By Rosario Brenda Gonzalez
The year started quite well
With hope and joy
Without knowing that somewhere
A resolution was already made
Of alleged violations of a most controversial law
Which appeared quite often in the news then
How is it that a hearing was undertaken
Without the accused knowing it,
Worse, a decision was made
What, and how, and I don’t know
The countless other questions pounding on my head
Because one of those accused —
I did not understand, I do not understand
I first refused to accept,
Then I could no longer deny,
Is none other than myself
Gathered in a message from a colleague
Of an excerpt from a legal document
Stating criminal complaints against
34 of us, 2 of whom are victims of enforced disappearance
Another of those trumped-up cases so common
It hit me then as it hit me now
Deceit envelope those filing charges
For they have nothing by way of evidence and witnesses
Unauthenticated photos from a periodic review
Unnamed rebel returnees’ so-called testimonies
Hundreds are incarcerated in our congested jails
Of men and women whose dedication to people’s causes
Remain steadfast and admirable
It is in their honor, and those of the many others before them
That we must fight this monstrosity
To stop
The dangerous path of stifling dissent
Creating a culture of fear and impunity
Before the courts, in the streets, in the legislature
And in this,
How to go about a piece of paper
With ridiculous allegations
Let me breathe
Beginnings cannot turn sour
For to set the pace is to hear the chimes,
The sweetest sound
In this fight of ours
It’s not as if it is the first
And it will certainly not be the last
So, onwards!
= = = = =
This human rights week, we start publishing the poetess’ poems as a victim of trumped up charges by the State using the weaponized Anti-Terrorism Law of 2020. The charges have since been junked by the Malolos RTC.
Rosario Brenda Gonzalez is a long-time development worker. A BA Journalism graduate of UP Diliman, Ms. Gonzalez has been a project evaluator and development management trainer for more than three decades. Prior to that, she was a human rights and church worker.
