July 31, 2007. It has been a year since Rambo (Ambo to his friends in school and Rei-Mon his given Christian name) was gunned down by still unknown men. Whoever they are, people are still wondering if they'll still be caught. Yes, I'm saying 'they' because one gunned Rambo down while another was waiting in a motorcycle not far away.

And that ended his life that early Monday morning. It was just a day after he celebrated his birthday with his family when it happened and such an event has caused much grief, pain, and suffering to his parents, his siblings, his friends, and all those whose hearts and lives he has touched and has become part of.

And to celebrate his colorful and fulfilling life, Rambo's family had a get-together of all the people who would want to be with them. They celebrated his birthday last July 30th. My friends and I were supposed to go but some things came up and we were unable to do so. But I was told that on the day of his death, there was a service for him and there were bands who were there to make music to tell people of this person, Rambo, who lived and who died bearing what he truly believed in.

While on Friendster, I came across a bulletin written by his sister and I was really touched by just how much she loved her brother. I could feel the pain and the emotions running through her as she composed that bulletin. I guess it became her avenue, her channel to let out what she was feeling inside.

Tin, Rambo's brother, posted it a couple of weeks before the anniversary of his death. And she was talking about just how painful it was that he was now gone and just how much they are all suffering without his presence. She said that if only she had known that such would happen, she would have done whatever he asked her to do and she woudl have hugged him back when he was making 'lambing'.

I was furthermore intrigued by what Rambo was like to other people and I did find some article referring to the first year anniversary of his death. His sister proclaims,

"He was not alone though, for there are 863+ more and 197 nowhere to be found and many still expected to follow,depending upon the hands of those thinking of themselves as gods."

Also, Inky mentioned,

"Sitting here writing about Rambo is a rather social task for me. Sad as I feel, as a fellow participant in the social movement, I must uphold the same issues both local and national that he fought and died for."

While they were talking about Rambo as a person, Tonyo did talk about what happened during the shooting:

"Although the assailant was unidentified, Guran's political activities raise concerns that he was the target of Philippine security forces who deemed him to be linked to the long-running communist New People's Army (NPA) insurgency. An off-duty policeman was sitting on the bus when Guran was shot, but did not pursue the assailant. Other passengers were there, but not a single witness outside of the family will give evidence to the police. The witnesses say they are too scared, and fear reprisals from the assailants or their backers if they come forward. The police say that they cannot complete their investigation for lack of evidence and have asked Guran's family to plead with witnesses to speak with them."

One of his schoolmates, Gideon, did write about his early demise. He expressed,

"We mourn with indignation the murder of a loving friend, kuya, son and a good servant of the people and of God.

We schoolmates, colleagues, friends and relatives of Ambo have formed the Justice for Ambo Movement to drum up the issue of unabated political killings in the country and to call for justice to the murder of the likes of Ambo.

We knock at your doors for help and assistance (financial and, or in kind) to sustain this advocacy; knowing fully that our prayers, discernment and collective action in search for justice will one day be fulfilled."

And so it has been a year but what changes have happened with regards to his case? I don't know. And I don't think we'll all ever know what's going to happen. It would be one of the unsolved ones that we all just would have to wonder what happened to it. Maybe. But I am not losing hope and I am still praying that the case be solved - well, of course, not for me but to serve as closure to his parents and to his siblings. It is hard to really imagine that somebody who did your son wrong was still walking on the streets alive and free.

But if that does not happen, all I'm praying now is that these people who wanted him dead start to feel the weight of what they did and may they not have peaceful dreams at night anymore.

Rambo, I hope you're now happy wherever you are and I understand you'll find more peace and happiness there. After all, I'm sure your good friend Ivan is also with you. Ingats padi! And while we're still here, we'll try to do whatever we can to continue what you have started.