Tatay

Open Letter to President Benigno S. Aquino

Today is Tatay’s 7^th year of disappearance. My father, Leo Velasco, disappeared under the Gloria Arroyo government. On that day, February 19, 2007, Tatay was walking along Pres. Aguinaldo St. in Cagayan de Oro. He stopped to buy a stick of cigarette when a gray Mitsubishi L300 van suddenly stopped and men grabbed him.

I never saw him since then.

I was shattered to find out Tatay was abducted. The first few hours of trying to find Tatay was excruciating. I worried thinking he was being tortured. Days passed and still there was no sign of Tatay. We went to military camps, police headquarters, asked assistance to the Commission on Human Rights, International Committee of the Red Cross and so on. Still, Tatay remain missing.

My parents, being consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines for the peace process knew the risks of fighting for the principles they believed in. Having comrades who were killed, tortured, imprisoned, disappeared, Tatay knew he might end up like them. He had told me about these risks, trying to build up the courage in me. He was aware that someday I might lose him in the same way.

So, every year since that day I write Tatay a letter, hoping it would reach him wherever he is—in some dark detention cell perhaps?

But this year, my letter is addressed to you, Mr. President. For after seven years of disappearance, Tatay is most probably not alive anymore. My logical mind tells me this. But, my hopeful heart says otherwise.

Since day one, I held Gloria Arroyo responsible for the disappearance of my father, and many others. But today, I am holding your government accountable for the continuing disappearance of Tatay and nine other missing NDFP consultants, and hundreds more of desaparecidos.

Your government remains indifferent to victims like us who seek justice. The Anti-Enforced Disappearance Law may be enacted. Yet, none of the perpetrators were actually prosecuted. The notorious rights violator Ret. Gen. Jovito Palparan remains at-large. I doubt if I will ever get justice for my father under your regime.  You have even closed all doors for the continuation of the peace negotiations between the NDFP and your government, a venue for us relatives of missing NDFP consultants to address our concerns. This makes our quest for justice even dimmer.

Today, my only desire is to know what had happened to Tatay, to get his remains, and put him in a proper resting place. I know that even this is too much to ask of you, Mr. President because to surface my father and the other missing persons will reveal a lot of dirty secrets in the military institution. But, you owe us. I’m sure anyone who has humanity would understand the kind of pain we families of desaparecidos are going through.

Aya Santos
Daughter of Leo Velasco
February 19, 2014

Ang Litrato ng Tatay Ko (Isang Pagbabahagi sa Araw ng Mga Nawawala)

ni Ron de Vera

August 30, 2013 | International Day of the Disappeared

Bata pa ako nung araw na mawala ang litrato ng tatay ko. May malakas na bagyo. Nabasa na nga ang nanay ko, kaya’t imbes na sumugod na naman sa ulan, pinili niyang manatili na lang sa bahay. Lalo na’t may sugat ang paa niya. Mahirap na. Mahirap nang tumakbo.

Hindi ko rin lubos na maunawaan kung bakit palipat-lipat ng puwesto ang litrato ng tatay ko. Minsan nasa tabi ng katre, minsan nasa estante sa sala, minsan naman, tinatago sa ilalim ng mesa pag may di kilalang bisita. Hindi ko na nga nakabisado ang itsura ng litrato ng tatay ko, dahil madalang ko naman ito makita.

Kaya naman nung araw na mawala ang litrato ng tatay ko, hindi ko rin maunawaan kung anong dapat kong maramdaman. Dapat ba akong malungkot eh hindi ko naman ito laging nakikita? Dapat ba akong matuwa gayung mahalaga ito sa nanay ko?

Patuloy ang pagbagsak ng malakas na ulan. At patuloy rin sa paghahanap ang nanay ko. Ang tanong niya, ano daw ang naaalala ko bago mawala ang litrato ng tatay ko. May kasama bang iba pang litrato ang litrato ng tatay ko, o mag-isa lang ba ito? Maraming tanong ang nanay ko na hindi ko masagot. Kaya’t lumabas ang nanay ko para magtanong kay Aling Cory, ang may-ari ng inuupahan namin. Sa likod ng bahay lang naman namin siya nakatira. Kaya mabilis lang dapat ito.

Pero pagkatagal-tagal ng pakikipag-usap ng nanay ko kay Aling Cory at sa mga kasambahay nito. Wala daw sa kanila. Bakit naman daw nila ito kukunin? Ano naman daw ang mahihita nila dito? Baka naman daw nanay ko rin ang may kasalanan kung bakit nawawala ang litratong ito. Pagbalik ng nanay ko, kakaiba na ang hubog ng mukha niya. Malayo ang tingin. Walang damdamin ang bibig, lugmok ang pisngi, bakante ang mga mata. May hinala daw siya tungkol kay Aling Cory pero kahit mapatunayan man daw niya ito, hindi naman daw aamin si Aling Cory.

Nagsimulang matuklap ang kisame ng maliit na bahay namin. Nagsimulang pumasok ang tubig-ulan sa bubong. Dalawa lang kami ni nanay nun kaya’t tinulungan ko siya kahit sobrang hirap. Ginawa ko ang lahat ng makakaya ng siyam na taong gulang kong katawan. Punas dito, tapal dun, timba dito, planggana dun. Alam kong pagod na pagod na si nanay kaya’t kahit pagod na pagod na rin ako, hindi ko ito pinahalata sa kaniya. Nanlumo ako nang marinig ko sa radyo na lalakas pa daw ang bagyo.

Pagsapit ng hatinggabi, naubos na ang mga timba at planggana. Naubos na rin ang pantapal. Kaya’t alam naming ilang minuto na lang ay magsisimula nang bumaha sa loob ng bahay namin. Nang magsimulang tumaas ang baha, nagsimula na ring tumulo ang luha ng nanay ko. Hindi ko alam kung dala ito ng binabaha naming bahay o ng nawawalang litrato ng tatay ko.

Halatang gusto na niyang humiga’t matulog pero wala nang puwesto. Nakatayo lang siya sa gitna ng binabaha naming sala. Nakayuko. Nakatingin sa kawalan. Kaya’t lumapit ako at yinakap ko siya. Tumingin siya sa akin at kahit pa basa na ng luha ang mukha niya ay nakuha pa niyang ngumiti. Linibing ko ang mukha ko sa tiyan niya para itago ang sarili kong mga luha. At bigla siyang kumanta. “Tulog na bunso ang iyong ama ay nasa malayong bayan…” Patuloy ang pagpatak ng ulan, patuloy ang pagpatak ng luha ng nanay ko, patuloy ang pagpatak ng luha ko.

Sinubukan kong intindihin ang nararamdaman ko. At napagtanto kong hindi ito lungkot kundi galit. Galit na galit ako sa bagyo sa lipunan. Galit na galit ako sa baha ng karahasan. Galit ako sa mga mapang-aping nagpapaluha sa nanay ko. Galit ako sa mga ganid na militar na sumugat sa paa ng nanay ko. At higit sa lahat, galit na galit ako sa mga dumukot sa litrato ng tatay ko.

Mahigit dalawang dekada nang nawawala ang litrato ng tatay ko. Magaling na ang sugat sa paa ng nanay ko. Kaya’t balik na naman siya sa pagsugod sa ulan, gaya ng nakagawian. Sabi niya, mahalaga ang lumuha. Pero higit na mahalaga ang lumaban. Kaya’t habang walang patid ang ulan, walang patid din ang laban.

Mahigit dalawang dekada nang nawawala ang litrato ng tatay ko. Natutunan ko nang pigilin ang luha ko pag nababanggit ito. At natutunan ko na ring paamuhin ang galit sa dibdib ko. Nakatulong rin na marami rin palang tulad namin na nawawalan ng litrato.

Tanggap na ba naming hindi na namin makikita ang litrato ng tatay ko? Puedeng hindi, puedeng oo. Ang mahalaga ay hindi lang ang hanapin ang mga litratong ito. Ang mahalaga ay sugpuin ang sanhi kung bakit nangyayari ito. Para bukas wala nang bagyong hahampas sa mga anak natin. Para bukas wala nang bahang sisira sa mga buhay ng mga apo natin. Para bukas, wala nang magpapaluha sa atin. Para bukas, wala nang magpapagalit sa atin. Pero sa araw na ito, makiisa muna tayo. Sa araw na ito, kumuha muna tayo ng lakas sa isa’t isa, lakas na magpatuloy sa paghahanap, lakas na magpatuloy sa pakikipaglaban. Sa araw na ito, kayo muna ang litrato ng tatay ko.

EDITH BURGOS’ Statement on the C.A. Ruling holding the Philippine Army accountable for the abduction of Jonas

March 27, 2013

Today. Holy Wednesday, the day our family traditionally made the Way of the Cross around the farm when Jonas’ father, Joe Burgos, was still with us, I have received news of the decision of the Court of Appeals on our petition for the Writ of Habeas Corpus and the Writ of Amparo in relation to the disappearance of my son, Jonas Burgos. This Lent would have been a different observation because the family has decided to go home to my home province to be with my brother who is celebrating his 30th ordination anniversary. But as it is and as He wills it , the crosses can’t be left behind. We carry them and we live with them, and if for a moment we forget, we are reminded.

What a big reminder, this decision of the Court of Appeals. And just two days before Jonas’ 43rd birthday.

The decision reads among others “…declaring Major Harry Baliaga Jr. responsible for the enforced disappearance of Jonas Burgos, and … the Armed Forces of the Philippines and elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, particularly the Philippine Army, accountable for the enforced disappearance of Jonas Burgos.”

The family thanks the Court of Appeals (All Glory to God) for its thorough and comprehensive appreciation of all the facts, testimonies and documents submitted to them in the course of the more than 4 years hearing. We will thank them through prayers.

We pray that the recognition by the court that the abduction of my son Jonas as an enforced disappearance and thus covered by the rule of the Writ of Amparo would result in the proper and concerned authorities to make available to us, all the documents they have on Jonas, make accessible to us all the officers who had anything to do with the abduction, or who had knowledge of the abduction and grant us access to camps and safe houses that could give us leads to the whereabouts of Jonas.

In short I earnestly pray that this decision would lead us to Jonas and to the names of those involved so that justice may (finally) be served. the ultimate measure of success is our recovery of Jonas.

I appeal to Major Harry Baliaga to cooperate with the courts. He is an enlisted person and must uphold the law. He has the opportunity to make things right by saying the whole truth. Here is a singular chance, perhaps from the Lord, to have the courage to reveal the details related to my son’s disappearance. The courage to say the truth is my prayer for all this Lent.

Thanks be to God.

Edita Burgos

Published at Interaksyon.com | ‘The courage to tell the truth is my prayer for all this Lent,’ EDITA BURGOS