In-depth: The November 11 Rally
For more details on the rally, take a look at our prior coverage here.
“Hindi siya register lang ng dissent. In fact, it is more of honoring Pisay martyrs,” Donna Rebong, Social Science teacher and a Unity March organizer, said in an interview.
She added, “Kasi kapag nag-register ka lang ng dissent, more of pag-show lang siya ng galit sa decision. Pero yung pag-show kasi ng galit sa decision, yung implication noon ay ‘Bakit ka ba nagagalit?’”
In what was called a Unity March, over 150 Philippine Science High School — Main Campus (PSHS-MC) students accompanied by parents, teachers, and alumni rallied in response to the Supreme Court (SC) ruling that allowed the former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos’s burial in the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) last November 11.
The participants marched from PSHS-MC to the Bantayog ng mga Bayani, followed by a program to commemorate nine Pisay
whose names are honored along with other Martial Law martyrs.
The rally was led by Donna Rebong, while the program proper was hosted by Filipino teachers Salvador Fontanilla III and Mark Anthony Lopez.
The speakers in the program were, in chronological order: Fortunato Tacuboy III of the Division of Student Affairs (DSA), Erin dela Cruz of the Social Science Unit, alumnus Barry Gutierrez of Batch ’90, Social Science teacher Vladimir Lopez, Batch 2020 students Carlos Montemayor and Carlo Recio, Batch 2019 students Ralph Flores and Juris Adorna, Social Science teacher and Martial Law survivor Cristina Bawagan, alumna Krissy Conti of Batch ’00, and alumnus Giovanni Tapang of Batch ‘89.
Afterwards, the participants offered candles and a prayer led by Grade 11 student Larkin Dumelod in honor of Martial Law martyrs.
The program ended with fists raised as the participants sang the PSHS hymn.
Behind the scenes: The days before the rally
“‘Yung Unity March ay isa talagang pagtatantsa ng sentiment ng Pisay community,” Rebong said.
She recalled how the PSHS community immediately expressed their sentiments after news of the SC ruling.
“Online, nakita agad sentiment ng mga tao kasi una nagpakita sila ng mga posisyon nila ‘tas may mga grupo ng teachers na nagsabing ‘Uy black shirt day tayo,’ so nag-call ako ng black shirt day sa mga colleagues. ‘Tas biglang may mga bata na nakipag-communicate sa mga teachers na ‘to. Ma’am can we also wear black? So nakita na namin sentiments ng Pisay community,” Rebong said.
The morning after the SC ruling, the school directress, Virginia P. Andres posted on Pisay Direct ‘16/’17:
“Sa lahat ng nagtatanong, maaaring makiisa sa protesta at pagluksa. Maaring mag-itim na pang-itaas at khaki pants. Maaaring mag-itim na band. Maaaring magsagawa na protesta sa lunch break o habang wala kayong klase. Bawal mag absent o mag-cut.”
That same day, a candle-lighting gathering after dismissal was urgently organized as well by Rebong and Biology teacher Chuckie Calsado. There, everyone, from the school directress to the teaching faculty and students, expressed their sentiments about the Marcos burial until six in the evening.
On why the event was organized, Rebong explained, “Nakita na dapat i-consolidate. Na maipakita ng bawat isa sa atin na nagkakaisa tayo sa pagpapahayg ng truth, na mali yung desisyon. Kasi kung indibidwal lang, hindi magkakaroon ng impact. So ayun kinonsolidate.”
Rebong said that the idea of rallying came from the students.
She claimed that there was a student group who proposed the mobilization to the Student Council advisers Erin dela Cruz — a speaker during the actual rally — and Cristina Cristobal. However, they did not allow it as there were many things to consider and it was made in too short a notice to file for a permit.
However, Rebong and Calsado, having observed these sentiments, immediately proposed a rally that Thursday, November 10 — the day before the proposed rally date. It was approved under the condition that the student participants must hand in a parents’ permit before joining.
Rebong was actually worried about the potential implications of the rally.
“Spontaneous lang siya kasi nga Thursday. Yung mismong permit for us to walk, wala talaga tayong nakuha. I mean, di talaga siya in-applyan. Parang ganoon. May permit tayo to go to Bantayog. Pinayagan na nila kami basta may parents’ consent. Pero ‘yung mismong sa city hall, wala, kasi kailangan mo ng 2–3 days bago makakuha. Spontaneous kasi siya e parang quick response. We need to do it immediately,“ Rebong said.
This is where the PSHS parents played their role.
Lawyers Gutierrez, Conti denounce SC ruling
Gutierrez of Batch ’90 thanked the PSHS-MC community in his speech.
“Sa buong pag-stay ko sa Philippine Science, hindi ako nakapag-attend ng kahit anong rally. Ngayon pa kung kailan matagal na akong graduate ako nagkaraon ng pagkakataon, so maraming salamat sa inyo sa pagkakataong iyon,” Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez was one of the lawyers of the Martial Law victims who testified and filed a case against the burial of Marcos last August. The SC pronouncement last November 8, he claimed, took him by surprise as it happened just a few months after the case was filed.
“Ibig sabihin, hindi ko rin akalain na sa linaw ng batas, sa linaw ng sinasabi ng ating konstitusyon, sa linaw na sinasabi mismo ng mahigit 30 desisyon ng ating Korte Suprema ay babaligtarin ng siyam na mahistrado ng Korte Suprema ‘yung matagal nang na-settle — mula noong 1986 noong pinatalsik si Marcos at sinundan ng napakaraming pronouncements ng ating Kongreso, ng ating Korte Suprema, at ng ating Executive Branch,” Gutierrez said.
In a later speech, alumna Krissy Conti of Batch ’00 enumerated some of these “napakaraming pronouncements ng ating Korte Suprema”
According to Conti, “Nagdesisyon [ang Korte Suprema] noong 1986, 1988 sa kaso ng Marcos vs. Manglapus. Ito yung kaso na kung saan ay nagsabi ang NEDA (National Economic Development Authority) na ‘Ibabalik ko si Marcos sa Pilipinas.’ Sabi ni Cory [Aquino], ‘ayaw ko.’ Sa kasong iyon, sabi ng Supreme Court, diktador si Marcos at ipinalayas natin siya. Hindi natin maipapatawad ang twenty years of political, economic and social [upheaval]- sabi ng Supreme Court ‘yon.”
Conti discussed another case, “Galman vs. Aquino. Ang kasong ito ay tungkol sa pagpatay, pag-assassinate kay Ninoy Aquino. Sinabi ng Supreme Court noon na itong mga Marcos,nakialam sa Aquino-Galman murder case at sila ay, kung baga, hindi nila inaksyunan ng tama, hindi nila ginampanan ng tama ang kanilang tungkulin. Si Ferdinand Marcos, bilang Presidente.”
Conti also recounted the case of the Republic of the Philippines against Sandiganbayan where the Supreme Court called Marcos a plunderer, on the grounds of embezzling funds worth $658M from the Presidential Commission on Good Governance and other government agencies.
Gutierrez likened the statement that no law does not allow Marcos to be buried in the LNMB to saying that no law prohibits minors from claiming a senior citizens’ discount.
He remarked, “Meron bang batas na nagsasabi na kayo mismo ay bawal tumanggap ng senior citizens’ discount? Meron bang batas na nagsasabi noon? Wala. Pero sinasabi na ang pwede lang mag-avail ng senior citizens’ discount ‘yung tao na at least 60 years old. Ganoon din sa kaso ng Libingan ng mga Bayani.”
Gutierrez said, “Ito ay isang maling statement.”
Additionally, Conti recalled “Kanina, naghanay ang National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) na pang-TRO. Sinabi namin na teka, hindi niyo pa po pwedeng ilibing si Marcos habang hindi pa final and executory yung desisyon. Sana suportahan po ng taumbayan ang ganitong paninindigan, maski yung mga pro-Marcos. Kasi kailangan nila ng finality eh, gusto nila yan eh, closure, finality. E paano kung nanalo sa MR, eh ano, ipapahukay natin ‘yan? At saan natin ilalagay ‘yan? Ipapasunog, ganun?”
Behind the scenes: Parents applied for permit
Susan Fernandez, parent of a Batch 2019 student, shared how the parents were able to help in the rally.
“When I read Sir Nat’s FB notice, instinctively, I asked ‘We have a permit for this I presume?’ He didn’t reply then he sent a PM and said he will ask the organizers. When I read that I realized we don’t have, called up my sister who works in QC hall, asked if we can get a permit ASAP since I know that the reglementary period for permits is 5 days prior to the event,” Fernandez said.
She continued, “I was concerned that we will disrupt street traffic and might even be charged with illegal assembly. Even if arrangements had been made with Bantayog, marching from Pisay to BB needs a permit. Anyway, to make my long night going through my network story short- with Bistek and Joy B out of town, I was told to ask Crame, the police station opposite Pisay, or Karingal, called three Generals and I was glad Rey answered my call and told him the story.”
Fernandez was referring to Gen. Reynaldo Torres, also a parent of a Pisay student.
“Rey was likewise concerned and although he supported Ethan’s [his son] choice to join the march, we had to do something about the permit to make the March problem-free. He went to Karingal, filed the necessary permit and, voila, permit granted at 2PM on the day of the March!” Fernandez said.
Social Science teachers Lopez, Bawagan, positive
In his speech, Lopez shared how Martial Law affected his family.
Holding a book, he said, “Ang librong ito ay makikita niyo sa library natin. It is called A Nation Reborn, Kasaysayan: The History of the Filipino People Vol. 9.”
Lopez recited a photo caption from the book, “A picture of torture victim Edwin Lopez as he peers through the van on his way back to his prison cell.”
“Ito ang tatay ko. This is my dad — political prisoner during Martial Law,” Lopez announced.
Lopez shared how his parents separated during that era.
“They were both part of a group na laban kay Marcos. Part sila ng Diliman Commune ng First Quarter Storm. Noong niyaya ni Daddy si Mommy, naiwan kaming dalawang anak niya dito para umakyat sila ng bundok. Hindi kaya ni Mommy,” Lopez said.
Lopez said he was sharing this because “maraming mga tao na hindi dumaan doon na hindi alam, hindi kinikilala, at hindi naniniwala sa mga ganitong uri ng kwento. Martial Law took away from me time from my family. And that time can never be given back to me.”
If his parents’ plan pushed through, he and his siblings were supposed to stay at the house of his father’s friend, former Commission on Human Rights (CHR) of the Aquino III administration Etta Rosales, sister of his fellow Social Science teacher Cristina Bawagan.
“So kung saka-sakali, sa kanila ako lumaki,” Lopez claimed.
Bawagan also spoke in the event. She is a Martial Law survivor who lost her husband in the Marcos regime.
Though many are sad about the SC ruling, after the Unity March, Bawagan said, “Wala akong nararamdamang pagdadalamhati ngayon. And I would be very honest in saying, all I’m feeling is exuberance, jubilation, kagalakan, at pagbubunyi dahil ang tinatalakay natin sa classroom tungkol sa mga pangyayari noong Martial Law at ‘yung pagsisikap ng mga estudyante, ng mga Pisay iskolar para labanan ang diktadurya, nangyayari na naman ngayon at very, very historical event ito sa Pisay.”
She continued, “I think we can turn a bad thing, which is the decision of the Supreme Court into a good thing. And at this point, it has already turned into a good thing.”
Lopez recounted how one of his students from Batch ’94 in PSHS-MC asked him how he can better serve the country. Lopez said that he missed those days ”kasi kapag nakikipag-usap na ako sa estudyante ngayon, ang pinag-uusapan ay ‘yung pinakahuli nilang napanuod. Train to Busan. Maganda naman, pero distraction.”
However, Lopez immediately declared, “But I believe that those days are not lost. Those days are just asleep within you. Remember the child is father to the man. The oak inhabits the acorn. The person you will become, you are already becoming. Those days are just asleep within you. And the fact that you have made the decision to be part of this Unity Walk tells us something: That we can entrust the future to you.”
Rally draws mixed reactions from parents
Fernandez shared, “Reaction of parents: mixed. Personally, I agreed immediately. It’s an opportunity I can’t pass on. I was wondering how I can bring my kids to the streets and I’m thankful for the school to be spearheading the march.”
Still, she said, “some parents outright dismissed the idea, and was opposed to HS students marching in the streets. One of them even argued with me and messaged me continuously. He said Pisay students should focus on studies instead of marching — to study hard so that they can figure out how to change the future through science and technology.”
Rebong also explained, “Hindi siya finorce na ‘Uy, ganito stand namin,” pero more on rechanneling ang mga activities na sa tingin natin mas makakatulong sa bawat isang mga maninindigan na lalong umigting yung panininindigan na against Marcos burial.”
Rebong shared that Tacuboy III, the DSA chief, told her about how there were parents calling the office over concerns with the rally.
“Sir Nat said that that UB, may mga tumatawag na raw na mga magulang doon sinasabi ‘Bakit daw dinadamay yung mga bata?’ ‘Yun ‘yung concern. Sa DSA, sa Guidance din meron. Sinabi niya na ‘May parents’ consent naman po, at may kakayahan naman po yung mga batang gumawa ng sarili nilang desisyon,’” Rebong said.
Rebong continued, “Marami talaga ‘yung gusto sumama. Marami nga sa mga estudyante ko nagsasabi ‘Ma’am, di ako pinayagan,’ pero naka- black tag pa rin sila [bilang suporta].”
Rebong explained, “Ginagalang pa rin natin yung authority ng mga magulang doon sa mga bata. Ako, ‘pag titingnan ko siya bilang reaction ng mga magulang. Sabi ko, normal. Normal na reaction na matakot. Normal na reaksyon gustong pigilan kasi of course, ‘yung first instinct niyan is to safeguard ‘yung children nila.”
After everything, Rebong is just grateful that things turned out well.
The day after the Unity March, Andres posted again in Pisay Direct ‘16/’17, telling the students who attended to thank their parents, and:
“Not joining the march does not make you a lesser person. Let’s respect regardless of beliefs and convictions. Here in FB we hear different opinions that may differ from our own. When that happens, let us all learn to respectfully agree to disagree. Words spoken with respect are a lot stronger than truth spoken in contempt. Ingat-ingat lang.”
