Makati Mayor Jojo Binay joined last Friday’s march for Jayjay Burgos, who was abducted more than a week ago.
We noticed that during the hike from Pioneer st. in Mandaluyong to the Edsa Shrine in Quezon City, Binay was constantly on the phone. Little did we know that a few hours later, we would be called to rally for him as the devious tentacles of Gloria and Mike Arroyo tried again to grab power in Makati.
Binay was at the march for Jayjay as a member of the Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity and Nationalism, Inc. (MABINI), a lawyers group that gave free legal assistance for victims of Marcos’ dictatorship. Other Mabini members at the march that we recognized were former Sen. Rene Saguisag, former Environment Secretary Fulgencio Factoran, and Ed Araullo.
Friends of the Burgos family were there to give Edith, Joe Burgos widow, and her children moral support. Joe’s colleague, former Press Secretary Rod Reyes, was there. Rep. Satur Ocampo and wife Bobbie were there. So were Rep. Teddy Casiño and Renato Reyes of Bayan Muna.
Others who were there were Caloocan City Bishop Deogracias Yniquez, street activists RC Constantino and Herman Laurel, media guru Vergel Santos and wife Chit.
It was a reunion for former Malaya reporters who are now all over the media industry. Butch and Chuchay Fernandez, now with Business Mirror; Recah Trinidad now with the Philippine Daily Inquirer; Jimmy Perez and Joel Paredes, who are now with non-government organizations.
We all deplored the situation that we’re back in the streets a little over twenty years after we had regained our freedom. “I thought we were through with this,” was everybody’s lament.
With Jayjay now joining the list of desaparecidos (those who have disappeared), Saguisag said, MABINI has to serve two generations of human rights victims. “The work is never done,” he said.
Saguisag recalled the day in December 1982, when We Forum was raided by the military and Joe Burgos, his father, Jose Sr., the paper’s staff members and columnists (Dean Armando Malay, former Sen. Soc Rodrigo, among others) were arrested.
Saguisag remembered that Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales, then a columnist of We Forum, avoided arrest by checking into a hospital.
It was the much-feared Col. Rolly Abadilla who led the raiding team. Rene said for all the many things that we have said about Marcos, he had at least tried to give legal semblance to his dictatorship. “Joe had ‘merely’ been arrested,” Saguisag said. . Not “disappeared” as in the case of his son Jayjay under Gloria Arroyo’s devious administration.
Saguisag was all admiration for Edith Burgos. He recalled how Edith stood her ground against Abadilla. “Joker (Arroyo) and I, along with others, thought it was the end for us when Rolly exploded and punched the wall in anger because she would not sign a document, on our advice. She proved to be a tough cookie at a difficult time. She still is.”
Fast forward to 25 years later. Saguisag quoted his uncle, former Senate President Jovito Salonga, labeling Gloria Arroyo and AFP chief Hermogenes Esperon as “today’s Marcos and Ver.”
In her remarks at the EDSA shrine, Edith expressed sadness that nobody tried to help her son when he was being abducted in broad daylight in a shopping mall. Jayjay, witnesses said, was shouting for help. “Had one courageous soul bothered to ask the abductors, maybe we would not be here,” she said.
Saguisag spoke of the “the numbness we all seem to feel.” He said we can’t be just be mere onlookers. He recited the stirring words attributed to a German pastor, Martin Niemoller, during Hitler’s time: “First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”
Nobody is safe under repressive Arroyo regime. Political dissenters are vanishing without a trace and the toll is rising. The discredited Arroyo regime “unofficially” declared war against the Filipino people who opposes government abuses, repressive policies, fraud and plunder. The common tao can no longer rely on government authorities mandated to protect, serve and save lives and properties. It appears that the police and the military establishment are leaning towards to protect bogus President Gloria Arroyo’s personal interest and political survival.
A one centavo question: To protect and serve – Who?
Bayan ko enoug is enough! Himagsikan Na!
“Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.””
How true is the statement above. Jayjay isn’t the first victim nor the last! It will happen to anyone, anytime , one by one, if we remain DEAF and BLIND to the kind of leadership we have in our country.
When are you going to wake up and fight, Pilipinos? When are you going to stand up and fight for your right? GO and unite!
Ellen,
I thought it might be worth reporting to you and to our friends here that French president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy made a speech before a huge crowd of supporters on Place de la Concorde in Paris saying that as president of France, he will fight for the oppressed in the world, that France will be the champions of women AND CHILDREN who are oppressed anywhere in the world, children who are forced into slave labor, children who are persecuted…
A man of action, the 52-year old Sarkozy is a man of action and I won’t be surprised that he might include the Philippines among his target once he officially takes over the French presidency sechduled on May 16th for human rights abuses against children.
Gloria’s government of the corrupt must take note… As a card-bearing member of the UMP party, I will try to do my best to take the plight of the imprisoned Filipino children as well as the salvaging of children in Davao to the attention of French.
Ellen: In her remarks at the EDSA shrine, Edith expressed sadness that nobody tried to help her son when he was being abducted in broad daylight in a shopping mall. Jayjay, witnesses said, was shouting for help. “Had one courageous soul bothered to ask the abductors, maybe we would not be here,” she said.
*****
Just one would not be enough. The guards at the mall should have stopped those armed men. But why were they not called? No doubt the bystanders must have watched it in horror especially when brandished with armalites from the military arsenal!
I bet you that someone at the National Archives is being told to produce some bogey document to prove that Binay is not Filipino! Naloloko ba sila e pinoy na pinoy ang apelyido niya!
So this SiRaulo was a columnist of the We Forum? Baka katulad naman iyan ni Ducky Paredes at Jose Sison, and others who write for the money!
Dati na palang ungas ang taong iyan. Bagay nga siya sa grupo ng mga ungas na Pidal! Kakahiya!
Anna,
I wonder when they’re going to change Blair in UK. This idiot should be impeached likewise for making fools of his people.
BTW, I have signed a petition to have Bush impeached.
What happened with Jayjay at the mall in broad daylight proved that the peace and order is at its worst. I am sure that the perpetrators are police or military. How were they able to get inside the mall with their guns where people were being inspected at the entrance? They introduced themselves as police that is why the guards allowed them and probably showed their badges. THE PEOPLE ARE NOW BEING HOSTAGED BY THESE ARMED GOONS OF GLORIA’s BOGUS GOVERNMENT.
Filipinos should follow the examples of the French. Marunong mag-concede ang mga talo, and to give in to the will of the people. More, I like these officials who insist on talking to their fellow French in French. Hindi katulad ni Pandak na ang pangit-pangit ng ingles, pa-ingles-ingles pa rin. Hindi pa tagalugin! Ungas!
I really can’t understand the mentality of people who gauge intelligence by one’s ability to speak the native tongue of England. What a crap really!
Frankly speaking, I am not really very fond of the French even when one of my ancestors came from Normandy, France. The connection is in fact remote compared to my British roots. Still, I admire the French when they pretend for instance not to speak English even if they can just to force their fellow French and foreigners to try to love their own native tongue, one of the so-called “romantic languages.”
I had that experience in fact during a visit to Paris. I was forced to use my little French when asking for directions especially. At least, it saved me from getting pestered by those thieves thriving in markets and the Metro.
Yuko,
Re Blair: He’s being eased out. He’s just waiting for the G8 summit and the European Council meeting in Brussels; Gordon Brown, the other pillock is supposed to take over.
Re: “I had that experience in fact during a visit to Paris.” Absolutely not anymore. Things have changed enormously in that front these last 15 years but greatly enhanced all the more these last 10 years.
You will find that virtually everybody speaks English or at least try to speak English without any resentment. In restaurants, my husband is annoyed because when they hear his thick English accent, waiters start speaking English to him when all he wants is to speak French. It’s now the complete opposite.
In most business meetings in big companies in France, English becomes the language the moment a non-French speaker participates. Reports are thereafter drawn in both languages: French and English.
I am a French citizen and proud to be French.
But must say, I am proud to be a Filipino citizn too.
Extrajudicial execution and salvaging has been used to silence political opponents was the tactics of military during Marcos time. Many have fallen victims of these pattern of human rights violation, as well as women being raped in a military stockades and not documented by a sadist soldiers in the military. Whereabouts of hundreds people that were kidnaped remains unknown.
These pattern of abuse is being copycat by Arroyo and Esperon. But, are we Filipinos do nothing and watch? We proved ourselves unable to react adequately. We showed ourselves to be weak. And the weak get beaten. Our silence make them; Gloria and Esperon think they can frighten us with cruelty, paralyse our will and sow disintegration in our civil society. Wake-up! Juan Dela Cruz.Our people is under attack and we need to stand up and prove to them that we Filipinos are hard knocks, a weak willing to become strong! Fight!Fight! Until they won’t push us no more!
Naiinip ako! Where is Jayjay? Bakit ang tagal na ay hindi pa siya inililitaw ng mga usual suspects? Ano ang ginagawa ni Glue after her order kuno sa kanyang militar na hanapin si Jayjay? Ano ang latest from CHR, totoo ba ang tanggapang ito sa misyon nito, o nandiyan lang para cover up ni Glue?
Buhay ni Glueria ang dapat mawala sa mundong ito, hindi ang mga tulad ni Jayjay!
Salonga, labeled Gloria Arroyo and AFP chief Hermogenes Esperon as “today’s Marcos and Ver.”
NO, masahol ng libong beses si Gloria at Esperon kay Marcos at Ver! Si Saguisag na rin ang nagsabi, “Joe had ‘merely’ been arrested,” . . Not “disappeared” as in the case of his son Jayjay under Gloria Arroyo’s devious administration.
The father survived the Marcos years, the son’s fate is still in question under the evil regime of the poser president!
ILABAS SI JAYJAY BURGOS!
Who’s next? There should be no one, anymore. Unfortunately, those who are brave enough to defy Aling Gloria are too far (brave enough because they’re far enough?)to cause her and her subalterns any cause to fear; those who are close enough to make any difference are afraid enough to keep their silence (afraid enough because they are too close?).
I understand the fear of those who are close enough as much as I understand the courage of those who are far enough. Aling Gloria’s downfall will be because of her failure to understand that even those who are so afraid are now in the brink of finding enough courage to send her down to the deepest of depths.
Nothing lasts forever, even powers one possess- stolen or otherwise.
enough is enough!
nakakapagod na rin ang araw araw, maya’t maya ay pag-alimura ang ginagawa natin kay gloria. hindi ko rin alam kung binubulag lamang tayo ng sobrang galit sa kanya at hindi na natin nakikita ang isang bahagi ng kanyang layunin para sa ating bansa. marahil ay nagiging bingi na tayo sa sobrang ingay ng pagtuligsa sa kanyang pamamahala at maging ang bagsak ng karayom sa bunton ng bulak ay animo dagundong sa ating utak.
bakit hindi natin subukang bigyan siya ng pagkakataon upang patunayan ang kanyang katapatan at kakayahang igiya sa kaunlaran ang ating bayan? bakit hindi natin pakinggan ang kanyang panawagan na magkaisa tayo at magkapit bisig upang namnamin ang tamis na dulot ng pagganda na ekonomiya sa ilalim ng kanyang mapunyaging pamumuno? bakit hindi natin ikasiya ang katiwasayan sa ating paligid at ikalugod ang pangangalaga sa katahimikan ng ating pambansang kapulisan at hukbong sandatahan upang tayo ay mahimbing na makapahingalay sa ating mga tahanan?
bakit? bakit? bakit? bakit nga?
pak! (sampal) pak! (batok) pak! (kutos) pak! (tadyak)
ano ba kayo? nangangarap na nga lamang ang tao, binubulabog pa ninyo!
meron bang magandang dahilan, aber?
“Salonga, labeled Gloria Arroyo and AFP chief Hermogenes Esperon as “today’s Marcos and Ver.””
paghuhugas ng kamay ng isang nagkanulo sa kapakanan ng sambayanan. subalit, mahuhugasan ba at lilinis ang narumihang kamay ng tubig na galing sa IMBURNAL?
We are all next in line! No legal or parliamentary means to beat a dictator. Let’s go back to streets…NOW!
Magno:
Isang malapit kay Dadong mismo ang nagsabing walang pag-asang makakita ka ng maganda kay Pandak na ubod ng yabang. Naglulupasay daw iyan kahit ngayon kapag hindi nasunod! Kesa nga naman mahalatang may tupak pala sa ulo, kaya sinusunod na lang ng mga nakapaligid sa kaniya ang bawat utos niya. Anyway, malaki naman ang kapalit ng pagkamasunurin nila.
In other words, walang pag-asang magbago pa ang salbahe at haliparot na iyan!
Anna,
The last time I was in Paris was in 1984, bago pa ang EDSA 1! You bet, it must be different now.
Mrivera,
Gising hoy, binabangungot ka! bwaaaahhaaah!
hah. hah. hah. hah. kah. kah. tubeg. tubeg. ako’y nauuhaw.
samang panaginep!!
…Alam niyo…nakakatakot na, sa sobrang tagal na pagkawala ni Jay-Jay Burgos…sorry to tell..Baka hindi na kayang ilabas nang mga dumukot sa kanya . Hope I’m wrong, I’ll just pray for him…
Kailangan na nga malaman natin kung ano ang nangyari kay JayJay. Naku! Glueria ka hanapin mo na ang nangdukot sa kanya at baka ang ulo mo ay pugutin pa. Sino kaya ang nagutos? Hindi mo alam?
Ako pinapasa-Diyos ko na lang si JayJay. Iyon ngang dalawang UP students hindi na nakita. Narinig ninyo ba ang hinaing ng mga magulang nila. Nakakaiyak! Iyong isa nga buntis pa.
Kung sinuman ang pumatay sa mga students na iyon ay doble-doble at walang kapatawaran sa Diyos lalo na iyong berdugong pumatay doon sa buntis. Remember, shedding innocent blood is an unforgivable sin. It is called “Sin against the Holy Ghost!”
Kaya iyong mag-asawang Pidal, walang dudang sunog ang mga kaluluwa niyan sa impiyerno!
In other words, malungkot man aminin o hindi, Rose, Bob, baka pinatay na nga nila si JayJay.
Hoy, mga hinayupaks na satanas at kampon ni satanasia, ilabas ninyo si Jayjay!
Ang tagal na, ni wala tayong balita kung ano ang ginagawa ng Quisumbing sa human rights dept. Wala talagang maaasahan sa mga ito! Naku, I remember na hindi nga pala pwedeng sumalungat si Quisumbing dahil ang kanyang asawang si Leo ay may ambisyong maging chief injustice of the supreme court ni Tianak!
Huwag naman sanang maging isang mukha na naman ng hindi maipaliwanag na pagkawala ang batang Burgos!
Gising Pinoy!
Vehicle in Burgos snatching
traced to soldiers, DENR men
***
“A security guard at the mall entrance said he tried to stop the suspects but was told, “Pare, pulis,” prompting him to back off.”
http://www.malaya.com.ph/may08/news6.htm
***
Bilisan ninyo ang paglilitaw kay Jayjay, bistado na kayo! Anong hindi alam ni Tianak, kanino pa manggagaling ang utos kundi sa peke sa taas! Kung hindi man at talagang hindi niya kontrolado ang kanyang militar at kapulisan!
Ang dapat asikasuhin talaga kapag nakaupo si Trillanes at Koko ay iyong Land Reform ng Pilipinas. Tanggalan ng mga lupain ang mga swapang, and create an agricultural cooperative para masubaybayan ang mga nabigyan ng lupa. Dapat ding bigyan ng education ang lahat para hindi nagugulangan. Gumaya sila sa Japan circa 1945-49!
What is clear in this abduction was Jayjay tried to tell his kidnappers that he was just an activist, “Aktibista lang ako!” per witness accounts. This means he was telling them he was being mistaken for something “worse” than “aktibista” which of course is an NPA regular.
That alone makes it clear that the abductors were state agents!
ystakei: May kutob din ako na salvage na si Jayjay. May pinsan ako na isang activista noong panahon ni Marcos, na student sa UP at the time. Hanggang ngayon hindi alam ng pamilya kung ano nangyari sa kanya. At the recent wake of his older brother and while looking at the family pictures I asked whatever happened to him. Ang sagot ng sister in law “Manang, pinatay daw siya ng NPA.”
I don’t believe that NPAs are a real threat to this fake government. They are just finding an scapegoat so Assperon can stay in power with gusto. And Glue, she needs to give full life to the NPAs so she can continue covering up her useless and inept leadership. E wala nang malakas na pwersa ang NPA, kaya kahit mga aktibista lang ay kanilang kinukuha at pinapatay!
Arroyo is a monster, akalain ba naman ng mga naglagay sa kanya sa trono na ang kanilang choice na ipalit kay Erap ay siyang muling magsasadlak sa dusa sa bansa, mas masahol pa sa orig!
Rose: Ang sagot ng sister in law “Manang, pinatay daw siya ng NPA.”
*****
Yup, Rose, I have heard of this long time ago. Si Ocampo mismo sinabi niyang kunti lang ang biktima ng military noong panahon ni Marcos. Sila-sila nagpatayan apparently sa group nila. Sabi ko nga sa iyo, utak talangka pa rin lalo na kapag nagkaroon na sila ng pera. Wala nang Communism! Ibang-iba doon sa Japanese communists na na-meet ko.
I think iyan ang kulang sa mga pilipino sa totoo lang—commitment!!! Pirming personal lang.
I hope…na kaya di mailabas si Jay-Jay ay pinagagaling nila ang mga SUGAT at PASA..ok lang if that’s the case, matatanggap pa natin iyon…pero kung mas malala ang ginawa nila….huag naman po sana…..HOY ASSPERON, HUWAG KANG MAG TANGA-TANGAHAN…ILABOS NIYO SI JAY-JAY…!!!
Baka si JayJay ang maging mitsa ng armed revolution na gustong mangyari ni Pandak?