BagongPinay - Sigaw ng Mutya (Cry of the Muse) What is LILA Pilipina?

BagongPinay re-publishes the e-mail of Evelina Galang(Spring of 2000):

BagongPinay On Activism: When we heed the needs of our fellow man we become closer not only to society, but also to God... the universe...to our Higher Self. We find that our consciousness expands.

My name is M. Evelina Galang and I’m the author of HER WILD AMERICAN SELF. I spent the summer in the Philippines researching my project DALAGA. My team and I worked extensively with the lolas of LILA Pilipina. The lolas are surviving comfort women of WWII. Japanese soldiers abducted many of them when they were as young as thirteen years of age and forced them into garrisons to serve as military sex slaves. The lolas of LILA Pilipina have come forward in the last few years to confront their attackers and to demand justice from the Japanese government through compensation. They have stood before the courts of Japan, have been denied and are, in the process of a formal appeal. The lolas are now in their sixties, seventies and eighties, and while their bodies are old, their spirits are strong, are loud, are young. They fight for their justice on a daily basis. Recently, they attended a rally to protest action at the Third Asean Informal Summit at the PICC. About sixty lolas along with LILA Pilipina and Gabriela Network volunteers boarded jeepneys in an attempt to make themselves known to delegates of the Third Asean Informal Summit, including Japanese Prime Minister Keiko Obuchi. For the lolas, it was especially important to make their presence known to Prime Minister Obuchi in order to air their grievances and to continue their fight.

During the protest, one of the lolas, 74 year old Lola Lucia Alvarez suffered a cerebral stroke. Subsequently she went into a five-day coma and died on December 3rd at 4:20. Her death is a direct result of the abuse of the Philippine National Police.

Once the lolas arrived at the PICC, they were met by a blockade of police who would not allow them to protest, and encouraged the lolas to make a silent protest. Volunteers of LILA Pilipina were able to negotiate five minutes for the lolas and as they disembarked from the jeepneys, and pulled out their placards and bullhorn, PNP Officer Cabigon ordered them to evacuate. The police lined up, holding out their shields. They demanded the lolas retreat by the count of five or they would be forced to, in their words “hurt” the lolas. “Masaktan kayo!” they yelled. Some of the police were armed with guns. The lolas began moving, but they weren’t moving fast enough for the police. “Tulak! Tulak!” the police yelled to one another. (Push, push) Ritchie Extremadura, head of LILA, told the police to be patient with the lolas as they moved into the jeepneys. They’re old, she told them, they cannot move quickly. Still they pushed, and pushed. During this time, Lola Lucia was heard saying, “Ninerbyos ako dahil sa pulis.” The police are making me nervous.

After the lolas boarded the jeepneys, the drivers were told by the police to stay on Roxas Boulevard. The jeepneys began to take the sixty lolas away, but were caught in heavy traffic. During this time more police stopped the caravan, claiming the drivers were not licensed to be in the area. They confiscated the licenses of the drivers and threatened to arrest them. The lolas told the police they would not take the drivers alone, they would have arrest them too.

The jeepneys were lead to a local Police station in Pasay City where the lolas took advantage of a vacant lot nearby and began their program of protest. During this time, Lola Lucia felt severe pains in her neck and her head. When staff members requested the police release one of the drivers and jeepney to take Lola Lucia to the hospital, they refused, saying it was not their commander’s orders. She would have to wait. The Philippine National Police detained Lola Lucia fifteen more minutes after her attack.

Finally, Maribel, a staff member of LILA was able to secure a taxi and took Lola Lucia to San Juan de Dios Hospital in Pasay City. Even as she was being taken to ICU, Lola Lucia was saying, “Gusto kong lumaban!” I want to fight. Shortly after her arrival at the hospital, Lola Lucia slipped into her five-day coma.

Many of the lolas are angry at the treatment and abuse of this most current incident. Lola Anastacia Fortes said, “We witnessed the same violence, the same brutality we suffered in the hands of the Japanese soldiers. We were once more stripped of our dignity.” Lola Fedencia David added, “We want justice. What does the Estrada government give us in return? Estrada has not in any way extended his support to the lolas, now he has responded to our cries with violence, with further injustice.

He gives first-class treatment to his foreign guests and treats us like rags, he treats us like criminals. Perhaps he is unaware that he is host to a Prime Minister of a nation, who is more of a criminal, as Japan still refuses to recognize the crimes committed against humanity over 54 years ago.”

Lola Lucia was living in the Lola House in Quezon City. While the other lolas had their homes and families to retreat to, Lola Lucia had no where else to live. We knew her as a tiny woman who ran the errands for the Lola House without complaint. She’d run off on foot up the hill at a moment’s notice. During our stay in the Philippines, she got close to the dalagas (the young women on my trip) for they’d join her on her walks. Or they’d sneak off with her to have a cigarette. Or we’d dance with her in the company of the other lolas.

There is no money for her burial, or for the time she stayed at thehospital.

I’ve spoken with LILA Pilipina, and they have just arrived from the Commission on Human Rights. They are demanding an investigation into the behavior of the Philippine National Police. The lolas are seeking justice once more. They are asking the PNB to take the responsibility for Lola Lucia’s untimely death. They seek the resignation of the head of the PNP. Secondly, they are asking for funds to cover Lola Lucia’s medication and burial.

I’m writing you not only to inform you of this atrocity, but also to ask you to help in any way you can.

What can we do?

1. Spread the word to everyone you know.

2. Donate money to Lola Lucia's burial and hospital fund

You may write or send donations or call: LILA-PILIPINA-GABRIELA

TELEFAX 433-5061 ADDRESS: 49 Matimtiman St. Central Dsit. QC Philippines3.

Write letters of protest and appeal to the following:

GEN. PANFILO LACSON Philippine National Police
Camp Crame, EDSA, QC COMMISSIONER AURORA RECINA
Commission on Human Rights Commonwealth Ave,Diliman,QC
PRES.JOSEPH ESTRADA Malacanang Palace Manila, Philippines
HONORABLE MANUEL VILLAR Speaker of the House
11th Congress of the Philippines House of Representatives
Batasang Pambansa, Batasan Road Quezon City, Philippines
HONORABLE MAMINTAL M. ADIONG 11th Congress of the Philippines
Batasang Pambansa, Batasan Road Quezon City, Philippines
Committee on Human Rights 11th Congress of the Philippines
Batasang Pambansa, Batasan Road Quezon City, Philippines

The family has just brought Lola Lucia’s body back to Samar for burial You should have known her. She was a small woman who liked to sneak out of the green gates to light up. Mia, one of our dalagas was fond of sneaking out with her. She once brought out of photo of her own lola and showed it to Lola Lucy because she was sure there was a resemblance. During our stay there, Lola Lucy was quiet at first. Then we coaxed her into a drama and she played Tara's novio (boyfriend). The lolas teased Lola Lucy saying, "What kind of novio carries a py py (fan)?"

On the last week of our stay, Lola Lucia revealed her story, her abduction by the Japanese soldiers to us. It broke her heart to tell us, she said, but she tells it so that it may never happen again. This is our Lola Lucy. And these lolas fighting for justice? Our lolas too. That the they are still experiencing brutal abuse after all they've been through, after all they have survived, and in their old age when their lives should come to some sense of peace breaks my heart. Angers me. All I can say is join the lolas in their fight for justice. LABAN! is the cry of the women at LILA Pilipina. It means FIGHT! So please send letters to the agencies above. LABAN!

All best,

M. Evelina Galang

megalang@uswest.net

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