I think, that was in mid-1971. I cannot remember the exact date. But it was a hard day, a day that carried uncertainties, doubts and pains. That morning, at 10:40 AM,, I was arrested by a joint forces of the Philippine Constabulary and Iloilo City Police at the College of Theology, Central Philippine University, Iloilo City. I was arrested by some 20 constabulary and police officers.. It was after President Ferdinand Marcos suspended the Writ of Habeas Corpus in the whole country.
We felt uncertain of the situations, with the Suspension of the Writ of Habeas Corpus. Together with Atty. Nicolas Centeno,of PANELFU, we went to Hipgos, a mountain village in Lambunao, Iloilo, where they have rice, corn and bananas planted in their 45 hectares land. We stayed several days in Hipgos, Lambunao, Iloilo studying the situations and repercussions of the Suspensions of the Writ of Habeas Corpus. Six months earlier, I and my friend Frank Carilimdiliman, have gone to Hipgos and several villages around, providing labor education seminars to farmers and farm workers in some Lambunao villages who were members of PANELFU.
Atty. Centeno went back to Iloilo City after a week, when the situations remained normal. I decided to stay in Hipgos for two weeks more. I tried to follow-up and visit some officers of PANELFU in 3 villages nearby. I would like to stay with Jessie Pagdato, a former rebel fighter in the army of Guillermo Capadocia, the communist revolutionary leader who was killed in the hinterlands of Panay.
Jessie Pagdato, was an officer of PANELFU chapters in Lambunao. He has a sister in Canada who always sent a letter to him. He encouraged Jessie to read newspapers always. To be able to speak a simple English. Her sister said, she would like to invite Jessie to Canada later. Jessie has 7 sons and daughters by that time, but they are living in Lapaz, Iloilo City with their sons and daughters.
One of his son is a soldier assigned at Camp Delgado. Another daughter was graduating in college. I often stayed with Jessie and his family in Lapaz, near the public market. I was not able to visit them anymore due to works in the union. But about a years, I heard Jessie was invited by her sister to go to Canada. He went. And after several months, his other daughter was invited to Canada. And in 2 years time, Jessie's and all their children were in Canada. All of them lived in Canada. I did not met Jessie anymore.
After three weeks in Hipgos and nearby villages, I went back to Iloilo City. But on reaching the town, I decided to pass by Lambunao Baptist Church. I will met Rev. Floripe Herradura, the pastor. A year ago, we were classmates on Homilitics, under Rev. Roseberry, an American missionary. It happened that Lambunao Circuit of Baptist Churches was holding a 2-day conference there. There were about 170 delegates that day.
Rev. Herradura invited me to take his part that evening and preached. I accepted. I stayed for the night and preached the Closing Celebration message. It was a new challenge. For more than I year, I was not able to attend Baptist church services. I was deeply engrossed in farmers organizing and labor education programs in villages of Panay.
That night, as part of the challenge, I called on the delegates, mostly sons and daughters of farmers to join in organizing farmers and sugar cane workers and participate in the work for land reforms, justice and liberation.
The following morning, a friend who attended the worship the night before, a pastor of a church in Janiuay invited me to join him. He told me, Janiuay Circuit of Baptist Churches have a conference in Calvario Baptist Church. Some 10 churches in the circuit will attend. More than 200 hundred church leaders and members will attend that afternoon.
We attended the conference. I attended the afternoon and evening sessions, participating in the discussions. There, I found that a number of the delegates who were a bit older, were members PANELFU in Janiuay ang Badiangan area.
We have very good group discussions, and soon, many questions were raised on the Land Reforms programs and what we can do together to help farmers get better shares as tenants of big land holders. We continued with the services in the circuit. That afternoon, I left for Iloilo City.
I went direct to the CPBC office in Jaro. I stayed there for the night with June Fabellore, who was working there. That evening, I called Dr. Johnny Gumban, Dean of the College of Theology on the telephone. I missed my Dean for nearly a year. for after a year at the College of Theology again, my second time, I quit again and joined the labor union. That morning, I called Dr. Gumban to extend my greetings I have not enrolled again that 2nd semester.
Dr. Gumban seemed happy that I called him. He asked me to visit him and have breakfast with him the next morning. I accepted his offer. I went on with my planned activities for that evening.
By this time, the revolutionary movements has become strong in different part of Iloilo and Panay. The Kabataang Makabayan (KM) have become strong in the universities and colleges and in the slums of Iloilo and other provinces. Many Baptist have joined the revolutionary movements. Many young people, who were KM members before, have gone to the countrysides and submerged with the people, learnng the realities of people's lives in the city and the countrysides.
Abelardo Hortada, a former student of the College of Theology, from Capiz stopped his studies at CPU. He joined the New People’s Army. He rose in the rank of New People’s Army, operating in Tapaz and expanded to the hinterlands of Central Panay.
Charles de la Fuente, a brilliant student at CPU, former President of the Convention Baptist Youth Fellowship of the Philippines (CBYFP), left his work in a bank in Iloilo City. He went underground and joined the New People’s Army. He became a top leader of the revolutionary movements.
Fluellyn Ortegas and Virgil Ortegas, Baptist leaders at CPU have organized and were officers of Kabataang Makabayan (KM), the most militant student organization in Iloilo City. KM was the vanguard for militant economic, political and revolutionary change in the country during that time.
The following morning, on invitation of Dr. Gumban, Dean, at about 8:00 AM, I went to CPU and proceed to the College of Theology at Johnson Hall. Some Theology students, met me. They asked me about Abelardo Hortado. “Where was he? Did you met him? We heard, he was in Tapas. We heard you also visited PANELFU chapters in Tapaz?” I told them, I have not met Pastor Hortado, since he left CPU. And I never met him since then. But I have visited many PANELFU chapters in Tapaz, Calinog and Bingawan.
Dr. Gumban greeted me at Johnson Hall. He said, he had prepared breakfast for us. He asked me to wait for a while. He left me at the Dean’s Office. I sat at the side of the table of Mrs. Teves, Secretary of Dr. Gumban. While I was at the Dean’s Office, I saw the head of a military officer, detailed with CPU ROTC office. He was outside the window of the Dean’s Office. He was looking at me, seated inside the Dean’s Office.I looked at him direct on his eyes. When he saw me, he looked down and slowly walked away, trying to hide his face. I feel something was wrong.
When Dr. Gumban came back, he invited me to go up to the 2nd Floor of Johnson Hall. He said, breakfast will be served there. I went up. Breakfast was ready. I joined Dr. Gumban for breakfast.
Then, Dr. Gumban went to the other room to receive a call. When he returned he had a strange message for me. He said: "Rudy the Philippine Constabulary are looking for you. They are coming. They want to see you.” I asked him: “Why Sir? Why they Constabulary were looking for me? I have not done anything wrong?” He said, he received information before that the constabulary were looking for me. They suspected you. They were thinking you are an NPA. But he said, that was only their suspicions.
But my mind was clear. I have not committed any crime. I am just helping in educating our farmers and laborers to know their rights and to stand for their rights.
Dr. Gumban repeated that the military would like to see me. “I said, Okey Sir. I will met them.” A few minutes later, I saw two jeepneys coming towards Johnson Hall, full with uniformed soldiers. They were entering the grounds of Johnson Hall. I stood up and looked at the window. I saw soldiers, with guns on their arms, jumped out of the two vehicles and surrounded Johnson Hall.
From the 2nd Floor, I tried to look down on the grounds around Johnson Hall. The soldiers have already surrounded Johnson Hall. I decided to go down to First Floor, at the Dean’s Office. I was not able to finish eating my breakfast that morning.
But before going down to the Dean’s Office, I stood at the railings on the 2nd Floor for a short moment. I prayed. It was a silent prayer. “Lord, please help me. Please give me strength and courage. Please teach me to answer questions address on me with out hesitations and fear.
The leader of the military officer came to me at the Deans Office. He was courteous. But his face was stern. He told me: “We are inviting you to the headquarters. Our commander would like to see you. He has some questions to ask you.” I asked him why? What crimes have I commtted? He ignored my questions. He just said: " Our commander would like to see you.".
I was not investigated at Johnson Hall. I was escorted out of Johnson Hall and we walked towards CPU Administration building. Dr. Gumban said: “Rudy do not worry. I will send you a blanket and a pillow”. That caused me a little worry. I asked myself. “Why will Dr.Gumban send me a blanket and pillow”.
Dr. Gumban told me that I must not worry. The military will just asked me some few questions. But I felt, with more than 20 soldiers coming to get me, they were not going to ask me just a few questions. I was escorted out of the College of Theology. I walked together with several soldiers towards the Administration building.
Some soldiers walked ahead of me Some walked beside me. Some were at my back, following me. I have a strange feeling, escorted by some 20 uniformed soldiers, with high powered guns. I could hardly explain how I felt. It was a strange feeling throbbing in my heart, mind and even soul. I knew, I was arrested. But my arrest was made soft, by telling me, I am ‘invited’ to the headquarters. It was an invitation. But an invitation that I cannot say no.. It was a command. I was ordered to go with the soldiers to the military headquarters.
The road from Johnson Hall to the CPU administration building was about 120 meters. But I felt it was walking a long and hard road. The road has lined up with many students, some standing on the road side, some walking. They were all looking at me, escorted by uniformed and stern faced soldiers.
I knew some of the students who stood there. Some raised their hands, acknowledging me. I don’t know, if I felt proud with soldiers escorting me. Or, it may be a feeling of shame. With heavily armed soldiers escorting me? It was just a strange feeling. I told myself, I must face this with courage and strength.
I looked straight at the faces of the students standing beside the road. I tried to stand straight. I stood tool and straight as possible. I smiled to some students whom I knew. Some raised their hands. They extended me their friendly gestures. One thing, I remembered. When your mind is clear, when your conscience is clean, you do not have feelings of fear, even with armed soldiers taking you to a place you do not knew where.
I rode in the jeepney flanked by the police officers. I was brought to a room in the Police Headquarters at General Luna Street. There at the Police Headquarters, I was asked to set on a chair by a table. I was asked several, many questions. Then, I was left alone in the room for more than an hour. I just sat there alone inside the room. It was hard feelings to be arrested, brought to an empty room and left for an hour, just setting down.
Then, another officer joined the previous one. They asked me of my involvements with PANELFU. I told them: " I am Chairman of the Education Committee. We handled training of members on labor education and help organized them. We helped farmers and workers gain strength thru organized and peaceful works."
The investigator asked me the case of Rex Betita, a student of Iloilo City College who was killed. His assailants remained unknown. He asked me what happened to Rex. Why was he killed. I told them, "I do not know. Rex Betita was my relative from Carles. He also studied at Lyceum of the Philippines in High School. We have worked together in PANELFU. But for almost a year, before he was killed, we have no communications." More questions were asked. I answered softly and clearly. Then, they left the room. I stayed alone in the room, again for more than an hour.
Then another officer joined them. He looked more hard and stern than the other two. No friendly smiles. He asked me some questions again. I answered him softly and clearly. He asked of my studies and involvement in Manila. I answered him of my work there. I told him: "I worked before with the Philippines Herald newspaper in Manila. I resigned and worked as News Editor of Agence France Presse, an international news agency. I am in newspaper works for some years." The officer looked at me. His stern face changed. It now carries a soft smile. He realized and new I am in newspaper works before.
He asked me some other questions. But his words were now soft and mild. It was only then, that I realized the power of words and communications. It was at that moment, the 3rd Investigator, that I was able to tell him who I am, and what I represent then. It was there, that my being a newspaper man before, put me on an equal putting with a military officer. I think, he saw me, not a student only, nor a farmer only, but a newspaperman.
Then, the Officers left again. They were away for about 30 minutes. I sat again alone inside the office. When they returned, the officers, told me I can go home. They asked me for my address in the city. They said, if they need me, they will send a message. And I must come.
I went home that afternoon to Jessie Pagdato’s hut near La Paz market. I took a bath. Then, rested for some 40 minutes
About 4:30, I went to CPU at the College of Theology. But in a restaurants at the front of CPU, Bernard Hervias, also a Theology student saw me. He went straight to me. He ordered soft drinks and asked me to set on a table. He was puzzled He cannot believed I came back fast after my arrest. He thought I will stay in prison for sometimes. He asked me what happened. He asked me why I was released. Bernard Hervias, can’t believed. I am free. Then, he said. “Rudy, perhaps you are a “double agent”. You are an NPA. Also attached to the military.” That's Bernard Hervias, my classmate and friend. He sometimes spoke without thinking the implications of his words.
In May 6, 2017, many years later, again Bernard Hervias and I met during the College of Theology Alumni Reunion at Ancheta Hall/ At the Registration Desk, we met. We have not met for many years. Pastor Bernard Hervias, in jest, said. “Here’s the ‘double agent’. He was arrested by the military in the morning. Then in the afternoon, he’s released and went back to CPU. College of Theology” We laughed again together.
It was very hard experience in life to be arrested by the police or constabulary officers. It was the 2nd arrest I experienced. The first, when I was arrested in Manila and have to slept for some hours of the night at the Manila Police jail. I called my friend, George Angel, formerly a Newspaper Reporter but now working as Assistant of Mayor Antonio Villegas of Manila. He came about 2:00 AM. He knew the Desk Officer. He asked him to release me. And I was released.
Military and police arrests, were not easy experiences in life. You can die, without knowing it. A wrong move, can send an arrested person, to the other side of life and eternity. But, prayers taught me one thing. Prayers has power. It can change situations in life. And prayers, with God, is often my only company in moments of difficulties and dangerous hours.
Part of the series Memories - Life and Time of Pastor Rudy Bernal (chapter 52 of 71)
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