A daughter of one of the 32 slain journalists in the Maguindanao massacre shared their family’s 10-year struggles and hardships while pursuing justice for her father.
Mayang, daughter of the late Manila Bulletin reporter Alejandro “Bong” Reblando, one of the massacre victims, is praying hard for a positive judgment in today’s promulgation.
“I just pray that the court will give a fair judgment at ‘wag po sana silang magbulagbulagan at ‘wag po sana silang magpadala if ever na babayaran or tatakutin po sila. Kasi ‘yan nalang po kinakapitan naming mga pamilyang naulila, ang totoo at karapat-dapat na hustisya para sa mga mahal namin sa buhay,” Mayang told Tempo in a chat.
She also wished for the apprehension of the remaining suspects who have managed to evade the law for 10 long years.
“Hopefully, ‘yung iba pa pong hindi nahuli sana mahuhuli na rin po; so that their inhumane and heartless actions will be stopped,” she said.
“It should stop there na po dahil ang dami na pong namatay at ang dami na pong pamilyang nasawak sa kagagawan po nila,” added the 31-year-old Mayang.
She was only 21 years old and a second year college student at the Mindanao State University when she lost her father to the Maguindanao massacre on Nov. 23, 2009.
A total of 58 people, 32 of them journalists, including Reblando, died a gruesome death on that fateful day.
The victims were supposed to witness the filing of the candidacy for governor of then Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu.
Mayang recalled she was the one who broke the news of her father’s death to her mother Myrna.
“At that time, we had a call over the phone from my sister-in-law, Beauty Reblando, from Koronadal City that she heard the news about the abduction and dad’s name was included,” Mayang said.
“I was in shock when I heard about what happened,” Mayang said “I didn’t know what to do. I had to grasp and collect my thoughts before I was able to tell mom.”
Myrna was on her way home from their downtown family rice and retail store when her daughter broke the news.
“I really didn’t know how to tell her what happened. There was no easy way to tell her,” Mayang said.
CONSTANT THREATS
The incident totally changed their life as a family, she said, because fear tailed them as her mother started pursuing charges against the suspects.
She said there have been constant threats on their life ever since her father died.
“My mom received a black ribbon in the front gate of our house,” Reblando recounted.
“Lagi pong may nagmamasid sa harap ng bahay naming, without plates po ang car. Some were asking about our whereabouts from our neighbors.”
The worst threat was when one of the police escorts assigned to her mother had a direct contact with the suspects.
“He (the escort) said na palabasin na lang daw po namin na pinatay na si mom and he will collect the bounty from mom’s head,” Mayang bared.
A day after that, the matriarch escaped to Hong Kong with her youngest daughter. “Since summer of 2011 po ‘yun,” she recalled.
She said her mom and sister stayed for six years in Hong Kong, where they were given refugee cards.
At present, they are somewhere in the US waiting for their green cards and documents.
“My mom and sister received help and assistance from dad’s friend, a media man,” Mayang said.
“Even my brothers and sisters, we were scattered all over, going from one place to another,” she added. “We were constantly afraid for our safety. There’s even a bounty at stake for my mom’s head.”
For the past eight years now, Mayang said she has not seen her mom and her youngest sister.
“But hopefully, after the verdict, sana magkakasama na po kaming pamilya,” she said.
ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
Her father’s death and the subsequent separation from her mother and siblings have forced her to stop working because of her anxiety and depression.
“I got married two years after dad died and that was in 2011,” she said.” I still have no child up to now because of my illness.”
She is the sixth child of the seven children of the Reblando couple. Mayang admitted she even tried to commit suicide once.
Until this day, Mayang refuses to be seen and identified in the newspapers, much more in social media, because she still fears for her life. “I’m still afraid for my safety and my husband’s, as well,” she said.
Mayang is looking forward to a positive court decision on the case. “I’m hopeful and praying, yet, I’m still anxious about our safety knowing that their immediate relatives are still inside the politics in their province.”
‘DADDY WAS
EVERYTHING TO ME’
She insists that she has forgiven all of the accused.
“But I hope that they will repent from all of their sins. But of course, the pain still remains and the fact that our daddy is gone,” said Mayang as he admitted she’s a daddy’s girl.
“My dad is everything to me. He is the kind of dad na iiwanan niya po ang ka-meeting niya or work niya po if may problema or kelangan po siya ng asawa or mga anak niya. I cannot forget everything about him pero ang di ko po talaga makakalimutan ‘yung kung gaano po siya ka prayerful and very religious that he do not miss the Sunday Mass at church, and ‘yung lagi niya pong sinasabi saken before na mas mabuti na raw po ‘yung ikaw nag-aabot ng tulong kesa ikaw po ang humihingi ng tulong.”
“And couple of weeks before he died he said to us that when he dies the whole world will remember his death,” Mayang said. (Ronniel C. de Guzman)
