Freespirit
Antique's Big Brother
He is no Agapito " Butz" Aquino nor Exequiel "Boy-ex" Javier whose political stars shone from the heroism of their big brothers. Ninoy for Butz and Beloy for Boy-ex, two of the country's modern day martyrs and freedom icons. But, he has earned his own stars, himself emerging as Antique's big brother and believed by many as the most formidable contender to the province's lone congressional seat.
From the outside, retired Police Director Robert "Bebot" C. Delfin is all subtlety. Beneath this however is a man who made hard decisions as head of the PNP's intelligence bureau. This makes the man, intriguingly charming.
In fact, it is no mean feat to decide to enlist in the Philippine Constabulary in 1972 when this segment of the country's military force was suffering from a credibility crisis and when the citizenry regard men in uniform with disdain. But he did.
He left teaching and enlisted in the military service 20 days before Martial Law was declared. The decision he said was partly influenced by his father who was also in the military then. "I came in with a clean conscience and with good intent," he said, which is why he was not bothered by the PC's low credibility and the stigma that stuck to it in the years to come. In 1989, during President Cory Aquino's term, Gen Delfin's efforts were recognized. He was awarded as the Philippine Constabulary's Officer of the Year.
His service history in Intelligence work runs an entire gamut -- from pre-empting bombing operations in the metropolis to cracking down kidnap for ransom syndicates to curbing insurgency. During the Marcos years, his work led to the arrest of key leaders in the communist movement. Fact is, he probably bears the other half of the country's insurgency story--the untold yet, which is why he makes good copy.
But even as he was in a very sensitive job, Gen Delfin says he maintained professionalism. Bayan Muna Rep Satur Ocampo says this. "He did his work well then, he was able to track me down. Hindi naman ako sinaktan unlike the other military officers." Ocampo was arrested and detained for a long time during the Marcos years and released along with other political detainees when Mrs Aquino was brought to power in 1986.
Last year, after 33 years in the service, Gen Delfin turned in his badge to retire. Last year too, he was Bugal Kang Antique Awardee for Government Service, a recognition given to Antiquenos who had contributed and brought Honor to the Province. Bugal is a brainchild of Antique's hero, Beloy Javier when he was Governor of the Province.
Today, Gen Delfin says he is mastering a new craft--the market and the kitchen. His wife Myrna, is most pleased. With more time in his hands now, he moves about the very place that brought him up, much like television's popular "big brother"-- no big splash, even hardly seen -- but very much felt.
And to "estrangeros" like this writer, his favorite childhood story somehow sums it all up. Pointing out to the San Jose Port, this 2-star general says with pride: "In my youth, I was one of the laborers who constructed that port."
(Editor's note: Our guest columnist writes for the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Her interest in Western Visayas started when she was commissioned by an international NGO to write a book about its projects in Guimaras and Northern Iloilo entitled "Walking the Extra Mile." Before this, she was senior officer for public affairs in one of the top corporations in the country. She and her anthropologist brother also started to publish a socio-cultural magazine about the region called "WV magazine.")