Remembering Thomasian Heroes during the 50th Anniversary of Martial Law Declaration

Photo by Benjie Layug

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law by Ferdinand Marcos Sr. The era of Martial Law must be remembered as one of the nation’s darkest days; dissent was silenced, thousands of people were tortured, many of those who fought against the administration disappeared, and tyranny ran the country. As students of the University of Santo Tomas, we must especially commemorate the Thomasian martyrs whose names are carved on the Wall of Remembrance at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani. The following are some of the Thomasians who were committed to fighting for freedom and the truth.  Let us give tribute and commemorate their dedication and sacrifice. The full profiles of the people mentioned below can be found in the Bantayog Foundation website.

 

Reynante Andal 

Photo from Bantayog Foundation

In 1968, Rey was enrolled in the university with a scholarship under the Political Science course. He was described as an effective and charismatic leader who gave fiery speeches and made friends with student activists no matter their ideology.  Andal was involved with several organizations; he helped found the Kilusang Kristiyano ng Kabataang Pilipino (3KP) within UST, he was a part of Samahang Demokratiko ng Kabataan (SDK), in 1970 he was one of the founding members of Kapulungan ng Sandigan ng Pilipinas (KASAPI), and in 1971 he organized and spearheaded the Samahan ng mga Kabataan sa Ikauunlad ng mga Tsuper. Rey was also active in the participation of activities that helped communities, in 1971 he organized activities to help survivors and witnesses of the Bantay, Ilocos Sur incident. Also in that same year, he took part in relief operations in Central Luzon.  

Rey had stopped attending classes by the middle of 1972 in order to focus more on organizing. When martial law was declared, Rey with some of his friends headed for the hills of Mindoro. Similar to his father who was a guerilla that fought against Japanese occupation during World War II. Not long after, however, he was killed by soldiers of Task Force Lawin; with him were Antonio Pastorfide, Rene Julao, and Dante Perez. Rey died at the age of 21. During his wake his mother wrapped a Philippine flag on his coffin and sang “Bayan Ko,”a song that she often heard him sing.  

Alfredo Cezar

Photo from Bantayog Foundation

Alfredo had already been a cum laude graduate of UST when he went back into education to study theology and canon law. The events of the First Quarter Storm attracted him during his last days in UST, which later influenced him into joining Kilusang Kristiyano ng Kabataang Pilipino (3KP). With him joining 3KP he participated in study sessions and integration trips to urban poor areas. Later on he became a teacher at Sta. Catalina College where he served as adviser to the student paper. 

When martial was declared, he returned to his hometown in Bolinao, Pangasinan where he tried to organize his province. During his stay in Bolinao, he worked quietly with local church people and provided refuge to activists that were evading arrests at that time. He left his hometown in 1974 as repression escalated and joined a research team based in Baguio City that conducted social investigation on socioeconomic and political conditions in the Cordilleras. His research team’s output “Northwestern Luzon Regional Social Investigation 1980” served as a handbook to activists even years after. After that project, he became a parish priest organizer for Fr. Zacarias Agatep who advocated for the rights and welfare of tobacco farmers in Ilocos Sur. He eventually joined the armed resistance of the region and became known as Ka Darwin. He was killed together with Fr. Agatep during a dawn raid by soldiers. 

Armando Mendoza 

Photo from Bantayog Foundation

While Armando was studying at UST he also worked as an employee at the First Continental Assurance Company. He joined Kabataang Makabayan (KM) UST chapter and later became one of its leading members. As a member of KM he organized other chapters in nearby schools and communities.

When martial law was declared he left the university and lived with the farmers of rural Batangas. He organized and taught the farmers and sugarcane workers in Batangas about the realities of martial law. He also taught them to organize and fight for their rights to reasonable working conditions and the right to own the land that they tilled. By 1973, he became known as an underground activist and was a target of military intelligence, but still managed to visit his family in Manila.  

In May 1974, soldiers raided his family's house which ceased communication with Armando. But in September, someone called his mother Gregoria saying Armando was detained in a military camp in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. A family friend found Armando in prison where he looked dirty and bore signs of torture. In December, he was transferred to Camp Vicente Lim and the following month his visitors were told that he escaped prison with eight others. A year passed with no news of him, and until December 1975 their family received news that he was re-arrested and killed with three other people in Lucena, Quezon, in October 1975. His family was never able to recover his body.  

Antonio Mijares 

Photo from Bantayog Foundation

Antonio, also called Diore, used to live with his family right next to a municipal jail. In the early times of martial law he would hear suspects cry and get beaten up. He would sometimes slip them ginger ale and pandesal for breakfast. Diore excelled in drama, oratory and pingpong. He was a student activist and a member of League of Filipino Students - UST chapter. Diore moved back to his hometown Aklan and joined the staff of Aklan College’s campus paper. He also helped organize the College Editors’ Guild of the Philippines’ Aklan chapter. 

Unfortunately, he fell under military suspicion and was questioned by the local commander; the commander tried to recruit him to spy on his classmates and his town. Diore refused, instead he organized in the hills of Aklan and Antique. On April 20, 1984 he was captured and killed. Diore died at the age of 22. 

Manuel Ontong

Photo from Bantayog Foundation

Manuel graduated from UST in 1967 with a degree in fine arts. The Art Association of the Philippines cited him as the “Best Expression of the Filipino Soul.” In 1970, he joined the Samahang Demokratiko ng Kabataan and he also joined Sining Bayan. He actively participated in the First Quarter Storm. Before becoming an activist, he was an artist-illustrator for the National Museum. 

In 1971, when the writ of habeas corpus was suspended, he was arrested with other activists for one week. Because of that incident that traumatized his mother, he got a job as an artist-illustrator at the Philippine Council for Agricultural Research and Resource Development. Manny opted to quietly create posters and artworks that expressed the people’s anger under martial law. 

On November 26, 1975, his family was anonymously tipped that Manny had been picked up by men in civilian clothes and taken away in an army jeep in front of the Philippine General Hospital along Taft Avenue in Manila. His mother searched for him from one detention center to another but was never able to find him. Manuel was 29 years old when he disappeared. 

Remembering those who struggled before us. 

Let us look back at Martial Law as a time of tyranny and military harassment that pushed many into organizing underground. We pay tribute to these Thomasians and all the other martyrs and heroes who had the compassion, bravery, and commitment to have fought for what is right. Remember the people that had to sacrifice and struggle to achieve democracy and freedom for this country. We must never forget the atrocities and crimes that were committed against the people during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. 

Hold the line against historical distortion. We must resist. We must never forget. 

#ML50
#NeverAgain

#NeverForget