Letters from Prison (Part 3): Death Row
(For a background of this post, read my previous entries.)Because I've been so busy with school and work and so much has been going on in my life lately, I haven't had the chance to write about my sisters on death row in the Philippines, Ate V, Ate S, and Ate H, and the letters I received from them. Well, guess what...I received more letters from them today (pinagsama-sama nila ang mga sulat nila sa isang envelope, tapos pinadala ni Ate V). What a nice surprise! I just mailed my letters to them in mid-February, and they responded so quickly. I was so touched. I was even more touched by the message on the flap of the envelope: "I LOVE YOU DIANE FRIEND." Aww...
I'm so humbled by everything. They have so little, and they have so many concerns to worry about, and yet they took time out to write me. They never fail to reach out and express their concern for me in their own special ways. All of them reminded me to take care of myself and to find time to rest despite my busy schedule. They also assured me of their prayers. I got so teary-eyed when I read their letters, and if I didn't have to rush to a work-related function this afternoon, siguro humagulgol na ako noon. As I write this, naiiyak na naman ako.
The letters of Ate V, Ate S, and Ate H reveal a lot about the pain and suffering they confront on a daily basis, but also speak of resilience and hope. Their example attests to three realities: 1) that people can be better; 2) that there are a significant number of wrongful convictions, at the expense of the poor; and 3) that the social structures that perpetuate poverty and injustice are most liable for the situation of prisoners. Ang hahaba ng mga sulat nila, so I'll just share excerpts of their letters.
"There is a magic cure for people in pain when a message from a true friend is expressed through writing."--Ate V
"Nalulungkot lang ako sa mga anak ko. Gusto ko sa isang bahay na ulit kami, sama-sama."--Ate H
"Being prisoners, we easily cry. That's our newly acquired feeling. Dahil noon, Amasona kami pero ngayon maamong tupa na. We have wandered in the wilderness for far too many years and the journey wasn't good, so here we are, being molded to be righteous."--Ate V
"Mag-iingat ka diyan. 'Wag mong pababayaan ang 'yong sarili. Mahirap ang nag-iisa kaya ingatan mo ang iyong kalusugan. Mahirap magkasakit, lalo na at nag-iisa ka lang. Mag-asawa ka na kaya? Hehe. At saka ang puso mo, ingatan mo 'yan. Dahil nandito sa Pinas ang may-ari niyan diba? Hehe, joke! Pero tinood baya (Pero totoo naman talaga)!"--Ate S
"For the nth time, while I am sorry that I have suffered so many losses, I am grateful that all the sorrow, pain, frustration have transformed my life and made me spiritually and emotionally richer each day."--Ate V (on her recent experience of being left by her husband a year or so after her incarceration)
"Alam mo day, may lumabas na balita dito sa Pinas tungkol sa death penalty. Sabi ni Pres. Arroyo baka raw alisin na ang parusang ito o di kaya ay babaan na ang sentensya. Kaya masaya kami ngayon. Ipagdasal mo kami day. Para naman marinig ng nasa taas."--Ate S
"We'll continue praying for our freedom. Naks naman ha, pero totoo talaga na we have Faith in GOD na lagi Siyang nandyan para sa atin."--Ate H
Whenever my friends in CIW confide in me, I actually consider it very sacred. And I'm so blessed because they look out for me. I could go on and on about their plight, but I'll stop here. For now, I treasure their letters and the times we've shared and ponder everything in my heart.
found herself @ 10:45 PM
12 Comments:
pinagpala ka my lady :)
isa kang tunay na kaibigan kaya naman maraming nagmamahal sa iyo at nagdarasal para sa kaligayahan!
God bless You! :)
*musta na nga pala siya? mabait pa rin pala si kupido kahit nasisante na. hehehe (soweee...back to my amats na naman)
God bless you.
pagpalain ka lalo
:)
yaan mo sis gwapa pag nakulong ako susulatan din kita
ehek!! nuba nasabi ko tsk tsk tsk tsk!!!
halo Diane,
nakaka touch naman tong post mo, napaka swerte nila dahil totoo kang kaibigan, pagpalain ka ng Dios.
Ay, teka.. ahem, naintriga ako sa sinabi ni ate S eh, hehe.. na sige ingatan mo talaga puso mo :)
happy weekend Di, mwaaahh
Mommy Neng: Salamat po. Touched naman ako. Di ko akalain na magtatagpo ang mga landas namin ng mga kaibigan ko sa death row pero nagpapasalamat ako na nakilala ko sila at naging kaibigan ko sila. Pinagdadasal ko ang kanilang kaligayahan...at kalayaan.
*Tungkol sa kanya--hehe, siya 'yung tinutukoy ni Ate S sa sulat niya. Nag-e-mail po siya. *KILIG* Nagpapalakas daw si Kupido sa 'yo kahit sinesante mo siya...LOL :) Haha, back to my amats rin. Ingat po! God bless you too!
ladywhitespirit: Salamat, sis. God bless rin. Ingat ka lagi!
Melai: Haha, may amats ka rin. Pag ikaw ang isasalang sa party list, ikaw rin daw ang unang pag-iinitan ni GMA. *Knock on wood.* Sus ginoo nahawa rin ako sa amats mo. Ingat, sis!
Nang Ethel: Hello, sis! Ako ang masuwerte dahil naging instrumento sila ng Diyos para tumino ako at mapalapit sa Kanya. I just hope I can give back and pass on all the love and the blessings I've received.
Hehe, tungkol sa sinabi ni Ate S, 'yung taong tinutukoy niya at 'yung taong kinumusta ni Mommy Neng sa comment niya dito ay iisa. *wink* Ingat! God bless rin! I'll answer your tag soon (sorry for the delay)!
I admire the kind of effort you exert for these women by the gallows. I, for one has not been a supporter of the death penalty. I believe that there's always a chance in every individual, even a speck of kindness, if nortured, can grow. We just need to care.
I had friends(mostly college friends) who died fighting for what they believe for, and I still find it very hard to comprehend why you have to be chased in the jungle like rats and be killed like animals when all you are striving for are your ideals and equality especially to the lesser fortunate Filipinos.
Rey Villegas: Thank you! I agree 100% with what you said. I also believe each individual deserves a chance. As you said, even a speck of kindness, if nurtured, can grow.
Hindi ako nagmamalinis. There was a (brief) period in my life when I actually favored the death penalty--this was during my college years, when I wasn't particularly religious. It wasn't until I started visiting the prisons in the Philippines, particularly CIW, that I saw how biased the justice system is...and how the death penalty undermines the capability of people to change for the better. You're right--we just need to care. It's the lack of care--from society and individuals alike--that has drawn people into illegal activities, anyway.
Thanks for sharing!
Why are these women on death row?
Lisa: The majority of these women were convicted of kidnapping, as well as drug trafficking. A smaller proportion are in there for murder (although certain inmates were battered wives and killed their husbands in self-defense), arson, and robbery/carnapping.
The justice system in the Philippines is flawed in so many respects, at the expense of poor/indigent clients. A significant number of inmates have actually been wrongfully convicted. I know some women who were implicated in the offenses of their husbands/partners other family members, or friends, even if they had nothing to do with these crimes at all. I also know an inmate who was framed up by a powerful politician (involved in the drug trade) just before she was going to serve as a state witness for a drug case. Her sentence has since been commuted to life imprisonment.
Thank you for asking!
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