2103: Martial Law (Love in Dark Times)

Our First Date

  Our first date was in a gutter, by the road, two cups of coffee and cigarettes lit.

It was a month since we both professed our love for each other. We both decided that I would still court her, dahil bagamat lesbian ako gusto ko pa ding pormal na ligawan ito. Denise was raised in a Western culture, she lived in the U.S. for most of her life. Only going to the Philippines tuwing summer vacation niya. Although raised in New York and most of her childhood exposed to liberated ideas and friends, her mother and father insists on an old fashioned courtship. Hindi ko pa sila nakikilala, pero mamaya sa mobilization they will be joining us. They'll drop by to support Denise on her speech. Nasa back stage na kami, maya-maya lang ay sasalang na si Denise. She smiled weakly at me as she started to inhale and exhale. 

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked her as I held her hand.

"Just a little jittery." she squeezed my hand. 

I squeezed it back gently to let her know she'll be just fine before smiling and hugging her. I felt her breathing on my neck. It tickles me, she lets me hug her and I said something intelligible to say. 

"I will support you, Mahal ko. You're a great debater and a public speaker. I am sure you'll conquer everything." I said as I hugged her some more. 

I heard her chuckle under her breath, trying to steady her nerves.

"You are too kind Maling. Kaya naman mahal na mahal kita." she says

Before I could respond the head organizer called her attention.

"Denise, ikaw na next pag-tapos ng opening prayers ha? Ready ka na ba?" Batchi asked her. 

"Yes, Batch. More than ready." She smiled and answered Batchi.

"Great, pumwesto ka na malapit sa stage." Batchi said.

I let go of her hug and held her hand, I lightly squeezed it and said.

"Go, Denise! Make them feel your family's pain. Make them understand why we should never go back."

She nodded enthusiastically at me and went to take her place near the stage, umakyat na ito sa make shift stage namin. Inalalayan ito ng mga kasamahan namin na sumampa. 

Matapos ang isang maikling prayer for peace and protection, the program continued. The Emcees were talking and my eyes are on Denise as she waits to be called by the Emcees.

"Ngayon mga kasama inaanyayahan namin si Denise Jopson, ng U.P. Diliman sa entablado!" The emcee said.

A round of applause could be heard at the EDSA Monument where thousands of students gathered for the Bonifacio Day Mobilization. Denise walked to the center of the stage.

The camera focused on her and I could see her smile to the crowd gathered. I watched her as she spoke.

"Magandang gabi sa inyo mga fellow students ko." She started.

She briefly looks at the thousands of youth littered along the street, waiting for her to speak.

"My name is Denise Jopson, anak ni Judge Ernesto Jopson at ni Atty. Virginia Jopson. I lost an Uncle back in the Martial Law era. Si Uncle Edwardo. He was the youngest out of Five Siblings. I never met him, my uncle was one of the Diliman 10 victims, a certain Col. Antonio Mendoza had taken them. The fate he had we would never know as a family, because 46 years later, we still haven't heard anything from him. He was 19, a journalism student at U.P. Diliman, some said he may have escaped or he may have died. It hurts for us, our family would always reserve a vacant spot at the table for him. I grew up hearing stories about him. From family, friends and his colleagues from the Kabataan Laban sa Diktatoryal. Ngayon, miyembro na din ako ng libo-libong kabataan na ayaw nang bumalik sa masalimuot na panahon na iyon. Masakit ang mamatayan, pero mas masakit ang mag-alala paulit-ulit habang nabubuhay ka para sa taong hindi mo alam kung makakabalik pa ba o hindi na. Ayaw kong maranasan ito ng susunod na henerasyon ang mawalan ng kaanak, ng tatay, nanay o ng mahal sa buhay. Kaya, andito ako upang manawagan, wag tayong papayag na magpa-dala sa takot. Mamamatay man tayo, pero hindi tayo mananahimik na lang. Now, more than ever, we need to protect each other from this reprobate dictator called President Duterte. Kapag naipasa na ang Federalism sa Pilipinas muli nang makakabalik sa puwersa ang anak ng demonyo. Wag kayong pumayag na mangyari ito. Dapat nang magbayad ang mga Marcos para sa libo-libong torture, pagpapalaho at pagpatay sa ating mga ninuno, hindi ko alam kung para kanino ka nagpunta sa pagtitipon nating ito, pero sana ay ipagtanggol mo ang inyong mga sarili laban sa unti-unting pagkaparalisa ng ating kalayaan. Nasa kulungan na ang ibang senador natin, kakaunti na lang sila. Kung hindi sila malaya, paano na sa susunod pang araw? Gising kabataan!" She said and bowed in front of the many people.