Christmas is in the heart. The venue does not matter.
This is best exemplified by the officers detained in Camp Capinpin and their families as shown in these pictures taken midnight of Dec. 24 and on Christmas day.
(The 17 officers detained in Camp Capinpin are part of the 28 charged with mutiny for allegedly for planning to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo in February 2006. Court martial trial is going on. It will resume on Jan. 9.)
The greetings on the wall was crafted by Col. Nestor Flordeliza.
Afternoon of Dec. 24, the children of the detained officers went to Joseph Estrada camp, just across Camp Capinpin. They visited the Erap museum and played in the children’s park.
For Noche Buena, Gay Parcon, wife of Medal of valor awardee Lt. Col. Custodio Parcon, cooked pancit molo. She also brought lechon from Iloilo. Others made fruit and buko salad. There were puto and dinuguan. Major Leomar Jose Doctolero prepared hotdog and marshmallow on a stick.
We were allowed to join them for Noche Buena. We stayed at Erap’s camp (there’s a hotel there for guests) for the night and went back to the Custodial Center the next day for baby Clarisse’s christening and their Christmas party.
We are appreciate very much the kindness and understanding of the Camp commander for allowing us to join the detained officers for Christmas.
Photo captions:
A. Christmas
1. I recognize Rico Sababan; Julia Almodovar sporting newly trimmed bangs; Nikko Fernandez in light green shirt; Kaye Fernandez in pink;Jazen Cordero in red shirt; Frances Danielle Sales holding baby Paula Criste; beside her is twin brother Daniel Francis.
2. Capt. Gino Guinolbay with son, Renzo.
3. The kids: Jazen Cordero, Julia Almodovar, Renzo Almodovar, Sean Fontiveros, Renzo Guinolbay,Pallas Fontiveros, Kyle Fontiveros.
Annie Upano, Thelma Mahinay, Maze Cordero. Jopay Sales, Milette Almodovar; Capt. Montano
Almodovar; Capt. Gino Guinolbay
4.Thelma Mahinay and daugter maze; Sales twins, Frances Danielle and Daniel Francis with ; Jopay Sales; Capt. William Upano with wife Annie; Capt. Erick Sales holding Julia Almodovar.
5. Lt. Col. Custodio Parcon with wife Gay and sons, Kiko and Kimo.
6. Left to right, Milette Almodovar in bright ble jacket; Thelma Mahinay, Maze Cordero; me, Jopay Sales; Cletty Sababan and son Rico.
B. Erap camp
1. I’m not sure, I think the two are Doctolero girls with Aihra Criste
2. Sababan boys- Rico, Carlo, Coby with Aihra Criste
3. Sababan boys with Martin, son of Col. Ariel and Marie Flor Querubin
4. Sean Fontiveros fishing
5. Jose Leomar (Bingbong) Doctolero shaking hands with “Erap”
6. There was no plan to swim because the weather was cloudy and cold. But the kids were so precocious,they all jumped into the water. All we, the adults, could do was watch them have fun.
Naks, ang sasaya nating lahat a. Ang mga tawa at ngiti ay tunay. Hala, inggitin natin si Gloria na bayaran ang mga kaibigan…ang lungkot sigurado ng Pasko ni bansot.
Oy mga batibots, merry talaga ang Pasko ninyo ha. I’m so happy just looking at your photos. Thanks, Ellen.
Maganda pala ang Joseph Estrada camp. Mapasyalan nga pag uwi ko ng Pinas.
Hahaha! Nakakatuwa yung bata shaking hands with the wax Erap.
Masaya nga Chi. Early evening of Dec. 24, the children were carolling from cell to cell. Kumita rin sila.
I pray that these children will be able to celebrate Christmas 2009 with their parents outside of the camps/jails.
I hope and pray that Filipinos will have the courage to kick out the creep calling herself “president” soonest possible.
Ellen: thanks for sharing the photos..ang ganda ng Christmas mo..you are so blessed with opportunities to share and show to all of us..the purity of christmas…and bringing joy particularly to the children…hindi ba ang sabi ni Jesus…”let the little children come to me..be like a child..:
..kahit anong yaman at sa kanila na ang Philippines I am quite sure hindi tunay ang kanilang pasko.. peke pa rin.. just wondering is Christ in their hearts?
These children is so blessed with parents who are all patriots. And they are luckier to have a sweet “Tita Ellen” or “Lola Ellen” to spend Christmas with…
Ever wonder why Goyang did not even bother to send a christmas message to the whole nation this year? Is this a sign? Does she know something that we don’t? Like, being thrown out come January perhaps?
“We appreciate very much the kindness and understanding of the Camp commander for allowing us to join the detained officers for Christmas.”
the camp commander is one kind of person whose heart and brain are still at their proper places and maybe he silently curses the cowards who made suffering officers separated from their loved ones this long.
let us hope he shall not be relieved from his post for such a “humane gesture” that cannot be displayed by the dogs and puppets of that woman with a dead bangaw in her ugly face!
mabuhay ka, sir!
I enjoyed viewing the pictures.The childrens smiles and also that of the wives are heartwarming considering the circumstances they are in.
They did not allow Gloria Arroyo to make them feel miserable. That, by itself is victory.
Happy New Year, patriot officers. You wives and children are also heroic. I wish the best for all of you.
What we really want is a “reversal of misfortunes” next year and those behind the barbed wires will be Gluerilla, Esperon, Ermita, Palparan, Chavit, Gonzales, all the generals in her closet. What a moment to cherish if it comes into fruition – will be a great day for photo ops!
tru blue, I’ll make a wax image of the midget. Kagaya nung kay Erap sa itaas. Iniipon ko na itong mga wax ng keso de bola. Pakukuluin ko sa malaking kaldero, saka ko ibubuhos sa kanya. Wala akong paki kung buhay pa siya o hindi.
‘Yan din ang wish ko, Tru blue.
Ang bagsik mo naman, Tongue. Gusto ko makita magtitili si Gloria Arroyo habang binubuhos mo yung wax.
Bago ba buhusan ni Tongue ng kumukulong wax, babalatan ba muna natin ng buhay si Gloria o hindi na?
Tru blue…as you said, “KARMA” mangatakot sila? We all know that someday ang lahat e haharap sa Panginoon upang ipagsulit ang kanyang ginawa dito sa earth.
Kaya di rito natatapos ang laban…maraming kaluluwa ang nananaghoy at humihingi ng hustisya? Pagbabayaran nila ang lahat ng kabuktutan na kanilang ginawa against the Pilipino people.
Mabuhay mga magigiting na Sundalo! Kayo ang makabagong Bayani! Ang araw natin ay darating din, wag kayong maiinip! Nasa likuran ninyo kaming mga nagmamahal sa Bayan!
andres,
tama ka! silang magigiting na sundalo ang mga makabagong bayani at kaming mga OFW naman ang mga GINAGAGONG BAYANI!
pisting yawang gubyirno!
ang numumuno, iro!
‘tong dalawang babaeng ito, saksakan ng lulufet!
bakit naman hahayaan ninyo si tongue na buhusan ng kumukulong waks si gloria at babalatan muna?
grabe kayo! wala kayong mga puso’t kaluluwa. wala kayong awa.
huwag ganyan, paskong pasko, eh. hindi ganyan ang diwa ng pagsiriwang natin sa pagsilang ng mesiyas.
teka, asan ba ‘yung panghampas dineng ginagamit kapag merong kinukulam? ito ‘yung dapat sa sinungaling, eh!
dinidikdik ng bubog ang dila saka bubuhusan ng muriyatik asid para magtanda.
‘nga pala, nakalimutan kong batiin ang mga nasa gobyerno natin, ‘yung mararangal na nagpapakasakit upang mapagsilbihan nang maayos ang bayan. ‘yung mga namamaluktot sa loob ng malakanyang.
maligayang pasko at manigong bagong sa inyo, mga amu.
Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon sainyo mga kasama. Uwaaa!!!!
Macario Sakay,what are you saying, “Like, being thrown out come January perhaps?”
Totoo ba ito?
Hindi na ako makapaghintay.
Oh how I wish, MK. Let’s just keep this dream alive and burning… 🙂
Jan 20, a historic day several times over.
From Patrice:
So nice to see the officers with their families especially Sir Gino and his son. It’s very heartwarming.
Happy New Year!