The message read:

"Kuya Toto! Musa po? Sensya na po sa abala. Ilapit ko sana 2 kids ko sa inyo ngayon Pasko.  Pls help po. Talagang kapos. Pls. help po. God bls po. Don2 Lanuza."

It was a followup message.  Earlier, Dondon sent Alcothan Toto this text message: "Kuya Toto! Happy Birthday po. More blessing. God Bless po. Don2 Lanuza."

Dondon Celestino Lanuza is an OFW who has been waiting for his date with death while languishing inside Dammam jail for having been involved in a very unfortunate incident where he had to defend his self from a drank Saudi national.

In two occasions in the recent past, Alcothan Toto gave financial help to the two children of Dondon.  This was the third time coming.

At midnight, the three Alcothans, along with one staffer of Alcothan Toto, arrived at the dim house of Dondon in a crowded Camella home subdivision in Cavite.

Immediately, Pauline Lanuza, the only daughter of Dondon, met the three Gentle Alcothans at their gate. 

In the ensuing conversation, the three Alcothans were shocked by the revelation of Pauline that she and her brother Paolo had quit school because of poverty.  It was their third year and the third time to drop out of public elementary and high schools in Imus, Cavite.

Nevertheless, Alcothans Toto pledged that Alcothans will help the kids by promising to talk with the principals of the school to take them back.   Additionally, Toto also pledged for Alcothans to give the two children for their daily transportation expenses in going to school everyday.

During that conversation, sadness was competing with the never-say-die spirit of the three Alcothans.

While there inside their house, Alcothan Toto called up Dondon through a borrowed phone (hoping Saudi authorities would not discover the presence of that cellular phone) and it was during their conversation that it was learned that Dondon is a member of Tau Gamma Phi, one of the popular college-based groups in the country that is also known as Triskellion.

Dondon said he has been calling on his brothers, including Senator Ralph Recto and TESDA chief Joel Villanueva, and he is hoping help would come sooner.  Alcothans promised to follow up with these prominent members of their group.

He added that another brod, Atty. Jay de Castro, has already made representations before Malacanang for his appeal in his case.

His problem, however, is that the Philippine government is still looking for the cheapest lawyer in Saudi Arabia to argue his appeal. 

He intimated, though, that the chance is slim for him to get a new lawyer after the first lawyer was not rehired by the embassy for being expensive.

That P3,000 could have been more than enough to buy sumptuous foods and more expensive cognac for the merrymaking. But the three Alcothans were happy when they parted ways at 5:00 in the morning over a cheaper whiskey.

It was indeed an unforgettable scotch on the rocks for these three Alcothans, the acronym adopted by the group for its name Alpha Cosine Theta, founded on October 2, 1976 by mathematician students of Mindanao State University in Marawi City.