CONFESSION

By Jeannemar Genevive Yap-Figueras

Bless me Father, for I have sinned:
I am Dr. James Figueroa, world renowned scientist, esteemed member of the National
Research Council of the Philippines; recipient of the National Scientist Award. I am whom you
would consider the regular nerdy type of scientist; a living in the lab sort of guy passionate
about research; over zealous about work protocol.
Please, ask me questions later. I need to talk to somebody while there is still time and
while I still have the courage and the decency to admit the horrible consequences of my actions.
If you are a regular reader of the news, you may have read about me and my research
team several times I discovered the gene for passivity; you know the gene for ultimate
goodness.
For more than half my life I was obsessed with how to make the human being good, kind
docile passive. I have been a target of bullies for most of my primary and high school years;
and I have been sick and disgusted about the news of war and crime. So I figured, why not use
my genius to make the world good? For sure, somewhere in the world, there must be
somebody who has no violent bone in his body; and for sure, this must be in his genes.
Besides, with the advent of biotechnology (my specialization, by the way), anything is possible.
So I made an intensive research of statistics of crime and violence and voila! In a small town
in Germany (of all places imagine, the homeland of Hitler!) the crime and violence rate is
practically zero for more than fifty years, this number has been constant.
So I made a genetic study on the residents to make the long story short (I dont want to
bore you about the details on how I got bioethical approval and funding it wasnt easy, but
believe me, I got a million dollar funding. Its just a matter of tapping the right people of multi-
billion companies who would do anything to evade taxes.), after 7 years of intensive genetic
screening, I was able to isolate the gene for passivity (Note: Would you believe that it is located
in the same chromosome as the gene for intelligence? I should have known better but wait,
Im getting ahead of the story).
Anyway, I isolated the gene, patented it, got a Nobel prize for it too. The multi-billion
companies then invested on research on how to insert it first in crops; with the hope that if
animals eat the crops with the gene, it may somehow be incorporated into their systems, and
would eventually manifest docileness. What do you know?! It worked I couldnt exactly
explain the mechanism; it is still under another research; but it did. The companies became
excited with the explosive crime rate and high incidence of war world-wide, drastic measures
should be taken. Besides, what country doesnt use genetically-modified crops nowadays
anyway? So we did it we inserted the gene into the seeds of crops with their cocktails of
genetically modified genes for insect resistance and high production. We did it first with corn,
soybeans, and then rice and then we toyed with vegetables hows that for mass production?
It became the fad of the century. Everybody worldwide was a consumer whether they were
aware of it or not after all, money talks. I became a multi-billionaire too made a lot of
investments and with all my patents, what do you expect?
However, after a few years of my so called success, I heard reports. In some countries
in South America (where the initial mass production started), while the statistics for crime and
violence were significantly lowered by at least 40%, the incidences of early Alzheimers and
Parkinsons increased by first 20%, then in a matter of 3 years, 50%. Negligible. Not all of the
test countries, right? Besides, there were no conclusive evidences; and as a scientist, I always
need the hard concrete facts, however, I asked some members of my research team to work on
the gene activation mechanism, just to be sure. And for safety precautions, I avoided food with
GMOs. The number crept up to 75%, and not only in South America. Asia (yes, even the
Philippines, my homeland), Europe, the U.S. While the statistics became higher, I kept ignoring
it where is the molecular evidence? Besides, these conditions are affected by other
predisposing factors genetic predisposition, lifestyle, exposure to mutagens. You couldnt
entirely blame it on my little gene, right? Until one day, the evidence slapped me right on the
face.
My little research team was able to discover that once the gene for passivity got
activated, it messed up with other genes for protein function might have been the side
effects of the viral vector we used to insert it. It activated genes which formed amyloid plaques
in the brain which are of course, associated with Alzheimers Disease and Parkinsons
Disease. Now more than half the world, at some rate or the other, will be developing these
conditions. Anyone who consumes the crops we distributed. I tried to undo what I have done
I went to my investors and made the report; they all laughed at us. They told me the same thing
I have been telling myself during the early stages these results are unconclusive. I dont
know. Maybe they liked the fact that the crime rates and violence were greatly lowered, and no
country seemed to be interested in declaring war and terrorism anymore. Maybe they were just
afraid of admitting their mistakes? Maybe they just didnt want to lose money they will have to
pay everyone affected with disability benefits and that means more than half of the worlds
population. Or maybe it was just the Alzheimers or the Parkinsons partially working on their
brains. You see, most of the big bosses also believe in patronizing their products. I did what I
can even to the extent of slipping out information to Green Peace who are anti-GMO
advocates. But what can we do? The products are still being consumed all through out the
world; since the companies just wont stop and most of the world are already in the early
stages of Alzheimers or Parkinsons. As a matter of fact, about 50% of my research team are
already in the late stages especially those who didnt heed my warning about eating our
products.
Now everywhere I look, there is always somebody with all the symptoms, and I couldnt
live with that. I may seem indifferent, but I do have a conscience. I can no longer sleep at
night. I really meant well, but I never realized that everything will come to this; and I know that
saying sorry or doing what I can isnt enough. The crime I committed surpasses even the most
heinous crime in the list of crimes slated for capital punishment. I deserve an infinite lifetime in
hell.
So Father, what do you think should be my penance? Im sorry, do you need assistance
to go to the bathroom? Do you have a nurse with you? Im so sorry. Just in case there will be
no one here with the capacity to listen and understand, I have everything written in this
envelope. It contains the same things I have said, and then some. Im going to place it on the
altar I hope there still will be somebody who can read it my confession to the world.
When I get home tonight, I will eat my fill of GMO crops, just like I did yesterday, the day
before; for almost a week now. Just for a double dose, why the hell not drink that vial with the
gene? That is, if I can still remember what Im doing. Forgive me, but I dont think I can even
find my way home.