslang sa iyong ama, nag karoon ba ng investigation, operations ang NBI, at ang mga pulis right after ng insidenteng yun?
Manny Lopez: None, as far as I know.
Rey Langit: Manhunt?
Manny Lopez: There was no manhunt done, I don’t know why.
EFFECT TO THE FAMILY
Rey Langit: Ano ang naging impact nito sa inyong sa inyong pamilya? Sa Lopez family?
Manny Lopez: Prior to this we were a broken family. After my father’s death we went back to my mom and stayed there. Losing a father at the age of 11 had a impact in our lives. We decided to come here in 1985 two years after I got married. We had 2 children, girl and a boy. My daughter is now 31 years old and my son just turn 29 last December. I’m expecting a baby come July .
Rey Langit: Nag karoon ba ng closure ang kasong ito dahil tulad ng binaggit mo manny parang nag karoon ng murder, parang nag karoon ng plot para i-assasinate ang iyong ama. Nag karoon ba ito ng resolution to the crime?
Manny Lopez: Its still an open case. We don’t know who did this.
SUSPECTED COVER UP
Rey Langit: Meron bang ipinalabas na forensic findings ang mga experts for instance at that time nung mga panahon na yun?
Manny Lopez: Nothing, I think. I believe there was a cover up to close this case right away because cause I think my father knew lot of things going on inside Malacañang. This was the reason why he got killed .
Rey Langit: Nag karoon ba ng gag order sa inyo or may mga nag advice ba sa inyong huwag kumibo sa mga possibleng interviews ng media sa inyo that time?
Manny Lopez: None, as far as I know.
TARGET OBJECT
Rey Langit: And positive ka Manny na ang object talaga noong incident ng crash na yon noon ay ang iyong father.
Manny Lopez: I’m one hundred percent sure.
Rey Langit: Ilan silang mga namatay dito sa airplane crash?
Manny Lopez: I think they were like 4 more, they were reporters. They were able to recovered my dad’s body but the rest the coffins were empty because they couldn’t find their bodies when we had a wake done at National Press Club. Mrs. Imelda Marcos was present at awake including Joaquin Roces. There was an honor given by Manila Times and Daily Mirror.
Rey Langit: Ang father mo ang editor ng Daily Mirror at that time nung mangyari yun?
Manny Lopez: I think yes. He was a reporter and worked his way up to become editor of Daily Mirror. He died at the age of 41.
THE HEADLINE
Rey Langit: Ok noong mga panahon na yun Manny, for your information samin sa Circle ng Media ay pinag uusapan namin ang insidenteng yun, ako noon ay reporter ng ABS-CBN Radyo Patrol and i was a very young reporter that time.
Let’s move on, ang reason ba ng pag punta niyo dito sa States ay para umiwas o i-avoid yung mga possible consequences nung insidente ng pagpatay sa inyong ama?
Manny Lopez: No that was not the reason.
Rey Langit: And ano ang naging rason kung bakit kayo nag migrate lahat dito sa USA?
REASON FOR MIGRATION
Manny Lopez: Better life, better future. I’ve been here since 1985. I became an American citizen five years after my kids were born. My plan is to stay here for good, I have no plans of going home and retire in the Philippines as of now.
Rey Langit: If and when na mag retiro ka with your better half, wala kang intensyon doon mag retire sa Philippines?
Manny Lopez: None.
Rey Langit: Idagdag ko na lang yung ilang mga human interest Manny, ano yung mga na mimiss mo na wala rito na dati mong activities na ginagawa sa Philippines?
Manny Lopez: There was nothing special. I told you my family, my mom and dad were separated so we did not have a nice family relationship since they separated ways. It was not a memorable thing to remember other than that I miss my mom who died 4 years ago here in Chicago. She died at the age of 88 years old. I lost my brother 4 years ago. My youngest brother, Ramon, passed away a year after. Three out of the five siblings are still alive including myself, my sister, and Dingdong. He’s in Chicago .
SAME FATE
Rey Langit: How true Manny is it that your grandfather, Pete Lopez, died of a similar incident during the time of former President Ramon Magsaysay? He was with President Magsaysay when the plane crashed?
Manny Lopez: That’s true. My grandfather was a congressman and he died with President Magsaysay in that fatal plane crash in Cebu. 20 years later, my dad died in a plane crash in Cebu too.
Rey Langit: What are your final words, Manny?
Manny Lopez: My life changed when I started to open my heart to God. He gave me strength and happiness. I count my blessings every day.
Hanggang sa susunod na pag hahatid sa inyo nang mga balita at istorya mula sa ibayong dagat ito po si pareng Rey Langit siguradong hindi kayo mauubusan ng kwentong Pinoy sapagkat sa bawat sulok ng mundo ay may Pilipino. Sangalan ng ating Kasangga – JR Langit, minsan pa ang aming pasasalamat sa inyong patuloy na pakikipaglakbay sa aming Biyaheng Langit.
