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From the Philippines
Reflection by one of the Refused, Artimeo D. Jusayan, O. Carm.
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Letter of Protest of Msgr
Ernesto Cruz November 17, 2005 Brig. Gen. Delfin Bangit Dear Gen. Bangit, I write this letter to protest the action of your soldiers in barring the entry of peaceful men and women to attend the Holy Mass at the National Shrine of St. Michael & The Archangels in the afternoon of Tuesday, the 15th of November. I also strongly protest what the PSG and police did to the priests who came to concelebrate the Holy Mass. One priest was turned away at the Solano gate. Four were held at Arlegui gate and again at J.P. Laurelcorner Arlegui. When I went to fetch them, barriers were placed in front of my vehicle and we found ourselves surrounded by soldiers and policemen who made sure we did not stray one step outside the cordon they formed around us. We were five unarmed priests who could not by any stretch of imagination have posed any threat to anyone, let alone the palace. Yet we were treated in such a high-handed manner. I find it particularly disturbing and unacceptable that I, the parish priest of San Miguel Parish was prevented from going to my own church. With due respect to you, General, if your only concern is to ensure peace and avoid any untoward incident, I believe that could be achieved by simply frisking the people at the gates and escorting them to church, is you find that necessary, or positioning your gates around the church, or even asking them, if they wish, to join the people inside the church. Pardon me, but I honestly believe that there is no need to deploy truckloads of soldiers and police to secure the church. All we want is to pray. We have neither the capability nor the inclination to assault the palace. You should have seen the celebration in the church and the procession of the image of Inay Maria of the Magnificat after the Mass. It was a very meaningful celebration by ordinary, peace-loving people. I am sure that the men and women under your command, if they by any chance came close enough, would be able to tell you so. Respectfully yours, Msgr. Ernesto P. Cruz cc: Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, Catholic Bishops
Conference of the Philippines In the Name of National Security? Or Paranoia? November 15, 2005, a mass was scheduled at 3:00pm to be held at the National Shrine of St. Michael and the Archangels church at J.P. Laurel St., cor. Gen. Solano St. San Miguel, Manila, which is located within the campus of Malacanang but distant from Malacanang Palace, to commemorate the 1st year anniversary of the victims of massacre in the picket line at Hacienda Luisita (owned by Cojuangco family) in Tarlac in which it took 7 lives and wounded some. In the morning, I and Fr. Jerry Sabado attended the Citizen’s Congress for Truth and Accountability held at Makati University. There we met few individuals who wanted to join us to attend the scheduled mass. Thus we decided that we would go together since I and Jerry would concelebrate. At around 1:30pm. we left Makati University. We were 12 then in the group; 3 priest (myself, Jerry Sabado, O.Carm. and Fr. Dionito Cabillas, IFI), Sr. Chit Valerio, RVM, Sr. Ena, MMS, with her 2 sisters, and Ruth Cervantes (wife of Congressman Ted Casino) and her 4 companions from Inter-faith Movement for Truth, Justice and Genuine Change, and because we could not be seated in one car, we split into two. The group of Fr. Jerry, four of them (3 Medical Mission Sisters and Fr. Jerry) took a taxicab, and my group with Fr. Dionito, Sr. Chit, RVM and 5 lay took the FX van. Fr. Jerry’s group was ahead of us. Upon reaching the gate (leading to the church) of Malacanang campus at J.P Laurel Street, I saw Fr. Jerry’s group waiting for us, few meters away outside the gate. It was around 2:30pm. As our car was entering the gate, the PSG stopped us and asked where do we go. Sr, Chit Valerio, RVM, who was sitting in front of the FX van, told them that we were going to the church, and so Sr. Chit asked the permission of the PSG. The gate was manned by a number of PSG. They asked us for what purpose. Sr. Chit told them to attend mass. But they replied, “walang misa ngayon (there is no mass now)”. They added; “hindi na pwedeng pumasok ngayon (not allowed this time to come inside)”. We insisted that we have to go to the church. But they said there is an order not to allow anybody. So we asked the driver of our hired FX vehicle to move a little farther to the side so that we could get off. After we had gotten off from the vehicle, 4 or 5 PSG followed us and approached the driver and asked him to get out and show the Driver’s license. They also checked the vehicle, opening all the doors and searched the seats. Upon seeing them, we felt it was pure harassment on our part. To avoid farther problem, we walked away and proceeded to another gate at Arlegui Street, going northward, probably 500 meters away. The group decided to divide ourselves into two and took the jeepney taking the route to the church. But at the gate, one PSG approached us and told us t to get out of the jeepney and to pass through the pedestrian gate. So we decided not go together. I went ahead from the group, but the PSG asked me where am I going. I told them that I have an appointment with Monsignor Ernesto Cruz, the parish priest. They asked me again for what? A bit irritated, I replied: “is it your business to know everything? They said, it is part of their responsibility to search and to know. To let them know my identity, I told them “I am a Carmelite religious and a priest”. To convince them, I showed my Carmelite ID and even told them that if they like they can call my office to confirm my identity. I added that we will have our mass in the church at 3:00pm, and it is now few minutes past. Frs. Jerry and Dionito, and the rest came with the same reason to have mass. However the PSG said same words, “ Walang misa ngayon rito” (there is no mass this time here). I told them we will be the ones to say mass. We introduced again to them that we were priests, the three of us (Fr, Dionito, Fr. Jerry and I). In fact, we showed them our habit and stoles inside our bags, but to no avail. Even Sr, Chit Valerio, RVM, an old sister was blocked. We asked them again what was the reason why they don’t allow us to go inside. They said; order lang po sa itaas (it is an order from above)! We asked them can we talk to your superior? They said, “tinawagan na po! (We called him/her already). “ Hintay lang po kaayo! (just wait). But few minutes after, nothing seemed happening. As exasperation increased with the stupidity of the whole thing, I told the head of the PSG, “I am going to call the parish priest, Msgr, Cruz and tell him that you hold us here at the gate”. So I called up Inday from TFUC to contact Msgr Cruz and tell him that we were held by the PSG at the gate. In no time, I was told that the group has to proceed to the Land Bank in Solano Street, just nearby, and wait there because Msgr. Cruz would fetch us there. Exactly, I saw the car of the TV channel 5-ABC entering the gate, so we made a little sign that something is happening here at the gate. Immediately the reporter and cameraman of Channel 5-ABC and a reporter from the Philippine Daily Inquirer responded and came to us because they saw also Ruth Cervantes who was with us, whom I think they know. They made immediate coverage and interview with the PSG and our group. After few minutes, Fr. Joe Dizon arrived from the church as he was informed that we were held at the gate. Finding no reason to hold us, Fr. Joe asked them (PSG and the Police) to allow us to go inside because the mass is now delayed. But again they blocked our way. They said, sorry hindi pwede kayong pumasok! Utos sa itaas (Sorry you are not allowed to come inside, there is an order from above). And they added, “besides there is no coordination with us”. Fr.Jerry asked them, “kailan pa nagkaroon ng Executive Order na kailangan ng permission galing sa Presidente kung pwedeng magmisa o hindi (when do we have this Executive Order that we need to ask permission from the President to hold a mass)? The PSG who could not explain the “why”, keep repeating, “order sa itaas (order from above)”. Fr. Joe Dizon was outraged by unpropitious action of the PSG, and so he told us, Jerry and myself, “ Isuot ninyo ang inyong abito at estola at sama kayo sa akin sa loob, gusto man nila o hindi (wear your habit and stole and go with me inside either they like it or not)”. Fr. Joe Dizon told them, “wala kayong karapatan pumigil sa amin upang magdiriwang ng misa (you don’t have the right to stop us in holding mass). Hindi ito sakop the trabaho ninyo upang pigilin kami (This is not within the bounds of your jurisdiction to hold us). But they forcefully blocked us. So Fr. Joe Dizon, Jerry, Fr Dionito, I and the group jostled with them so that we could go inside. But immediately some meters away, some policemen blocked our way by putting barrier. Within a few minutes, two FX vans came with the dispersal team. They were all policewomen with complete dispersal paraphernalia. We again appealed to them to allow us to go to the church so that we could finish the mass earlier and could leave the church soon. The church is just more than a hundred meters away. Instead, they keep saying to us, “hintay lang po! (just wait). Then the pick-up car of Msgr. Cruz came. Msgr. Cruz called the attention of the Policemen and the PSG asking them why they hold us. But they told Msgr, Cruz same line, “utos mula sa itaas” (order from above). This time, Msgr. Cruz called us to get into his pick-up car. The group, without delay, got in. But they PSG and Policemen blocked the car with barrier. The parish priest couldn’t believe what they did. He asked them why are they doing it? He told them; “I am the parish priest here” “This is my territory”. “I do not feel respected”.” We do not have plan to cause trouble”. Msgr. Cruz told the media (Channel 5 ABC and The Philippine Daily Inquirer), who were covering the event, “tingnan nyo ang ginawa ng pamahalaan sa amin (see what the government is doing to us)”. “This is completely absurd”. But the PSG and Police replied;” \hindi pwede Fr. na pumasok kayo ( You are not allowed Fr. to go inside)”. There were bystanders around watching. Fr. Joe Dizon interviewed by the media was calling the President to discipline these people and whoever ordered it. Also for the President to resign as she is no longer able to render justice and respect rights of people. Frustrated with what they did, we got off from the pick-up car and negotiated again. The tension by this time was increasing since the group was determined to proceed to the church. Fr. Jerry approached the people at the side and told them to see how cruel these people are, a real manifestation of violations of our rights, and the real situation of our country. This is a concrete violation of the rights of the church people to exercise their faith which the government is trying to curtail. On the side of the PSG and the Policemen, they seemed determined to disperse us by force but only they were prevented because of the presence of media. How can they justify it when the group was too small to be dispersed by force? No possible justification can be made with such a harmless and powerless group. Fr. Joe Dizon and Msgr. Cruz are old enough to cause trouble, neither Frs. Jerry, Dionito and myself who are small with an old sister as well and the women who are not giants. What a shame to do such, though I feel they don’t have shame at all. They are robots garbed in human body, anyway. It was already more than an hour negotiation, and so Msgr. Cruz and Fr. Joe Dizon negotiated with the negotiating Policewoman and the C.O that they can go inside and attend the mass if they like and watch what we would do. This time they agreed. But they told us which way to take. We took the farther road when in fact the church was just few meters away. The PSG and the Police followed us and went inside the church. They stayed there for some minutes but they went outside when we started the mass. The mass was delayed for 1 and a half hours. After, the mass as planned, we had to bring the statue of the ‘Inang Maria” (Mother Mary) of the Magnificat to Hospicio de San Jose, a half kilometer from the church outside Malacanang compus. But again we had to negotiate with the Police C.O. They again didn’t want to proceed with the procession. But Fr. Joe Dizon told them that they don’t have the right to tell us what to do. This is church activity beyond the bounds of their jurisdiction. The group proceeded but we were told not to display the pictures of those killed in the massacre in Hacienda Luisita. But we insisted that it is our right to do so and nobody can dictate us. The group proceeded to Hospicio de San Jose at past 6:00pm but some policemen escorted us till we arrived at the entrance of Hospicio de San Jose. What do we think of this situation? Is this not a sign of paranoia? People who have done evil things are afraid or extremely afraid even of their own shadows. Artemio D. Jusayan, O.Carm. |
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