FOOTNOTES ON HISTORY: Pastor Samuel Antonio, Baptist Convention Pastor in Negros, Joins the National Democratic Liberation Movement...

FOOTNOTES ON HISTORY

Pastor Samuel Antonio, Baptist Convention Pastor in Negros, Joins the National Democratic Liberation Movement

By Rudy Bernal

Pastor Samuel Antonio of Baras Diutay, Kabankalan, Negros Occidental is Baptist Convention pastor who joined the New People’s Army. He decided to go to the hills, after his house was raided several times, during the darkest years of President Marcos martial law regime.

He was a committed and courageous Baptist young minister. He led the youth of his time to fight and build a just and fair life under a political l system that was unjust and controlled by the rich and powerful. He showed his determination to contribute in the struggle a demcratice society thru the people’s revolution.

Early in life, he felt God was calling him to the ministry. The call was persistent. He enrolled at the Convention Baptist Bible College (CBBC) one of the Bible Schools, under the Convention of Philippine Baptist Chuexhwa, He finished his studies in 1971.

He was called by La Granja Baptist Church in La Carlota City to serve as their Pastor. There he worked as pastor and evangelist. Pastor Sam Antonio has a gift as an evangelistic preacher. He often held evangelistic meetings in the churches and do Bible Studies with evangelistic under tones in the sitios. He worked in the church for several years, During dry seasons he held evangelistic meetings. He worked there for several years.

Then he was called Puti-an Baptist Church in Cuartero, Capiz where he pastored the church, whos members were mostly farmers and farm workers in the mountains. He ministered at Puti-an for several years. But the desire for further studies continued to pester his mind. He want sto succeed in the ministry and serve the needs of his members.

His desire of further education, pushed him to study as a working student at Filamer Christian College, a Baptist College in Roxas City, Capiz. He took Liberal Arts and finished two years. But he decided to quit due to the very difficult financial situation as a working student and pastor of Puti-an Baptist Church at the same time.

During this time, in Capiz, martial law made life very misserable for many Filipinos in the countryside. After another year in Puti-an Baptist Church, he went back to his home town in Upper South Negros. There he worked coordinating minister for some 20 small local Baptist congregations in 4 munipalities in Upper South Negros.

It was while working in this small village congregations in upland towns, that Pastor Samuel Antonio saw and witnessed the hardship and sufferings of ordinary farmers and farm workers living under the martial law regime. They were constantly harassed by the military and para-military units operating in the area. There were many times, when farmers and farm workers were shot wihtoug provocations.

When a person was suspected as a rebel or an NPA, they were just shut. Their was no justice. Their was tyranny. And people continue to live in difficult situations, most often suspected by the military. living under a difficult situation, most often suspected by the military.

About 1979, the situations in the upland villages of Upper South Negros became more harder, unbearable and intolerable. During this time and onward, he was questioned several times on his connections with the NPA. He told the military that he was not an NPA. He is a pastor working with poor farmers and farm workers, teaching his members in the churches of the teachings of Jesus in the gospel. But the military suspicion persisted and continued.

Pastor Samuel Antonio kept on his work. The members of the churches he served as Coordinating Minister needs his spiritual guidance and his counsel. They need the spiritual strength in this very delicate and dangerous time of martial rule.

He faced the military and explained to them the situations. He told the military of the sufferings of the poor people under pressures from both sides of the warring group, the military on one hand and the NPA on the other hand. But military’s orientations were different. They want to sow fear in the mind and hearts of the people. They want the people of the upland and mountain villages to cower in fear, and just kept silent. Perhaps, they want the people to kneel before them. The people have began to be wary and afraid of the military.

The people of the hinterlands began to respect the NPA and those working in the revolutionary movement.

Sometimes in 1982 Pastor Samuel Antonio’s house was raided the military several times. He began to worry for his life and the life of his wife. With raids, he believed the military was now after his life. It was now dangerous for him to continue serving as Coordinating Pastor of the 22 churches in Upper South Negros.

He said, after praying for his situations, he made a very, very hard decision. He will join the New People’s Army. Under the situations, their was no other recourse for him to take. He cannot continue to live in the mountain villages of Upper South Negros anymore. He must stand and fight for his life and the life of his wife. He said, it was the hardest decision he made in his life.

Through a friend, he sent me a message. He wants to see me. I was in Aklan, when his message reached me. I went home to Iloilo City. I passed by my house and have a talk with Hesther. my wife. I told her, I will have to go to Bacolod. It was an urgent matter to do.

I met Sam in Bacolod City. Allan Sy joined me. Allan was a respected Baptist leader. He was the former President of the Baptist church leader. Allan Sy was former president of Central Negros Baptist Conference. I talked to Pastor Sam Antonio. He told me: "Pastor Rud, I have no other choice. My life is in danger. Under this situations, working as Coordinating Pastor of churches in Upper South Negros is now nest to impossible. I am deeply suspected as an enemy by the military."

I asked Pastor Sam to go and join me in Iloilo. This keep the political heat colder for some months. I asked him to Iloilo until the hit of political situation lessens. I told him we can find some work for him Iloilo, so he need not join the NPA.

But he told me military raids were going on in different places also in Iloilo. And all over Panay Island. It will be more dangerous for him to live and work in a place where he is quiet alien. He will be working in Iloilo alone, with new friends. It will be more dangerous for him. I thought, Pastor Sam Antonio was right. We also experienced raids by the military. And in every military raids, were on the balance, between life and death.

I told Pastor Sam Antonio, in situations like this, his own decision is right and respected. Every one of us, one time will make a life and death decision. He will make a very important decision for his life. Perhaps, it is a decision that is not between life and death but, a really hard decision. I told him, I respect his decision.

We hold hands together. We bowed our heads to seek God’s will and guidance. And to seek his blessing for the decision that will be made. I prayed for God’s strength and wisdom. I told the Lord that Pastor Sam was making a hard decision for his life and future. He have decided to join the New People’s Army, as a way to protect his life and his wife. I prayed God to guide Pastor Sam in his decision. I prayed for God’s protection for his wife. I asked God to guide them, wherever they are and what ever work they will br doing. I asked it in Jesus name. I asked Brother Allan Sy to pray for Sam. He prayed for him and entrusted him, his wife and children to God's care. It was a hard and solemn moment for us three.

Then I talked to Pastor Sam. I told him, with his decisions, the situations has now changed. Perhaps, I will not have the chance to meet and communicate with him again. But we will reached each other thru prayer.

I assured Pastor Sam that we will be with him. If in the future, he decides to go back to the folds of the law, and fight his cause thru legal means and processes, we will be there to be with him and work with him.

As I reflected on this decision, I thought perhaps. joining the NPA was a new ministry God opened for Pastor Sam Antonio. In my prayer, I have entrusted him to our Saviour’s hands. And I said, a similar decision as Pastor Sam, I could have also made. Except, that I have asked the Lord, if possible I will not fight with guns and bullets. I have asked the Lord, that I will fight our cause with the legal and at most para legal means. I have closed avenues for armed struggle in my work and ministry with God.

Before we parted, Pastor Sam gave a piece of paper. It was a name. I was his alyas in the in the underground. But Pastor Sam said, he always listen to mo on Hour of Discovery. Often, when I gave a Bible reflection and a prayer, I know Pastor Sam was listening somewhere in the hills of Central Negros Island. He said, he always listened to me on the radio.

I also reminded him of Hour’s of Discovery program in Station DYRI & GMA Bacolod Ahd GMA Iloilo. He may listen there for some insights, guidance and our prayers. Then, we leave each other back to our works and ministry.

Pastor Antonio joined the NPA together with his wife. He cannot leave his wife back. It will be very dangerous, if he leave him and be away. He will not be able to protect her.

Pastor Sam started his new journey in life. It was also a new directions of his Christian ministry, as member of the New People’s Army.

After his re-orientations, he was assigned in education and training works. Then he was assigned in building the united fronts. Later he was assigned as full time member of the NPA. He was now with the fighting force. He said: Pastor Rudy, mine was a journey that was delicate and dangerous. It was a journey I decided to travel to help in the salvation and deliverance of our poor people from the powers of the elites and Pharaohs of our time.” I sat down and reflected on the life of Moses, many centuries ago.

That was a long and dangerous journey he and his wife made for some 11 years. There 3 sons and a daughter were born while they were in the armed struggle. His decision to serve the people and fought there causes, not only with ideas, but with guns and bullets, and led them in the journey for peace, freedom, justice and liberation.

He said: “I often cry when I saw my four young children away from us and cared by our friends, in the masses. It was painful seeing them, left few days after their birth. It was a sacrifice we have to make for the future – the liberation of our people from deep poverty and hopeless live, in the midst of the vast tracts of lands and resources that were owned by the rich and elites in our land”

He thought, the will be fighting all their lives. But there were life’s circumstances that came along. During President Fidel Ramos time in the 1990’, he called for a National Reconciliations. The President invited those who were fighting the government to in the hills to join him in a reconciliations process for change.

Pastor Sam Antonio and his wife, Leonila studied deeply and reflected on the reconciliation call of the President. He decided to accept the call. He decided to come back to the folds of the law and start a new struggle, the parliamentary, the peaceful struggle with farmers and workers in the in Central Negros Island.

He wrote the President, stating his decision to join him in his call for reconciliation .He told the President why he want to go back to the folds of the law.

He told me:: “I was already getting old. My 4 children were now growing and started going to school. Soon, they will be in high school. We want them to continue their studies in college. We need to be with them and guide them.”

They were not able to guide them in their early years. For they were always away and absent from their children, in their growing days. He need to find work. And he feels ,there was a time for everything.

He said: “There was a time for everything. A time to fight and a time to stop fighting. A time for war and a time for peace. A time to plant and time water the plants”. In his letter, he told the President Ramos, he did not surrender. Yes, he said. He did not surrender. He accepted his call for reconciliations.

He said, he was going old. The struggle will be taken over by the younger generation. He was called by God for another job. A work God prepared him to do. And new fight for equality, freedom and justice.

Pastor Sam talked with his officers in the revolutionary struggle. They understood his decision. They gave him the go-signal to decide the course of his life and action that was good for him and the people.

When he decided to go back to the folds of the law, Convention Baptist leaders in Negros came to assist him. CPBC President Wilson Guanzon Sr., Vice President Thor Famillaran, Pastor Fred Jacildo and other Baptist leaders in Bacolod and Kabankalan were around together with ecumenical church leaders. They fetched Pastor Sam Antonio and his wife Leonila Antonio from the mountains in Kabankalan to Bacolod City.

In Bacolod City, with radio stations interviewing him of his coming back, Pastor Sam Antonio asserted that he did not surrender. He joined the call of President Ramos for a “national reconciliation”. He continued the struggle and his fights….but on a different level and different methods. A legal means of fighting for change..

He told me one day: “To be holy is to be separated for the cause of Christ and protected by His power. Therefore, those who were for the Lord’s purpose will be reformatted and protected by Christ the Lord. “

Today, Pastor Sam Antonio was committed to led in the revival of the churches but also building and transforming communities in the hinterlands of Central Negros Island.

After he left the NPA, and joined the Reconciliation Process of President Fidel Ramos, Pastor Sam Antonio, started a strong legal efforts to bring peoples developments in the mountain villages in Upper South Negros towns and villages thru education, organizing, advocacy works, organizing the masses – farmers, workers, farm labourers and fishermen and organized them into farmers associations and cooperatives.

He reached out to different government agencies and mobilized resources– cash, seeds, seedlings, farm implements for the people of the countryside, who were left behind in development and trained them to be productive and have the strength and courage to stand and assert their rights.

He dreamed and pray that a tractors will be provided by the government to their associations and cooperatives, together with cows and carabaos needed by the people of the hinterlands for their works . Slowly, their dreams began to flower. And one of the strength in their service and ministry is a song, they often sung, to give power their dreams, the Philippine National Anthem –Bayan Magiliw (Dutang Bilidhon) that he translated in Ilonggo, the song of our people. They usually sing this song with the people, before their meetings, and as they start their works:

DUTANG BILIDHON

` 1. Dutang Bilidhon, nga amon natawhan

Sa may kaisog kami naga-ambahan;

Dutang balaan sang mga baganihan

Ang manlulupig, amon pamatukan.

Sa kalangitan mo, sa dagat,

kabukiran, amon ginapaabut

Ang pag-apin Mo sa kahilwayan,

Sa Imo hayahay, makita ang bituon

Gasiga, indi malupig kag

Mapintasan ang kadutaan nya.

Matahum duta, duta ka sang kapawa

Mangin sa imo ang kalipay.

Amon kabuhi, tanan gid ginaunong

Kon luiban ka sang kaaway.

(Translation: Pastor Sam Antonio