Teargassed!

MANILA, Philippines - I entered the University of the Philippines, Diliman in 1967 when Ferdinand Marcos was only in his second year as President of the country, when prospects seemed rosy, when social functions, such as acquaintance parties between male and female dormitories and ball were still held on campus and when the Cadena de Amor, Hay Ride and the Lantern Parade were enjoyed by the students.

In the course of my stay, the UP community, especially the students, became agitated by issues both national and parochial: the abuses of the Marcos regime, the stifling of dissent, the devaluation of the peso and the looming gasoline price hike, among other concerns.

Campus dwellers (or dormers) like us couldn’t help but be aware of what was happening on the campus. Even if we wanted to maintain a neutral attitude because we wanted to graduate in the prescribed four years, we got sucked in when a perceived injustice was committed to one of us, the students.

Sometime in the second week of February 1971, some students were at the University Avenue requesting motorists not to enter the campus with their motor vehicles because of the impending gasoline price hike. One of those approached was a Prof. Campos, who got irked, got out of his car and shot the students, killing one, Pastor Mesina! This incident enraged the community. This brought about the setting up of the Diliman Commune, which, as far as I gathered, was the spontaneous gathering of students resulting in the cordoning off of the campus from perceived outsiders and even the takeover by the students of the radio station on campus, DZUP.  Because of this situation, the authorities responded by bringing in the Metrocom to quell the protests and take into custody its leaders. They massed along the University Avenue awaiting their final orders.

Induction of the UP College of Business Administration Alumni Association at the UP Executive House last May 21. First row (from left): Marivic Añonuevo, former UPCBA Dean Jaime Laya, former Prime Minister of the Philippines and UPCBA Dean Cesar Virata, UP president Alfredo E. Pascual, UPAA president Atty. Gladys S.J. Tiongco, Robert Kuan, Art Tuason, current UPCBA Dean Ben Paul Gutierrez, and Roberto Alingog. Second row: Bimbo Salazar, Amy Salazar, Beth Panganiban, Celia Garcia, Julie Capalongan, Tere Zuñiga, Rory Pineda, Lynn Aguirre, Girlie Gan, Choo Choo Lorayes, Tess Bermillo, Marilou Quicho, Dr. Baby Allado, Faye Flores, Ernie Verzosa, and Manny Canilang. Third row: Larry Chan, Peter Tanchi, Ted Panganiban, Bobby del Rosario, Sonny Capalongan, Dodie Lagman, Judge Kit Mendiola, and Butch Durias.

Some dorm mates and I were curious and we walked towards the main gateway to the UP We were shocked to see the avenue full of uniformed soldiers. Was it a battalion?! Were they really going to storm the campus? We rushed back to the dorm, informed our friends of the situation and told them to get ready for a long day. The food in the cafeteria suddenly vanished because of the panicked dormers. We filled up whatever container we could find with drinking water and also filled our wash basins with water, just in case. You see, we were informed that a good way to counteract the effects of tear gas was to soak a towel in water and press it to one’s face.

From the grapevine, we heard that the Metrocom already entered the campus, turning left towards the Engineering building. They searched for the student leaders and went up to the top floor, but the leaders had already escaped! The police then marched towards Malcolm Hall, and finding none, marched again towards Vinzons Hall.

Meanwhile, the dormers became agitated and wanted to help out. When a student leader, Ed Araullo, came running and told us that the Metrocom were already near Vinzons Hall and that we needed to set up a barricade to delay them, the dormers did not hesitate, and together with the other students present, rushed to Pavilion 4 of the Arts & Sciences building. Blackboards, tables and chairs were carried out, passed from one person to the next until a barricade was formed on the street fronting the Sampaguita Residence Hall, this being the first dormitory from Vinzons Hall.

We were also told to help make molotov cocktails. Initially, we hesitated but when we saw a helicopter circling above us, we became emotional, with some mouthing expletives, and forgot our commitment to our parents! Out came old sandos, softdrink bottles and elastic bands for the hair. I don’t know how we did it and where the gasoline or the kerosene came from, but I do remember shouting to my co-dormers to wash their hands well so there would be no trace of the kerosene, if and when we did get caught!

When the contingent arrived, we were already in our rooms waiting for the worst to happen! Soon, we heard shots fired and when we peeped out of our wooden jalousied window, we were shocked to see some Metrocom guys at the old golf course behind the Sampaguita crawling towards the dorm with their firearms aimed at us! Kriminal na ba kami ngayon?

Courtesy of Bantayog ng Mga Bayani Museum collection

Instinctively, we rushed under our beds, upsetting the wash basins full of water. At about the same time, a tear gas was lobbed at the end of the second floor corridor of the right wing of Sampaguita, breaking the glass window. Unfortunately, it fell on the stairs and rolled down to the ground floor where we were. We were still able to soak our towel and press it to our faces. We also remembered to seal the space under the doorway with some wet clothes. Despite the seal and the wet towel, we felt the gas creeping towards the corner of our eyes, and, you guessed it, napaluha din kami!

When it was finally over and we were led out of the dorm, tears flowing uncontrollably and dripping wet from the spilled water, we couldn’t help but feel resentful and angry at the high-handedness of the authorities. We were herded into the area between Pavilions 3 and 4. While there, we saw something burning from afar. We were aghast to learn that the police had set the grass behind the dorm on fire to flush out students who may have hidden in the area.

In those few hours of police aggression, we felt how the activists feel during their protests. No wonder a lot of the students of my generation hated the Marcos regime and went underground when martial law was declared. Our helplessness and frustration that day were but a fraction of theirs.

For this experience, I feel lucky to have a taste of two worlds during my college years: the regular social milieu in my first two years and the radical before I graduated (incidentally, the only protest action I joined was the indignation march from the Welcome Rotunda to Plaza Miranda for the Bantay Oro Este burning). No other jubilarian batch (this year at least) can claim this seeming divergent and incompatible experience!

Makibaka, huwag matakot: UP students form a barricade with tables and chairs.

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Lynn Yuvienco-Aguirre is vice-president and treasurer of Pontmain Resources, Inc., a producer and exporter of coconut coir products such as twines, erosion control nets and cocopeat planting medium. She is a member of the board of directors of the Philippine International Convention Center. Lynn, who hails from Davao City, was a resident of Sampaguita Residence Hall in UP Diliman, when the dorm was attacked by the Metrocom. She was third vice president of the UP Junior Executive Circle, officer of UP Jr. Marketing Association and member of AIESEC.

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The UP Grand Alumni-Faculty Homecoming and Reunion is on June 25, at Ang Bahay ng Alumni, UP Diliman, Quezon City. For more details, contact the UPAA secretariat at 920-6871, 920-6868, 920-6875, e-mail upalum@yahoo.com.ph, or 09170-8372098.