I Am Buraot

During the term of Richard Gordon as mayor of Olongapo City, there were at least 26 cases of “salvagings” or summary executions that victimized at least 28 people.

The killings were believed to have been made to cleanse the city of undesirable elements and maintain its allure as the center for the R & R of US servicemen.

Olongapo officials dismissed such as “isolated incidents involving hardened criminals whose death were mainly due to gang rivalry”, it is a matter of public record that the victims were mostly teenagers and one was a woman.

According to records from the Olongapo City Fiscal’s Office, the following are among those who were executed during the incumbency of Mayor Richard Gordon: Continue Reading…

When I came to Olongapo, I was very hopeful. I just had a daughter, her mom is a native Olongapena, and I decided to go there to start a new life.

It’s a bustling city yet with a small town feel. The night life is not as good as Manila but having been a fan of live bands, I almost immediately fell in love with it. The city is host to a few rock bands that became famous.

On a regular morning, you’ll be woken up by an easy to remember child-like music coming from a moving vehicle. At first, I thought it was some music coming from a rolling candy store, but really it was coming from the garbage trucks. Continue Reading…

Here they come again. I knew what I’m about to take when I decided to write personal experiences about my life in Olongapo, or at least parts of it. Heat. I’m about to take some unnecessary heat.

Of all the searches online regarding the 2010 presidentiables, presidential wannabe Richard Gordon had the most positive posts online, according to ABS-CBN reports published March 18.

They were right. In fact if you try to do a search, all you see are links to his bio and how great and wonderful the man is. Except to articles made by me here at the barrio, on my site, and by other sites who have picked up the story. Continue Reading…

When the City of Olongapo is mentioned, the first things that would come to mind are two: the entertainment bars lining its streets and the name Gordon.

While the roots of existence of the former are well-traced, the existence and the reason why the latter became a household name is not much talked about.

Who really are the Gordons? How did they come into power? And how for several decades, did a single family dominate the entire political landscape of the city? Continue Reading…

I was a fan of Dick Gordon, the man who they called The Flash. He was full of idealism and a natural leader. I would love to be seated next to him. I would love to catch the same breath of air that passes through his sense of national pride.

I first saw him on TV after the tragic 1990 major Luzon earthquake. He was there saving lives in the cities of Baguio and Cabanatuan. Those cities were the hardest hit with several collapsed buildings and hotels. He was then armed with his advanced SBMA units doing search and rescue operations. His efforts are rarely seen from politicians and public servants anywhere in the country. And to think that Olongapo is actually hours away from these cities makes it even more heroic.

Gordon, gadgetry, flash, hero. Who wouldn’t fancy any young guy’s idealism and imagination? Continue Reading…