Will the Yanson family reconcile?

By Modesto P. Sa-onoy

In a column last year, I intimated the same question – the possibility of reconciliation of the Ricardo B. Yanson family. The series of events, the legal battles, and the quantum leap in media exchanges – all pointed to a negative. Each group dug in; the rift seems beyond repair.

Even the attempt of the Yanson 4 – Roy, Celina, Emily and Ricky by extending their greetings and prayers during the birthday of their mother was brushed aside. Olivia had expressed the same intention to reconcile but that was it. The Christmas season did not make a dent in the feud. The conflict deepened when both sides refused to budge.

But a new element entered the picture when last August 30 word came out that Olivia Yanson was rushed to Manila on an air ambulance. She had high fever and speculations was that she was hit by Covid-19.

Her daughter, Ginnette appealed in social media for prayers for her mother. Later, news say Olivia was stable and doing well but still the danger remains especially if one considers her age and other afflictions.

As I write there is no more news and as we say, “no news is good news”.

After word came out that Olivia was rushed to St. Luke Hospital, another report said that her four children are praying for her. They must have received the news only from friends or the media because they said that they had not been in communication with their mother possibly for months since the conflict erupted in public.

From the beginning, I noticed that the Yanson 4 had been on the defensive almost like they were tiptoeing not to hurt their mother or their siblings. True, words were exchanged but in general, the Yanson 4 took the legal route and had refrained from the ancient way – a tooth for a tooth, and an eye for an eye.

They were booted out of their legal position not by a court order but by the use of brute police force. Roy and I think Emily, for instance, simply left the compound as did their security agency.

The Yanson 4 were subject to danger with ridiculous cases like carnapping, coercion, forgery, etc. As I have discussed in this column, these charges were dismissed not only because they were preposterous but more so clearly cooked up.

The Yanson 4 merely responded as the law requires them but it was clear the Yanson 3 were using every means available that money can buy to get rid of the other members of the Yanson family, not sparing even the children. If we were in the Middle Ages, this is a fratricidal war – eliminating the possible or legitimate rival successors to the throne.

William Shakespeare would have a good drama like the Merchant of Venice and its famous “pound of flesh” while Francis Bacon would have another use for his invented phrase, “hostage to fortune”.

Truly the Yanson family feud is not new for they define and exemplify the human nature of the conflicting emotions of love and hate. Christ has a cure for hate – “love one another as I have loved you” and “love those who hate you.”

Their feud, however, took a nasty turn when other elements or actors in the human drama exploited it for their own purposes. In a sense, the Yansons had also been victimized by the opportunists who abound where money resides.

Olivia’s health condition is an opportunity for the family to reconcile because above all others the love between parents and children is not merely a human institution but a natural predisposition that is strengthened by moral law. It can only be extinguished by a rejection of the natural.

In general the responses of the Yanson 4 and their call for prayer, shows they love their mother despite the feud. It would be a great moment if all the children and grandchildren are united in prayer although the circumstance prevents them from being physically with her.

Would not their mother be comforted by this? Is not knowing one is loved a healing balm to the pains of human frailty? Who knows that God opened this window for reconciliation without anyone losing “face”? Who knows if Olivia’s health is God’s way of bringing the family together again?