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| BAHAGHARI. Morning after the burning on Sunday night, Jan 12, 2014 |
I got a phone call from my Manang caretaker last Saturday night. She nervously told me that while she was away early that evening, a man barged in through the backdoor that led to the kitchen of my beach house in Brgy. Amoingon, Boac, Marinduque. It's a two-storey home of wood and concrete in what's known as Bahaghari beach, where I've lived during the last 22 years.
Two young girls were staying with Manang in the house, one her granddaughter, the other a friend of the girl from the neighborhood. The girls have recently decided to stay with her for company.
As I was told, seeing the intruder inside the house the girls got so scared that they instinctively ran to their bedroom and locked the door. They did not recognize who the man was, a stranger, described briefly as someone 'tall, thin, wearing sunglasses, black shoes and carrying a handbag', the girls said. But the man had left when Manang came back to the house.
I've been out of Marinduque for sometime now feeling it has become a very dangerous place for me to live in. I told Manang to report it to the barangay as soon as possible, to make the community officials aware of the intrusion and for them to take the appropriate measure, if they may.
"Manong, gusto ko sanang nandito ka talaga pero hindi na bale, huwag na huwag ka munang mauwi at baka talagang may mangyari nang masama sa iyo", she stated firmly. "Kami na lamang muna dito, bahala na kami".
Morning came, the barangay hall was closed, she patiently waited, and sometime during the day a kagawad, probably the day officer, arrived and Manang's complaint was recorded. I got this advice from a concerned friend Manang had approached for assistance.
Sunday evening came. About 10:30 pm I got a call from the same friend, who rushed to Bahaghari upon hearing the news. He saw the last of the shocking burning scene still with intense smoke rising. I have to be strong, he said, because my house has just been burned down completely and is still on fire as he spoke. Firefighters and the police were there, he said, but it's too late to do anything, they're investigating now.
My friend handed over his cellphone to Manang so we could talk but the terrified lady was crying so loud that she could hardly speak and was almost incoherent. I had to resume the conversation with my friend. No one was hurt, I was told, nothing was saved except the clothes Manang and the girls had on.
Prior to this incident, there have been several intrusions inside my perimeter fence by some unknown men. This started during the election campaign period. A couple of those incidents have, likewise, been reported to the barangay. Those men were there to harass and intimidate me/us, throwing stones into my home, looking for me secretly some nights or openly during the day as reported by witnesses.
Many people have warned me to be 'very careful' of my movements because a supposed death threat targeting me according to their information has been hatched. This was supposed to have transpired in a secret meeting by those who don't like me, but it was somehow leaked through various sources.
It could be just a scare tactic, I wanted to believe then. Then, vicious black propaganda were soon hurled against me through campaign flyers, and a few times, even through tabloids that are nationally circulated, with photocopies of the story distributed throughout the island.
I am not a candidate for any elective office. Never was and never will be in my lifetime. I'm just a cultural worker, a community theater director/playwright, volunteer worker, researcher, media practitioner, have also worked from time to time as tourism consultant for local LGU's, and an 'unknown blogger' like some would label me as.
But we couldn't escape local political issues here and so I write about the things I see in my home province. Fighting for Truth is what matters most to me, and this I do pursue when lies seem to have reached their apex and could no longer be tolerated and for as long as validated facts are on hand.
I have responded through this blog, especially so during the past week, by correcting lies that continue to be spread throughout the nation now in a seeming new wave of deception that tends to hold a country hostage and infects others.
Now, do I believe that this burning of my house is an attempt to silence me or shut me down? To keep the right information from being heard? Based on things that have transpired and a long string of many more related incidents for quite sometime now, I firmly and personally believe that it is quite evident. I, who was not born yesterday.
Many thanks to those who have called me upon hearing this frightful news to express their sorrow and sympathy, they who believe that this unknown blogger would never dream of propagating lies like the lies that some evil doers oft repeat.
Thank you. May God Bless Us All!
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| My Bahaghari Home. Christmas 2011 |
