And of course, we have no constitutional right to bear arms, not least because, unlike Americans, no Filipinos except communist rebels ever advanced social justice or defended democracy with a gun.

Before Martial law in 1972, there were more loose firearms than at any time since. Even I had guns. Along with a couple of ingrams I kept for a politician friend. I had a revolver, a gift from Marcos for my 18th birthday when he said I had become a man so I must have a gun. The second was a gift from Ninoy Aquno. It was a silver plated Colt .45 Eagle bought in I.Magnin, the most expensive fashion store in New York. It was a status thing. We were classy kids. Neither weapon came with a license. When Martial law was declared I dropped the pistol in the Pasig and turned over the Colt and the ingrams to a US Navy friend.

Indeed, when Marcos declared Martial law, all gun enthusiasts without a single exception, shat in their pants and surrendered their guns or buried them so deep, they are still there in Forbes Park. Inspite of all the loose firearms there was no armed resistance to tyranny. In fact, only unarmed communists fought back even if they had no guns at first, because the MV Karagatan was seized. The NPA killed Martial law enforcers by grabbing their guns and using the guns on them. Marcos did not detain a single gun enthusiast because they are no threat to anyone but paper targets. Instead he detained unarmed senators and publishers like Diokno, Chino Roces and my father.

Gun ownership and even guns skills do not give you conviction or courage. Quite the contrary, they tend to make you limp wristed, so you won't be able to knife anyone, let alone strangle them.

Good night and good luck.