DESAPARECIDO* ROMANO

Padre Rudy Romano:

Kaligdong ug Pagmaya sa Pag-alagad sa Kabus ug Timawa

Asa ang hustisya sa iyang pagkawala?

R

Redemptorista nga alagad sa Diyos ug katawhan sa Diyos alang sa kabag-ohan ug kagawasan, di magmakuli sa pagtabang sa mga nanginahanglan, bisan kinabuhi andam itugyan
Representante sa mga relihiyoso nga nagdamgo ug nakigbisog sa kabag-ohan ug kagawasan, sa panahon nga daghan ang gidaug-daog ug gilupigan hilabi na sa panahon sa martial law
Respetado ug tinamod usab sa mga propesyonal nga siya mismo nagdasig nga iisa ang kaamgohan apil ang katakos sa pagtuon sa mga sinyales sa panahon ug panginahanglan sa organisayon
Relihiyoso, mga doktor ug nars, magtutudlo, negosyante, abogado, agboyon nga politiko ug uban pang propesyonal iyang napaamgo – saksi ako nga adtong panahona nakighugoy-hugoy sa mga magtutudlo mahinumdom gyud ko ni Sophie nga maoy unang gamut sa akong pagpadayon sa pagka edukador nga walay utlanan.

U

Usa siya sa giilang lider kuyog ni Inday Nita sa Coalition Against People’s Persecution ang alyansa nga giapilan sa Professionals Forum
Ug seryoso siya sa pagpangandam sa kada tigom, panigurado nga adunay adyenda nga subayon, makugihon nga mokontak sa mga higala ug network nga mapasalmot sa lain-laing kalihokan, (lakip na ang mga madre nga Waray sama ni padre sa akong alma
mater)
Unya, kahibaho siya mopagaan sa higantehon nga tahas kay bansay siya sa pagsiguro nga naapod-apod ang gimbuhaton
Una siyang mopakita sa iyang naabot, aron pagdasig sa tanan hingtungdan nga mohimo sa natakdang trabahuon.

D

Dasigon niya ang tanan sa pagsulong sa nasabotan nga mora’g misyon
Dili siya putong moresolba sa mga kakulian, dili masuk-anon sa kauban sa trabaho, hinoon modayon siya paglaylay pagpawala sa tensyon
Daghan siya og pans ug kay ambongan siya nga tawo, lakip ang mga personal nga hisgutanan iyang gipakigbisogan, apan naglabaw ang kaligdong sa napiling propesyon ug iyang papel sa organisayonal nga ting-usbawan
Desidido siya nga mopaambit sa mga awit nga lunsay Bisaya iyang nahibaloan, ug mopatigbabaw sa akong panumdoman ang “Sinina Kong Gisi” hilabi na sa dihang iyang gitahi-an og sinina ang batang babaye nga naila sa ngalang Mariela, ang nag-
inusarang surbaybor sa 1981 Las Navas masaker nga gipaila sa usa ka people’s forum sa Sugbu.

Y

Yano nga tawo ang iyang pamatasan, tatay ang tawag sa iyaha sa kadaghanan, apan adunay pipila nga nasayod nga Ayi ang iyang gusto nga anggaYaw-anon ang panghitabo sa Hulyo 11, 1985 sa sayong hapon kay gi-pik-ap si Padre Rudy ug nahimong missing, di matukib ang kabalaka sa tanang naghulat kaniya sa nagkalain-laing serbisyo adtong adlawa

Yamat ra, nakaingon ako, nganong wala kabisita si Padre sa Perpetual Succor hospital nga skedyul man niya inig alas tres sa hapon sa Huwebes? Apan akong bana nasayod na diay sa panghitabo, gipahibalo siya sa among amigo si Sunny ug wala lang nagsaba kay naglikay nga mabughat ko kay gikan ko nanganak sa udto nianang adlawa

Yuna ra, walay aso nga makumkom ug napadayag ra gihapon sa ako ang panghitabo ug tuod man nakahilak ako apan kadali lang, nipatigbabaw ang nakat-onan gikan kang Padre Rudy nga padayonon ang pagkab-ot sa kausaban ug tingusbawan sa kabus nga
katawhan.

Isip pagpasidungog ug paghandum kanunay kang Padre Rudy “Ayi” Romano, ako ug akong bana ni-angga sa among unang anak nga Aya.

Weng Ranoco
Educator without borders

DESAPARECIDO* ROMANO

Fr. Rudy Romano:

Fidelity and Joy in Serving the Poor and Oppressed

Where is justice on his involuntary disappearance?

R

Redemptorist priest who vowed to serve God and the people of God for freedom, never hesitant to help the needy, even his life he is willing to offer
Representative of the religious men and women who embraced the dream and struggle for change and freedom when many are oppressed and exploited, more so when martial law was in place
Respected and highly esteemed by other professionals who he himself encouraged to raise their awareness and capabilities to read the signs of the times and the need to organize
Religious people, doctors & nurses, teachers, businessmen, lawyers, friendly politicians and other professionals, he made them aware – I am a witness as I was working with teachers and I still remember Sophie who gave the first roots of my pursuit to become an educator beyond borders.

U

Undoubtedly a known leader along with Inday Nita of Coalition Against People’s Persecution the alliance participated by Professionals Forum
Usually serious with preparations for every meeting, making sure there is an agenda to follow, diligent in making contacts with friends and network to enjoin their participation in the various activities, (including the Waray nuns like him from my alma mater)
Undaunted by the huge task on hand, he knew how to keep the job light by making sure that the responsibilities are delegated well
Updating everyone with what he has accomplished was his way to encourage everyone to do their piece of assignment

D

Delightfully he would encourage everyone to pursue the agreed task like a mission
Dealing with internal conflicts was always well thought, never quick-tempered nor ill-mannered towards his coleagues, instead he would hum his way around to diffuse tension
Definitely he had a lot of fans and because he was a handsome human being, he had to deal and struggle with personal issues and concerns, but his chosen profession and his role in organizational development always prevailed
Decidedly, he was always interested to share songs he knew in the Visayan dialect, but most memorable was the song Sinina Kong Gisi (My Torn Dress) more so when he sew one for a little girl we came to know as Mariela, the lone survivor of The
1981 Las Navas massacre who was presented at a people’s forum in Cebu.

Y

Yearning to be a simple man and his demeanor clearly showed, he was called tatay (father) by many but a few of us knew him by his nickname of choice “Ayi”
You would shudder on the evil nature of the event on July 11, 1985 early afternoon when he was picked up and involuntarily disappeared or missing, much to the worry and anxiety beyond measure of his friends who were waiting to be served of his
various tasks and functions on that day

Yikes, I asked myself why did Fr. Rudy miss to visit me at the Perpetual Succor hospital as he made his regular rounds every Thursday at 3:00 PM? All along my husband knew of what happened as he was informed by our friend Sunny but did not inform me to prevent any physical relapse as I just delivered a baby at noon that day.
Yesiree, smoke cannot be clenched so I knew of what happened soon enough and I cried hard for a while, but held on to a stronger resolve I learned from Fr. Rudy himself to pursue the change and development so needed by the poor. And to honor
and remember Fr. Rudy “Ayi” Romano always, my husband and I decided to give a fitting nickname to our fist born - Aya.

Note: Waray is the term given to those who come from the province of Samar and part of Leyte who spoke this particular dialect like Fr. Rudy. Another person who went missing that day was Levy Ybanez.

*Desaparecido - A Spanish word for 'disappeared' due to kidnapping and murder by government authorities

Ref: Binisaya.com for needed translation

From: http://www.afad-online.org/voice/dec_05/newsfeature_rudyromano.htm

(Weng Ranoco is a High School teacher in Maryland. She is a teacher without borders. Weng provides tutorials in CHEMISTRY, BIOLOGY, and ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. She is a top notch teacher who can motivate and inspire students to learn and excel in the field of Science. She could be reached atweng.ranoco@gmail.com)

Hello Again, Martial Law?

By Marivir R. Montebon

A free press is the cornerstone of democracy and the first tell-tale sign of a dictatorial rule is when it is shut off. With the recent passage of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (Rep. Act 10175) which effectively impedes freedom of speech, the Philippines is way back to the days of Martial rule.

It is unfathomable why cannot Filipino leaders take a vocal, mature people who now have power to speak up on issues that matter to them with the click of their laptops and computers.

With this law, the Philippines is taking several unnecessary steps backward to the dark days when it has enjoyed the benefits of information technology. Shamefully, it is one of a few remaining countries where defamation remained a crime punishable by prison. Civil rights lawyer Harry Roque told the press, “it goes against the trend in many advanced democracies such as the United States and Britain where defamation is now punished with fines rather than imprisonment.”

The 120-day temporary restraining order issued by the Philippine Supreme Court last Tuesday is an initial victory, but everyone must continue to safe guard the God-given fundamental right to free speech.

Signed into law by Pres. Benigno Aquino III on September 12, 2012, this legislation increases punishment for criminal libel and gives authorities unchecked powers to shut down websites and monitor online information.

The Philippine Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of Science and Technology are temporarily barred from implementing the entire law until the Supreme Court shall have deliberated the issues and consolidated 15 petitions that have been filed to revoke it. Otherwise, the Cybercrime Prevention Act will take full effect on February 6, 2013.

Washington,DC-based human rights lawyer Arnedo Valera also said in a press statement: “We have reached the time when people are able to communicate and exchange views on personal and social issues that affect them, and are enjoyable as much as it is socially empowering. The healthy exchange of information and opinions are tenets of development and democracy. This new law once again reminds us of the intolerant and greediness of those in political positions."

Let us not let the evil act of greediness and control creep again.

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Martial Law Babe

By Marivir R. Montebon

I had sketchy memories of Martial Law in the Philippines. When Pres. Marcos declared it on September 21, 1972 to usher in a dictatorship that lasted for 20 years, I was in kindergarten, one of those referred to as Martial Law Babe. I faintly remembered there was chaos on the streets that day. I saw people marching and shouting and all my aunts and uncles who were in college and living with us at that time were home early, with curfew set at 6 o'clock in the evening.

They simply told me that the police will put people in jail if they were not home by 6 pm that day. That made me anxious, waiting for my parents to be home before 6 or they would be in jail! I cried during Martial Law for that.

In no time, my parents were home from the college where they work as teachers and we had dinner together. I wasn't afraid anymore. End of memory for Martial Law.

Living in a shielded childhood, I never saw what political repression was, until I entered university and became a journalist. I realized that all hasn't been well in my country and life wasn't entirely a bed of roses. I began to write about it. The rest is history.

Freedom is precious and it has to be protected. No one has the right to control anybody, even if it had a well-meaning intention. Nothing could be worse, of course, if and when that control was meant for selfish ends.

There was no doubt about the greed for power that motivated Pres. Marcos to declare Martial Law. Strengthening him was the might of the military and the bunch of power sharers who had both economic and political stakes.

The repression seemed only controllable in many years. Then burst. Nothing lasts forever.

But the remnants of Martial Law became more chaotic and complex. It wisened up almost all power brokers, and the people were much more deep into fear and poverty. The immediate aftermath of Martial Law was worse.

To this date, there is still political repression in my country, in a much different degree, and poverty continues to dwell in majority of families. The fundamental problems on economic poverty and lack of appropriate education and ethics for development are still there. The continued diaspora of Filipinos to other lands is an outright proof of these long-standing problems.

I believe it doesn't only take a clear visionary leadership to put forward a development agenda for the Philippines, it also takes a mature people to demand for it and work on it.

The Philippines' rebirthing process is painfully slow. But I believe that as I write, many share my thoughts that genuine development is from the bottom up.

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