A Letter from Ms. Lilian de Vera
3:49 AM Saturday, March 28, 2009Received this in my e-mail. It's embarassing to be so out of it that you forget such tragedies that happened to normal people... and nothing can be sadder about justice not being served.
Spread the word.
Two months ago I considered myself as one of those blessed and happiest people
on earth. Why not? I married a guy who was an epitome of kindness. A guy who
worshipped even the footsteps I made. More importantly, our union blessed us
with a daughter who not only became the main source of our happiness..more so;
she was the center of our lives.
We're simple folks who led a simple life. We felt the happiest even about
mundane things and inconsequential ones that most people would only take for
granted. Our joy mostly revolved on simple pleasures like a sudden trip to
Jollibee or a late night marauding of the fridge for any leftovers. A perfect
family with simple delights, dreams and aspirations...until that fateful night
on December 5, 2008.The day my husband and daughter were taken away from me in a
very violent way. That Friday night on December 5, 2008 marked the beginning of
all the terror, anguish and misery in my life.
In keeping with my ritual or "panata" on every first Friday of every month, I
went to Quiapo Church on the above mentioned date to pay homage and respect to
the Almighty One. My husband and daughter were supposed to pick me up in Pasay
City after which we planned on giving our daughter a treat to Jollibee. While
riding the jeep, I tried to call my husband to tell him that I was on my way to
our meeting place. But despite all the calls I made, my husband remained silent.
A very unusual occurrence inasmuch as he seldom missed my calls. Despite my
trepidation and wonder, I took the next jeep going home and prayed that
everything was alright. I even promised to myself that I would forgive my
husband for not answering my calls and for forgetting to pick me up.
I felt relieved when near our place my phone rung. Such relief was somehow only
momentary..in fact the phone call I got was the bearer of the worst news in my
entire life. My helper called, only to tell me that my husband and daughter
were shot to death by "men in uniform". The same men who were sworned to protect
innocent people from bad guys brutally slew the two most important persons in my
life. They were the same men whose sacred duty was to preserve the lives of the
public against all harm and danger. Yet...they were the same men who murdered my
love ones in the most cruel, savage and inhuman way.
My husband's face was unrecognizable because he was shot in the head at close
range while he was kneeling with his head bowed down. My daughter's young body
was riddled with bullets, one hit her head, blowing her brains out.., all from
too powerful guns and ammunitions fired by the "men in uniform" on two innocent
and defenseless persons.
The "men in uniform" were allegedly on a mission to take some gang of robbers
victimizing people at large. The police shot the crosswind van my husband and
daughter were riding Based on some witnesses' narration, the police sprayed
bullets into the van despite the lack of provocation or shots coming from the
van. In his last effort to save their lives, my husband grabbed my bloodied
daughter and shielded her with his body while trying to run away from the police
and tried to get cover from a parked jeepney My husband and daughter were so
defenseless. How can you mistake a child for a robber? How can you shot at
someone who was already kneeling with head bowed, an indication of helplessness.
My husband and daughter are gone...forever. The pain I feel for their lost is
too much too bear. And the only thing that motivates me to go on with life is
the mission to seek justice for their senseless killing. If the people who are
responsible for their death will be punished, if I could bring them the justice
they so richly deserve, my pain would be alleviated. The misery I will live by
will be lessened. My husband and daughter will be vindicated and I will learn to
live the remaining years of my life in peace..
Thus: I'm asking and begging everyone who will come across this letter/e-mail to
forward the same to all your relatives, friends, and acquaintances. . Help me
bring my cause to the eyes of the people capable of steering the wheel of
justice to the right direction. Help me make the loudest cry worthy of attention
by those people in-charge in rendering justice to those who deserve it.
Strength comes in numbers; it is where the impossible becomes possible. It is
also where the unattainable becomes achievable.
My heartfelt gratitude for everyone who will take a moment in their too busy
lives and forward this letter/e-mail to everyone they know. May God always
protect you and your love ones from all harm.
Lilian de Vera
This is the first time I heard of this,. Was this in the papers? on the news? Is CHR on her case already? Tsk.
Vera 7:14 PM
Have you heard about Charlene Santos? How about Tara Santelices? For those who always watch news, these names should be familiar. Charlene is a 27 yrs old call center employee who graduated from UP Diliman and was shot dead as not to take her cell phone during a robbery inside as FX Taxi. Tara, 23 yrs old Atenista was shot in the head by a .38 cal revolver on the eve of her birthday. The alleged assailant, a burly looking man in his 40's who remains at large.
How I knew Tara? My sister Cherry told me her story. Tara was critical when she brought in the Medical City. After hearing the story, my sympathies kindled for Tara and anger for those culprits. Who would have thought two months after what happened to Tara, we would also be the victims of those evil men. Sad part, it happened inside our house.
As I am about to start this column I chose not to elaborate further, what happened on the night of October 7, 2008. I just want to pay tribute to the bravest woman I have ever known. I want her memories fill this page intended for my thoughts. Through this simple way, I want to thank her for saving our lives.
Five-armed men brandishing .38 cal revolver and 9mm, broke into our house and hogtied us. After divesting our personal belongings, suspect tried to rape my younger sister who at that time is sleeping in the second floor of our house. But my sister Cherry begged and said "ako na lang wag nyo ng gagalawin ang kapatid ko", when my sister refused to give in to the suspect's lust, and shouted "tulungan nyo kami!" She was shot three times in the head, stomach, and leg.
I never got the chance to talk to her unlike my other siblings and parents. The "tulungan nyo kami" is the last words I heard from her. Papa, tearfully recalled how my sister begged him while she was in the Medical City "Papa, uwi nyo na ko, pagod na pagod na ako" when I heard from my mother that may sister is conscious, I have a strong faith that she will survive. I know how strong she was to fight for her life; she did all she can to survive in the operation. She held on so long to endure the pain of her wounds. By 12:20pm, my family took me to the Medical City on the excuse that I have to donate blood for my sister. However, at the back of my mind, I have a feeling that she already surrenders her life into hands of God. As I set foot in the promenade of medical City, I saw my father crying, He embrace my younger sister, and asked me to go to the ICU. I saw the doctor reviving her. I can't take the pain of seeing her from that situation. I turned my back. Someone told me "wag ka naman ganyan, lumalaban pa ate mo".
My sister, a 23 yrs old graduate of Rizal Technological University, and a medical City employee finally bid goodbye at exactly 12:40pm of October 8, 2008, as if saying, "IT IS FINISHED"
The last moment of her life, she never got a chance to introduce to us her boyfriend for three years. As much as possible she wants her private life to be literally private even to her family. We met her boyfriend beside her lifeless body; the best friend of my sister introduced him to us. It was the saddest but very inspiring love story that ever revealed to me.
Losing my sister was the lowest part of our lives. What happened to us made me realized how cruel some people are these days. We get hold of so much sympathy for my sister but this time we need JUSTICE.
The criminals continue to roam freely. If justice will not be served, I know that divine justice will. But no one can fill up the gap, the emptiness we had in our hearts.
"One day in some far off place, I will recognize your face, I will not say goodbye Ate, for you and I will meet again. Thank you saving us. If fate will lead me to the place where you are now, the first thing I will do is to hug you. I will never get tired saying how much I love you. No more tears, no more worries, and no more pains."
Anonymous 2:53 PM
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