Chapter 3
Military Raid & Arrest of Pastor Bernal in Cawayan, Carles, Iloilo
It was in November 1973, about 5:00 A.M. when elements of the Philippine Constabulary arrested me, rather “invited” me, to go with them to their headquarters in Sara, Iloilo, about 40 kilometers away. .
That morning, about 5:00 A.M., I came down from our house. It was still dark. I was, carrying a small lantern with kerosene. I usually carry a lantern when working at nights, guide my way and helped drive mosquitoes away. I went directly to our vegetable gardens.
I have planted some 25 plots of Spring Onions, 1 meter wide and 50 meters long in our vegetables gardens. That was my project. I intended to plant some 100 plots of Spring Onions that time. That will provide us some income, during this hard times of martial rule.
My father, mother and younger brother and sisters have planted other vegetable – amargoso, eggplants, string beans, pechay, alogbate and pepper leaves. We plant vegetables and sell to neighbors and earn little income for our needs,
It was still dark when I came down. But the easterm sunlights was peeping on the horizon. I was busy pulling weeds from my onion plants. Then, I saw a man, standing beside a coconut tree. He was about 40 meters away. He moved slowly towards me. He was dressed in black Jacket and black pants. He was holding a 45 caliber pistol.
About 3 meters away, he greeted me. He said “Good Morning”. I answered him. “Good Morning, Sir.” And I stood slowly. He came nearer me. We talked. He asked my name. He said. “What is your name? I answered his question softly and clearly. Then, he asked where’s Capitan. I told him father was perhaps still sleeping.
He
Then, slowly, from around, I heard rattles of Armalite’s bolts being released. I saw soldiers, in full battle gears, emerging from different places around our house. They have surrounded our hosue for 6 hours, while we were sleeping.
The soldiers came near us. They were holding their armalites. Some with their barrels pointed up. Some guns’ muzzles were pointed on the ground. The 11 soldiers just stood there silently surrounded us, as I and their officer talked.
The officer asked me some questions. “Where you from UP?” I answered. “No, Sir. I am from Lyceum of the Philippines in Manila”. “What course did you take there? I told him, “I took Political Science.” He asked me. “When did you arrived in Iloilo?” I told him, “I’m in Iloilo for nearly two years”
He asked me, “ What’s your work in Iloilo?” I told him, “I help train farmers on Land Reforms and help organized them” Then he said: “Let’s go up your house. Let’s have coffee with the Capitan.” My father, Restituto Bernal, Sr. was the Barangay Captain of Cawayan. He served five terms as Barangay Captain,
We went upstairs. I called my father. I told him he has visitors. The officer and 6 soldiers followed us inside the house. The 5 other constabulary soldiers stayed down, on different places near the house.
After shaking hands with the soldiers, my father requested my younger brother and sisters to help brew coffee. My father gave coffee to all the soldiers. The officers, then told my father. “Capitan, , our Commnader is ‘inviting’ Rodolfo to see him in the headquarters.” My father asked: “Why? What is the problem? What crimes have my son committed?”
The officer told my father. “Our Commander would just like to see him. He have questions to ask Rodolfo. I was inviting him to our headquarters.” I learned later, their commander was Captain Montano.
I dressed myself. I told to myself. “I will go. I will go with the soliders. I was invited by their Commanding Officer. I cannot say no. I must go. For it was an invitation that I cannot say No. It was a command.”
Then, we went. We walked to the place where the soldiers jeepney was left that night. I joined them. It was long way to their headquarters, some 40 kms away. After we left, my father sent a relative to Carles Chief of Police, Felipe Bernal, his cousin , informing him, I was picked- up by the constabulary. The Chief of Police, sent an emissary to asked the Constabulary Officer why I was picked-up. It was a way to make sure, I will not be put in a disadvantaged, or hurt while being invistegated at the police headquarters.
We left about 7:30 AM. On our way to Sara, in the area with heavy sugar cane plantations, the jeepeny stopped. The constabularies went down the vehicle. They said, they will urinate. One officer asked me to go down and urinate. But I did not. I told him I am not urinating. But my stomach seems to burst. I want to urinate.
I have heard stories in some places, here in Panay and Negros. Many activists were picked-up by the military and gunned down. They were asked by the officers to urinate in the bush. Then, they were shot dead. The military said, he was gunned down for trying to escaped. Or trying to grab his gun.
At the Constabulary headquarters, I was ushered to one of the houses – the home and office of Captain Montano. I was introduced by the soldiers to him. “Sir, Rodolfo Bernal.” He’s now here.” Captain Montano talked to me. He asked me where did I study in Manila. He asked me what was my work here in Carles. How long I stayed here in Cawayan. I answered him. Then, Captain Montano left. He went to the other room and talked with several people who came to his office.
I tried to sized up Captain Montano. “He was about 3 inches taller than me. I think, he was a brave fellow. Fast moving person. I think, he was not trigger happy. He has a mission to fulfill under the martial law regime of President Marcos. He was committed to follow the orders given by his upper officers. But, I think, he had a heart and could listen.”
Three soldiers stayed around, near me. They were doing different works. One was sweeping the floor. Another was preparing breakfast. Another soldier repairing the door.
They were all there in the small room with me. I think, they were observing me closely. They did not talked to me. They were just doing there own things. At about 10:30 AM, the soldiers served breakfast.
These were fresh fish from Carles and Estancia. Merchants gave fresh fish to the camp for the officers food. I eat breakfast alone. The other officers eat, but they did not talked. Captain Montano later joined, as we eat. He talk about his work. “Damu problema di sa North Iloilo. Damu inaway” ( Many problems in North Iloilo. Many fightings).
He asked me some questions. “Diin ka nag-esuela sa Manila? San-o ka di nag-abut sa Iloilo?. Diin ka gaobra subong? Ano ang ginahimo mo sa Cawayan?” (Where did you study in Manila? When did you arrived here? What’s your work here? What are you doing in Cawayan?) I anwered softly and clearly all the questions of Captain Montano. I tried to make sure that he could get clearly my answer. I think it good, to be honest and told him, all what he wants to know about me, except questions that will incriminate me.
“Sir, I studied at Lyceum of the Philippines. I took Political Science there. I came here in Iloilo about 2 years ago. I am Secretary for Education of the PANELFU, a Labor organization. I was a newspaper reporter of the Philippine Herald and News Editor of French News Agency before. But I resigned and joined the Labor Union. We do labor education and organzing. In Cawayan, I am helping farmers organized themselves and help implement Land Reforms in the area.”
He told me, he heard I have been in Municipality of Sara, San Dionisio and Concepcion. He asked me about some conflict among farmers and land owners in San Dionisio. I told Captain Montano: “The problems Sir, between the farmers and the landowners. But this problems were legal in nature. The Department of Agrarian Reforms were helping the farmers get organized.
At this time, there were conflicts for the farmers were pushing for Land Reforms and implementations of the 75% shares of harvest for farmers and 25% share of the landowners. The landowners do not like these and were fighting hard and resist.”
I told him that was a peaceful action of the farmers to protect their rights, called for by the new Land Reform Law. After listening for sometimes, Captain Montano left again. I was left setting for another hour. It was a hard experience setting alone, waiting for the Officer, and not knowing what was in his mind.
About 1:30 PM we were served lunch. I told the soldiers, I’m still full. I will not eat lunch. Thanks them for the offer. When he returned, Captain Montano asked me what organization, I was a member. “Sir, I am a member PANELFU. I am Pastor of Cawayan Bapist Church. I am the Chairman of the Education Committee of PANELFU, a labor union duly registered by the government. Our Legal Counsels were Atty. Nicolas Centeno and Atty. Cesar Beloria.” Then he left again.
Captain Montano went to the other room. He met with the other soldiers. Only one soldiers was left in a room with me. He was doing some works. They have some discussions. Later, in the afternoon, at about 3:00 PM, Captain Montano came back. He talked to me again.
He told me, I can go home. “But I will go home. But you will come and see me very end of the month. About the 2nd and 3rd day of the months. I will wait for you. And we can talked again.” I told Captain Montano, I will come and see him at the end of the month.
He told me to take the next bus to Balasan. He offered me some money for my fare. I politely said, I have some amount for fares. He extended his hands. We shook hands.
When I arrived home, the officers of our association and the church have met. They said, they will send some members to stay with me in the camp, if I did not arrived that afternoon.
When I arrvved afternoon, Ms. Teresita Villanueva, the store owner, told me the constabularies arrived in a jeepney about 11:00 PM. They left their jeepney on the roadside and proceeded to our home, about 400 meters from the road. They left quietely and walked silently to our home.
There I knew the soldiers surrounded our house from about 11:30 PM to 5:00 AM the following day. They silently surrounded our house. They stayed there for 6 hours silently.
Our family never knew, soldiers “guarded” us. They stayed there, silently waiting for me to come out.
At the end of the month, I went to the PC headquarters. I have to visit and say, hello to Captain Montano and other constabulary officers. We talked for some minutes. He served breakfast or snacks and lunch. Then, he told me, I can go home after lunch.
I asked myself. “But, what could have happened, if I went down that night , without a lantern? What could have happened if, I or some members of the family went down that night, due to call of nature? What could have happened, if while I was in my garden, a visitor, a friend came to see me? What could have happened, if, I came out of our home with a bolo, as I often did when the night was still dark?”
The following month, I did not report to Captain Montano’s office. On the 2nd month, on the 6th day, a constabulary officer came, Seargent Subron. He’s a friend. He came and told me Captain Montano, said I did not come to the headquarters. He wants to see me again.
I visited Captain Montano. He asked why I did not come. I told him, I have a conference with the leaders of our churches in the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches at Camp Higher Ground in Barotac Viejo.
He said, in case you cannot come, I will send him a note. I can write a note and gave it to the Conductor of any Garnet Express. “You know Rudy, on that two dates, I don’t go out from the Camp. I have to be around when you came. I have invited you to visit every end of the month.”
Then he said. “I wants to see you only every end of the 3 months.” I went home and continued with my ministry, as Assistant Pastor of Cawayan Baptist Church. I am still under custody of the Philippine Constabulary. I have to see the Officer once every 3 months.
Four months after my arrest, I went to Carles Municipal Hall. On the hallway, I met the 3 soldiers who, picked me in Cawayan. \
We have started some conversations. And as we were talking, one said. “Pastor Rudy, we allowed you to go home that day. The plan was to arrest and send you to the military stockade at Camp Delgado. But we observed you closely. We thought, better to send you home.”|
“You’re very calm. You seemed not angry. You seemed not afraid. We thought you were a peaceful person. And, if we released you, you will not escaped. We recommended you to Captain Montano, to send you home and report only at the end of the months.”
As I looked back into this experiences, I think, prayer and trust in God was the strength of my involvement. I have committed myself to a peaceful, but strong and militant struggle in defense of our people’s rights and justice under martial law regime of President Marcos. “I have surrendered my life to God. He took care of me. I will just do the best thing I could for my life and leave all others in God’s hands. He was always there, near me.
That was my 3rd arrest. The first was in Manila. The 2nd was at the Deans Office, College of Theology, Central Philippine University.” It was a hard experience, being picked-up, arrested or “invited” by the military.
After working in Cawayan Baptist Church for two years, I resigned. I want to see some new challenges in the ministry. I believe God will use me, in some works, He knew I would be useful after my two years stint at Cawayan Baptsit Church.
Reflecting on the night our home was silently surrounded by the military, waiting for me nearly 6 hours that night, there were feelings that I can’t understand. It bothered me. It was my helplessness, being unarmed before armed military forces. But I realized it was also my strength. In the struggle, I am involved, arms and bullets, may not be necessary.
We have different ways to fight for freedom and justice. And the Bible taught me great lessons on its pages. Some Jesus friends fought with their sabers. Jesus fought with his words, ideas and truth.
Yet, my experiences made me admit, some military and police officers have also good hearts and minds. The worst soldier has a heart. Except for some who were really trigger happy, police and military moved with calculated risks. Generally, I think, they do not want to kill a person helpless in their custody. Civilians, must move under that circumstance with calmness and soft confidence.
In moments like these, we need God’s presence.
He guided and taught me what to think and say. He taught me how to stand calmly with faith, even my heart shakes in fear. He whispered to me to be confident. In moments of difficulties, I must put my faith in God.
Part of the series The Ministry Years (chapter 3 of 48)
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