Accents
Unrealized hopes, uncompromising principles
From the pages in the tome of the heart, dates surface by the memories they bring up or get boldly inscribed thereon by their historic importance. Take August 21, renown for ATOM or the August Twenty-One Movement when Ninoy Aquino was gunned down in the airport tarmac. August 10 and April 12, this year, acquire significance to the friends and loved ones of Maria Luisa Posa "Luing" Dominado. August 10 is her 52nd birthday while April 12 was a black day, the date of her abduction together with companion Nilo Arado and wounding of Leeboy Garachico in Brgy. Cabanbanan in my own hometown, Oton.
April 13, I was in South Carolina and I had the vaguest idea of the abduction from my friend Dr. Delia Aguilar in Connecticut. My first reaction was to e-mail Maria Luisa Posa Dominado and journalist Diosa Labiste to inquire for details. God almighty, how was I to know that the person involved was Maria Luisa herself? I have Luing's e-mail address because she sent me comments on my article on Aliwasa: concert by the river, and I thought it would be so easy to ask her for news.
The Internet gave it all on the Philippine Daily Inquirer website through a report from its correspondent Nestor Burgos. Two weeks later, Diosa e-mailed me some updates that, although there have been no sightings so far, they have not lost hope that Luing and Nilo are still alive. And so at this very moment, at the last click on the keyboard, I still hope and pray they're alive, as Luing's daughters May Wan and Tamara must be hoping and praying, and so with Nilo's wife Rosemarie and son DM. Yes, hoping and praying because...miracles do happen. Cliché? Oh, well, there are times when we simply refuse to be realistic. We cling to the one chance in a thousand, or the one in a million. Hope against hope. Ah, hopelessness... Do they--Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her ilk--understand the meaning of that word? Can they fathom the pain of May Wan and Tamara, Rosemarie and DM, and Edith Burgos? I wonder.
As have been widely publicized already, Luing and Nilo are now among the desaparecidos, the enforced disappearances, under the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Luing is the spokesperson of SELDA (Society of Ex-Detainees for Liberation, Against Detention, and for Amnesty). Nilo is a member of the National Council of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas. Their companion, Jose Ely Garachico, is the Public Information Officer of KARAPATAN-Panay and the Coordinator of the Iloilo Legal Assistance Center (ILAC). KARAPATAN is the alliance of human rights organizations in the country.
Whether she is detained in a camp of "armed men" or a floating spirit somewhere, Luing must be celebrating her birthday as we do celebrate it here in her make-believe presence. I could picture her clearly in my mind's eye--long hair in pony tail, a face of natural beauty uncluttered by make-up, a soft, unhurried voice. However, behind the Maria Clara bearing is true grit--strength of conviction, courage, will power. Hers is a face that stands out in the demo crowd--fists clenched as she sang Bayan Ko in an outpouring of love for country and people. I will surely miss that face in the demos that my husband Rudy and I will be attending.
Listening to her elucidate a problem is to be convinced of her sincerity and determination to stand up for the poor and the powerless. Last I heard her speak was when she delivered a eulogy for human rights lawyer Oleg Santisteban where she affirmed her commitment to "continue the tasks left undone." She was particularly analytical dissecting the plight of the masses, this woman who graduated cum laude in a bachelor's degree in education.
The e-mail I mentioned above (I hope not the last I would be getting from Luing wherever she is now) were comments as to how much she liked my column on Aliwasa (Restless) especially the portions quoted hereunder:
"Call them activists, radicals, revolutionaries, they are all restless, uneasy, impatient over the happenings obtaining in the country: human rights abuses, graft and corruption, betrayal of public trust, electoral fraud and cover-up, etc., etc., ad nauseam... [I]dealists count in the [concert's] audience... in many there beats a humane and compassionate heart that will wrestle and stand firm against the onslaught of human rights violations and the iniquity of an exploitative, oppressive society. Hearts steadfast to fight what seems to be an unbeatable foe, resolute to right what seems to be an unrightable wrong in order to reach the seemingly unreachable stars, to paraphrase the song." How aptly I have described Luing herself.
Unrealized hopes, uncompromising principles of Luing and Nilo. But mark ye, legions are intensely pursuing, with uncompromising principles, to realize their hopes.
(Comments to lagoc@hargray.com)