Patriarca to continue advocacy

CEBU, Philippines - An ex-seminarian, who was abducted, tortured, charged with rebellion, and imprisoned for five years, vows to continue his passion to help alleviate people’s lives despite everything that he went through.

Ramon Patriarca, 49, who was recently acquitted by the court, said he will continue to work with the cause-oriented organizations now that he is a freeman. 

Patriarca, who hails from Metro Manila, started working with cause-oriented organizations in 1982 until he was arrested on charges of rebellion in February 2009. He studied philosophy here in Cebu but gave up school when he decided to work fulltime with the group of Redemptorist Father Rudy Romano.

“In 1985 nigawas ko sa seminary para mag-full time sa cause oriented group maong wa gyud ko mahuman sa akong philosophy because  of that.  Service to the people since sa panahon sa martial law gyud na’ng ako,” he said.

Romano was also accused of being a rebel and was believed to have been abducted by the military during the dark years of martial law. Romano remained missing up to now. 

Patriarca was detained for three years at the Danao City Jail and two years at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center. His years of detention allegedly gave him the opportunity to be of service to the community of the “justice seekers. ”

He became the only elected (mostly appointed) chairman of the Danao Inmates Peace and Order Council (IPOC) and implemented reforms. Danao is considered as the most congested medium-size jail in Central Visayas.

“There is too much to learn bisan sud ko sa prisohan, the insights that you get, the personal experiences about injustice and exploitation is really true sulod sa prisohan, there are too much insights and lessons that were learned nga di ko magbasol,” he said.

While in Danao City Jail, he lobbied for the increase of  the meal budget for inmates from P65 to P80 per meal. He also facilitated the Alternative Learning Center of  the  Department of Education producing 40-inmate graduates in Elementary and Secondary levels with diplomas. He likewise initiated review classes to inmates; improved jail’s ventilation through installation of  electric and industrial fans; improved water supply; regular sunning hours especially for the old-aged prisoner suffering from Vitamin D deficiency, among others. 

“We were able to help a little bit but grabi ang corruption. Sixty five pesos (P50 national gov’t  and P15 city gov’t) budgeted meal per day  pero nagpuli-puli na ang warden di gyud muabot og sixty five pesos  ang kaon,” he said.

He wrote to the City Council of Danao to request an increase in the subsidy of inmates to P15. The Danao City council approved his request. But, in spite of it, Patriarca claimed no increase was implemented.  “Wala’y increase, in fact nag-worsen ang among food situation,” he added.

He tasked some of the 200 inmates to conduct a “quantity and quality test” over a month on the estimated prices of  meals served every day.

“Consistent ang presyo nila sa three meals ang total is thirty three pesos maximum and a highest of thirty eight. Ang half sa budget bayad sa nagluto, bayad sa cater, sa nag-deliver sa pagkaon, gasoline, oil, etc. Usahay daot, ang kan-on pwerting gamaya, ang sud-an pwerting bahoa ang utan pulos tubig wa gyud kay masakpan nga solid,” he recalled.

Due to the reforms he made in Danao City Jail, he was transferred to Central Command via CPDRC in 2012.

“Gikan didto (Danao) gidiritso ko sa CPDRC, two thousand twelve (2012) gibalhin ko Centcom via CPDRC, murag dagit style. Wala mi kahibalo nga ibalhin ko didto. Gibutang ko nila diritso sa isolation cell sa CPDRC, solitary confinement, gidalaw ko sa akong igsuon sa Manila wa gipakita sa akoa ang akong abogado wa pud gyud. Violation of certain rights of detainees, torture also,” he said.

Solitary confinement is illegal, a prohibited form of detention under the Anti-Torture Act of  2009.

He also recalled that his arrest on Feb. 5, 2009 at Casili, Mandaue City was also illegal because there was no warrant shown to him.

“Nagsakay ko’g habal-habal, gipara ang habal-habal at gun point, gidagit ug gisakay ko nila sa van unya gitaptapan ko gidala sa camp sa AFP. Three to four days after gidala ko nila sa PNP provincial office or CPPO diha na gikuha ang blindfold. Gihubuan from the waist down gisul-uban ko nila og diaper. Mao to’ng time nga I was tortured, water torture kanang pugson og abli ang imong baba ug bubuan ka’g tubig,” he said.

Patriarca’s claim of  torture led to the filing of civil case for damages in February 2009 against 20 PNP and military officials and personnel. Among those charged were retired Centcom chief, Maj. General Armando Cunanan, and former CPPO director Carmelo Valmoria. The P1.2 million damage suit is now pending before RTC Branch 12 Judge Estela Alma Sinco.

Innocent

Patriarca insisted that he is innocent of the charges labeled against him. According to him, the crime that he was tagged in was a “mysteriously intruded” incident.

“Oo innocent ko, wa gyud ko kalabotan kanang ingon nila panghitabo sa Carmen, Cebu,” he said.

 â€œSukad na sukad wa gyud na ang akong pangalan. Ang gihimo nila sakadtong usa ka alias gisumpay sa akong true name which was ilang basis sa rebellion case justifying my abduction, torture and arrest. It just a stupid alias that was mysteriously equated with my name,” he added.

His plea of innocence was given credence by the court which ordered his release last January 19. Patriarca was finally released from detention last Tuesday.

Despite his release, Patriarca said he is not completely happy about it knowing that there are still innocent people inside.

 â€œMalipayon syempre ko, but knowing nga daghan kaayo ang wa napriso nga angay unta mapriso ug daghan napriso bisan di angay mapriso,” he said.

Patriarca is asking the public and lawmakers to treat inmates as people with rights not as “animal. ”

“You have to give them respect after all, accused pa man dili man mi convicted,” he said.

“Treat the inmates well so they will learn how to respect others and they will believe that there is goodness in the society also. And when they go out of prison network mas productive and more respective na sila,” Patriarca ended. — (FREEMAN)