Your message: "Dear Mr. Tony Perez,

"Good day!

 "I’m ____________________, ____ year BS _________________ student from __________________________. I have just finished reading your book titled 'A Young Man Cries for Justice Beyond his Grave' which is about the case of the late ENS Phillip Andrew Pestaño PN. Reading your book really caught my attention since I HAVE been dreaming of being a soldier someday. In fact, I am currently taking up my advanced Naval ROTC course as a requirement to be a commissioned officer of the Philippine Navy.

 "I have just a few questions regarding the book. It ended right after the Joint Committee announced its suspension for break. May I ask what happened after? I was just 9 months old when ENS Pestaño died. And by the time of the trial, I was only 2 years old. I was curious about the case. The inconsistencies, the hasty investigation, the denied possibility of foul play, the different opinions regarding the alleged suicide note, everything.

"What happened to ENS Pestaño’s pursuit for justice? Did he gain the justice he deserved as what your book implies; that the late ENS Pestaño did not commit suicide but instead was murdered because of fighting for what he believes? As an aspiring officer, if your book implies the truth, I would love to follow ENS Pestaño’s examples: his uprightness, his firm stand against alleged anomalies on BRP Bacolod LSV 550 and his love for the country. He is the man that our country needs. His pursuit were neither for himself nor for his family but instead for the country that he loves so much.

"Were you, Sir, at any instances would release or had released the volume 2 of the book? If not, do you have any plans of doing such? I am very eager to find out what had happened to his battle.

"The late ENS Phillip Andrew Azarcon Pestaño indeed is a man of COURAGE, INTEGRITY AND LOYALTY and he is in the very center of my prayers tonight.

"Thank you Sir for the time you had given to read this message. I would love to hear things from you regarding this book. Again, thank you and God bless.

                                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                                                                                        "Sincerely Yours,

                                                                                                                                                                                                  _____________________"

My answer: Hello ___________,

Thank you for your kind words. I am glad that you enjoyed reading the book, and that its protagonist inspired you. As far as I recall, a few years ago the case was officially declared a suicide, perhaps for the Philippine Armed Forces to save face. There were the concominant objections and protests, followed by silence. I have not seen the Pestanos in a long, long time, and I hope that they have moved on. Their story, after all, has been told to the world.

Pepe Pestano (the father) sent me material for the second volume but they were not very substantial to complete a book. I desisted from further involving myself in the case because everything became a carnival afterward, and many pieces were written by other authors that I found mediocre, unpolitically correct, and distasteful.

Good luck on your endeavors to serve the country as a soldier. I would like to offer you the following unsolicited advice:

1) It is all right to be nationalistic, but do not be idealistic.

2) Remember at all times that the army is a BUREAUCRACY, and has no space for individualism.

3) Help your family first. Only after that can you help others. Your family must never unnecessarily suffer for your sake.