Historians elect prexy

The Philippine Historical Association (PHA) elected University of the Philippines- Manila Professor Celestina Boncan as its president during the organization’s  general assembly at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila last 29 January 2012.

Boncan was PHA president from 2006 to 2008. She is co-author of the book The Filipino Saga: History as Social Change (with Rosario Cortes and Ricardo Jose). She received a Fulbright research scholarship and a Rockefeller Foundation fellowship.

In 2007, she was the Outstanding Faculty for Extension Service of UP Manila.  In 2008, she was awarded as Centennial Faculty Grantee of UP Manila.

She also went on secondment at the National Historical Institute (now National Historical Commission of the Philippines) as Chief of  the Research, Publications and Heraldry Division (2008-2009).

At present, she is associate professor at the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of the Philippines in  Manila.

Also elected to the Board of Governors are:

Dr. Evelyn A. Songco (University of Santo Tomas), Executive Director

Prof. Arleigh Ross D. Dela Cruz (De La Salle University), Vice President

Prof. Jerome A. Ong (UP Manila), Secretary

Dr. Estrellita Muhi, Treasurer

Prof. Mary Dorothy DL Jose (UP Manila), Auditor

Prof. Jonathan C. Balsamo (Heroes Square/Enderun Colleges), Public Relations Officer

Prof. Michael Charleston B. Chua (De La Salle University), Governor

Dr. Evelyn A. Miranda (UP Diliman), Governor

Dr. Teofista L. Vivar, Governor

Dr. Luis Camara Dery (De La Salle University), Governor

Eminent historians Fr. Horacio dela Costa SJ, Encarnacion Alzona, Gabriel Fabella, Gregorio Zaide, Nicolas Zafra, Celedonio Resurreccion, Teodoro Agoncilllo and Esteban de Ocampo founded the PHA in 1955.

It  is a national professional and honorary association of historians and history teachers affiliated with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the Philippine Social Science Council.

Impeachment for nitwits

by Hernan S. Melencio

Sick of the times? Frustrated about what you see going on around you but could not make heads or tails of them, especially the vituperations of that lady senator on TV and the octogenarian gentleman copying her hairstyle?

Well, you’re not alone. I myself am confused and confounded. So I made some quick and shallow research to help me understand some of the things being mentioned by talking heads. I intentionally oversimplified some of them to help me in my quest for clarity.

This of course is not complete, but it’s a start.

Impeachment: The process resorted to by people who have grown tired of replacing their leaders via marches and rallies at EDSA. It’s a long, long process but hey, it’s more entertaining than That’s Entertainment or the usual soap opera we see on the telly.

The downside is ordinary people like you and me have no direct part in the prosecution but we can watch and send smart-alecky comments on twitter and Facebook.

The upside is, yes, we can send smart-alecky comments on twitter and Facebook against people in and out of the impeachment court that get our goats. All in the comfort of our room or office or toilet. No need to get hot and smelly attending street demonstrations.

Who’s being impeached? If you have been busy trying to make ends meet with the almost daily rise in oil prices and basic commodities, you are forgiven to have asked this question. It’s Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Why? It depends on who you ask. Aquino haters will tell you it’s about the Hacienda Luisita. They say he got pissed when the Supreme Court headed by Corona ruled – after a bit of flip-flopping – that hacienda land must be distributed to farmers and stock distribution is a no-no. So he gathered all his allies in the House of Representatives – which is the only body allowed to impeach a government official – to punish the guy for his impertinence.

Aquino supporters, on the other hand, will tell you Corona had it coming when he accepted a “midnight appointment” from her former boss Gloria Arroyo. He is Arroyo’s ticket to freedom, so it is imperative for PNoy’s anti-corruption gang that Corona be removed for the efforts to “put the little girl to prison” to succeed. It just so happened that 188 congressmen think the same way and they moved to impeach the guy.

There are other opinions out there, of course, but they are just variations of these two. Some people want the entire membership of Supreme Court to be impeached because they all participated in decisions being questioned, others warn of “judicial crisis,” etc., etc.

Whatever, there is no turning back. The senators have formed themselves into an “impeachment court” and called themselves senator-judges and wore the ridiculous red robes to prove they mean business.

Flexibility, technicality, liberality. Not anywhere like the French revolution’s fraternite, egalite and liberte, but I could not help thinking about it. Sorry. The “flexibility” and “liberality,” of course, are the things being asked by the prosecution of the senators. They just mean “don’t ask us too many questions or else this process will drag on forever,” which the senators and the defense are not willing to grant. The “technicality” issue is mostly addressed to Corona’s battery of “battle-tested” advocates who would engage into all sorts of nitpicking at the drop of a nit, er, hat.

OMG. This is what presiding officer Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile said upon hearing that the prosecution has lined up 100 witnesses.

OMG too. This is everyone’s reaction upon hearing that the rules adopted by the Senate allows only that prosecution finish presentation of evidence and witnesses from articles of impeachment one to eight before the defense gets to present theirs from one to eight also. The second week of the trial is almost over and they are not finished with one article yet. Hmmm…

Speed it up, people. There are many proposals to speed up the process. What I think the senators should do is to vote for a ruling once sufficient evidence of guilt is established in the heat of the trial. After all, as everybody is saying, this is not a real judicial trial and the punishment is just removal from office.

Discount is for candies, reduction is for penthouses. Tomahto, tomeyto

How dare you question my authority as a senator-judge! I move that we stop this colloquy right now. Nakakalokwi talaga itong mga kolokoy na ‘to. For Pete’s sake, don’t allow Maid Miriam to take the floor again or her blood pressure will shoot through the roof. I wonder what she’ll do when she gets to sit in that International Crime Tribunal.

Cash advance or loan? Potahto, poteyto.

All right, Sen. Lito Lapid had been sitting quietly in the corner for a long time it was big news when he asked his first question, in Tagalog of course. It was so surprising (the asking of question, not the use of Tagalog) Corona’s chief advocate Serafin Cuevas had a nightmare and tweeted that night: “He Englished me and cross-examined me, asking why I have such a cute hairline.” (I won’t be surprised if Cuevas denies ever saying that.)

Paano sumulat ng tula ng pag-ibig

Tinik ni Corona (or it’s the politics, stupendous)

Ni Hernan Melencio

Matagal ko ring dinebate ang sarili kung isusulat ito sa Filipino o sa Ingles. Mabuti na lamang at mula sa madilim na sulok ng Senado winakasan ni Lito Lapid ang pananahimik at nagmakaawang magsalita ang lahat sa Filipino para maintindihan umano ng masa – at ng fans niya – ang “balitaktakan” tungkol sa impeachment (ano ba sa Filipino ang impeachment?) ng Punong Mahistrado Renato Corona.

Kaya sa kapakanan ni Lito (anong malay n’yo, mabasa niya ito), sa Filipino ko ito isinulat – kung hindi n’yo pa napapansin. Ang totoo, wala namang umaalma sa paggamit ng Filipino sa “paglilitis” sa Senado at ginagamit na nga ito ng ilan sa mga naroon. Hirap nga lang ang iba, lalo na yung mga abugado at mambabatas na galing sa Bisaya. Dapat ngang Filipino ang usapan pero kung hindi natural ang dating, huwag pilitin.

Nakatatawang kahit may Google na, marami pa ring nagtatalo tungkol sa katangian ng impeachment court na ito. At hindi sila mga ordinaryong tao; meron ding mga sorbetero, barbero, drayber ng jip at pasahero.

Kakaibang hayop talaga ang korte para sa impeachment. Iba ang korte nito kaysa karaniwang korteng nasa ilalim ng hudikatura. Kahit tanungin n’yo pa si Sen. Miriam Santiago na dating hukom bago naging senador. Alam daw niya ang pinag-uusapan niya. Pero hindi niya ipinaliwanag kung bakit kakaiba at walang nangahas magtanong dahil takot silang iligaw ni Maid Miriam sa Bermuda Triangle.

Pero meron din namang matiyagang nagpapaliwanag ng kaibahan ng korteng ordinaryo sa korteng impeachment. Kung matatandaan ninyo, sinasabi sa Saligang Batas ng Pilipinas na ang pwede lang mag-impeach ng matataas na opisyal ng gobyerno e ang Bahay ng mga Kinatawan. Oo, mga kongresista ang magrereklamo. At ang hahatol naman e ang Senado na magpupulong bilang impeachment court. May sariling pamantayan ang impeachment court na kakaiba sa regular court.

Ang matingkad na kaibahan, tatanggalin lang sa pwesto ang nagkasalang opisyal at hindi ikukulong. Pwede ring hindi na siya pagsilbihin pa sa gobyerno habambuhay. Bahala na bukas kung merong magkakaso sa kanya sa regular na korte at ikulong sa kulungan o sa ospital – kung meron siyang sakit.

Sa madaling salita, isyung pulitikal at hindi kriminal ang impeachment. Ang kelangan lang ng mga taga-Bahay ni Kuya e patunayang hindi na pwedeng pagkatiwalaan ang nasasakdal para magsilbi pa sa gobyerno. Kung tutuusin, ang simpleng pagsasampa lang ng reklamo laban sa kanya e sapat na para magbitiw sa pwesto si Corona. Kahit palusutin siya ng Senado hindi na niya maibabalik ang tiwalang nawala na. Hindi na siya kasingdalisay ng asawa ni Caesar na siyang hinihingi para sa mga tagapagsilbi sa Mataas na Korte o maging sa anumang sensitibong posisyon sa gobyerno.

Dapat maging mainipin ang Senado lalo na sa mga pampatagal na argumento. Huwag nilang hayaang maasar ang manonood sa tagal ng pelikula at mag-walkout gaya ng nangyari sa kaso ni Erap.

Kung tutuusin, walang silbi ang impeachment sa mamamayang mapagbantay. Pupunta lang sila sa EDSA at magpaparami kung gusto nilang magpalit ng lider. Kaso sa mga panahong ito, tinamad na sila at nawalan ng gana dahil lagi namang inaagaw ng mga trapo ang anumang tagumpay na nakukuha nila.

Historian finds Philippine ancient civilization in the sky

Balatik: Etnoastronomiya

Kalangitan sa Kabihasnang Pilipino

Book by Dante L. Ambrosio, 2010

The University of the Philippines Press

279 pages

What has yet to be written on the pages of Philippine history can now be found in Dante Ambrosio’s book Balatik, his doctoral dissertation about ethnoastronomy, fluently written in Tagalog and dedicated to unraveling and retracing back the stars’ and constellations’ pre-colonial names. As he pursued the search, he discovered that the Philipines’ ancient civilization can be read in the sky.

Kinuha ni Ambrosio ang pamagat ng kanyang aklat mula sa sa salitang balatik, patibong na panghuli sa mga baboy-damo, na siyang itinawag din ng mga sinaunang Pilipino sa mga grupo ng bituing may hugis balatik sa langit.  Salitang ipinakilala ng may akda ng aklat ang ethnoastronomiya, “pag-aaral ng pananaw, paniniwala, kaalaman at gawi ng iba’t ibang pangkat ng mga tao ukol sa astronomiyang nakapaloob sa kanilang kabihasnan.”

Tuon ng aklat ang ugnayan ng likas na kapaligiran ng tao at ng kanyang kabihasnan. Natuklasan ni Ambrosio na may sarili palang katawagan ang mga sinaunang Pilipino sa mga bituin labas sa nakamulatang Kristiyanong katawagan tulad ng Tatlong Maria, Supot ni Hudas o Krus na Bituin. Tinatawag nila ang mga konstelasyon o talampad batay sa mga kagamitan ng mga sinaunang tao sa pagkakaingin, pangangaso, pandaragat at pangingisda. Ipinapaliwanag niya sa aklat kung paanong naging saligan ng kamalayan ng mga Pilipino ang kalangitan sa pang-araw-araw na buhay.

Naninindigan ang may akdang nanatiling buhay ang kamalayang Pilipino, katutubong pananaw at paniniwala hinggil sa kalangitan kahit na pumasok ang mga impluwensya ng Kristiyanismo-Espanyol at Islam-Arabo sa bansa. Sinaliksik ni Ambrosio ang wikang Austronesyano at nakita niya ang pagkakahawig ng mga tawag ng mga katutubong Pilipino sa buwan, araw, mga bituin at iba pang nakikita sa kalangitan at nararamdaman sa kapaligiran katulad ng hangin.

Malawak niyang tinalakay sa kanyang aklat ang mga mito, epiko, at kuwentong-bayan patungkol sa sandaigdigan mula Luzon, Bisayas hanggang Mindanaw. Ayon sa kanya, tahanan ang daigdig ng mga sinauna at kasalukuyang Pilipino, kasama ang mga diwata, anito at ispiritu. May kanya-kanyang lugar ang mga ito at iginagalang ng mga tao ang iba pang buhay na nananahan sa daigdig, kasama ang mga bagay na may kaugnayan sa mga di nakikitang nilalang sa daigdig.

Sanggunian ng mga sinaunang Pilipino ang kalangitan – pangunahin ang buwan at mga bituin – sa pagtatakda ng pagtatanim, pangingisda, pagkakaingin at mga ritwal ng kasal o pagtatayo ng bahay. Pagpasok ng Kristiyanismo, ipinasok ng mga Espanyol na sanggunian ang kalendaryong Gregorian, ayon pa sa kanya. Mas sumikat ang araw at kalaunan, naging simbolo itong naipinta sa mga bandila ng Katipunan, mga rebolusyonaryo at milyenaryang kilusan.  Gayunpaman, nanatili ang imahe ng mga bituin sa bandilang Pilipino.

Sa paglulunsad ng Rebolusyong Pilipino, ipinasok ni Artemio Ricarte ang “Pilipinisasyon ng langit” kung saan pinangalanan niyang muli ang mga bituin sa pangalan ng mga bayani katulad ng Gat Tamblot (Cassiopeia), Utak Hasiato (Palaris), Gat Maypag-asa (Big Dipper), Pingkian (Small Dipper), Gat Rizal (Vega) at maraming iba pa. Tinawag niya ring “bitumpok” (bituin at tumpok)  ang konstelasyon, “puyanggulo” ang zenith at “guhitdagat” ang horizon.

Inaasahan ng awtor na simula ng pag-uugnay ng pangkalahatang kaalaman at kaalamang bayan hinggil sa kalangitan ang kanyang isinagawang pananaliksik at pag-aaral.  Nagtagumpay si Ambrosio: nagawa niyang maipakita ang lawak at lalim ng kaalamang astronomiko ng mga grupong etniko sa Pilipinas. Nagawa niya ring maugat ang mga kaalamang bayang ito mula sa kabihasnang pre-Hispaniko at maiugnay sa mga pagbabagong nagaganap sa kasaysayan.

Historians to hold assembly and election of organization officers

The Philippine Historical Association (PHA) will be having its General Assembly and Elections for the Board of Governors for 2012 at the Student Center Auditorium, Tan Yan Kee Building, University of Santo Tomas, Sampaloc, Manila, on 29 January 2012 from 8:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Jonathan Balsamo, PHA public relations officer, said the PHA would gather around 300 members, mostly history teachers and professional historians, who are dedicated to strengthening the Filipino identity by providing “meaningful” records and studies of the past.

Interested parties may send SMS to 09062020274 or e-mail jobal_kasaysayan@yahoo.com until 25 January 2012 to confirm attendance.

Participants will be charged a Php 100 registration fee for food, refreshments, and other contingency expenses.

The PHA is a professional association of historians nationwide founded in 1955 by noted historians such as Encarnacion Alzona, Gabriel Fabella, Gregorio Zaide, Nicolas Zafra, Celedonio Resurreccion, Teodoro Agoncilllo and Esteban de Ocampo.

The PHA is also affiliated with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the Philippine Social Science Council (PSSC).

Country honors Tandang Sora

The Quezon City Government commemorates the 200th birth anniversary of the late Melchora Aquino de Ramos (Tandang Sora), icon of the Philippine Revolution. Remains of Tandang Sora were transferred to the Tandang Sora Shrine from Himlayang Pilipino Memorial Park. Tandang Sora Shrine is located in Banlat, Brgy. Tandang Sora in Quezon City. (Romeo Mariano)

OFW Family Stops Beheading of Another OFW in Saudi

The Blas F. Ople Policy Center will offer a thanksgiving mass today (6 pm) at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Pasay City in gratitude for the act of forgiveness and reconciliation between two OFW families that paves the way for the eventual freedom of a Filipino on Saudi Arabia’s death row.

Susan Ople, president of the policy center, noted that three years of pain and anguish were resolved in a ten-minute meeting held this morning at the Coconut Palace with Vice-President Jejomar Binay, DFA OUMWA executive director Eric Endaya, OWWA Administrator Carmelita Dimzon and the Mendoza and Langamin families.

In May 2008, two seafarers aboard a ship located near Saudi Arabia had a serious altercation which resulted in the fatal stabbing of Robertson Mendoza. For the said crime, Jonard Langamin, son of sweet corn vendor Edith Langamin, was thrown in jail for murder, an act punishable by execution through beheading in the said Kingdom. The agreement reached this morning between the two families effectively negates such a possibility, thus saving the life of OFW Jonard Langamin who faces the death sentence early this year.

Edith Langamin’s body shook with shock, relief, and joy as she cried and kneeled in front of Robert Mendoza, father of Robertson, in gratitude for his forgiveness. She also hugged Vice-President Binay while repeatedly expressing her thanks. Ople, who was seated beside Edith and her sister, Rina, had to calm down the highly emotional mother.

“I told her that the first thing she must do is to offer thanks to the Lord because this is a New Year blessing and a miracle. The case has been pending with the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Saudi court for more than three years. Time was really no longer on Jonard’s side until today,” Ople who was present during the private meeting said.

“Nanay” Edith brought the case of her son to the attention of the Blas F. Ople Center in April 2011. The Center has been following up on Jonard’s case with the DFA. The blood money being sought for was pegged at the equivalent of Php 5 million, an amount way beyond the financial capabilities of the fishball and sweet corn vendor. On the average, “Nanay” Edith, as she is fondly called by the Ople Center staff, earns Php 300 a day, an amount that is only enough to feed her family.

Last December 16, around 500 overseas Filipino workers and their families who attended the Christmas party of the Ople Center at Philam Life Auditorium were able to chip in Php 5,000 in addition to Php27,000 already raised by the Langamin family. This amount is still a far cry from the blood money required of Jonard Langamin.

“The act of forgiveness that would be converted into a formal letter to be submitted to the Saudi court is the key that would soon lead to Jonard’s freedom. Vice-President Binay handled the meeting with tact and sensitivity to the plight of both families. The victim’s father did not say much but was very humble and receptive. It’s hard not to divine the Lord’s guiding hand in what happened this morning,” Ople said, adding that the Ople Center had also invited the Mendoza family to attend tomorrow’s mass which shall also be offered in memory of their son, Robertson.

Ph Govt meets Syrian Officials to make OFW representations

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario met with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmad Arnous and other Syrian officials to formally seek the Syrian Government’s full assistance in facilitating the repatriation of distressed Filipinos, especially those who are in conflict areas, such as in Homs, Daraa, Idlib and Hama.

Secretary del Rosario expressed the Philippines’ gratitude to Foreign Minister al-Moallem for ensuring that all Filipino nationals in Syria are kept safe, despite the ongoing unrest in the country. Foreign Minister al-Moallem provided the Secretary with a first-hand situationer and briefing on the events in Syria.

The Secretary thanked Minister al-Moallem for facilitating the repatriation of 490 Filipinos since the beginning of unrests in March 2011, and for allowing the widespread information dissemination on the Philippine Government’s mandatory repatriation program.

Secretary del Rosario requested the Ministry’s assistance in further updating the Philippine Embassy in Damascus’ current database of 5,000 Filipinos.  This is in order to supplement the determination of the exact location and other information of other Filipiinos deployed throughout Syria’s 13 governorates.

He brought to the Minister’s attention the continuing illegal trafficking of OFWs into Syrian territory, despite the current ban on their deployment in view of alert level 4.

The Secretary also expressed the Philippines’ hope for a peaceful and orderly end to the current crisis in the country.

Earlier, Secretary del Rosario and the Philippine delegation also met with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ambassadors in Damascus for an exchange of views on the current political and security situation in Syria, and to coordinate Philippine efforts with that of the embassies of other ASEAN countries in safeguarding the welfare of their nationals across the country.

Upon arrival in Damascus last night, Secretary Del Rosario met with the leaders of the Filipino Community in Syria (FCS), in order to solidify the Philippines’ campaign for the mandatory repatriation of Filipinos, as well as to reiterate the call for all OFWs in Syria to leave the country at the soonest possible time.

“We are fully committed to ensuring the safety and welfare of all Filipinos in Syria.  It is our objective to undertake the repatriation of our kababayans as quickly as possible,” Secretary del Rosario told the leaders of the Filipino community that met him. He added, “We will be repatriating 200 OFWs within the next 2 weeks and another 200 in the following weeks.”

Together with the Philippine delegation and Embassy officers and staff, Secretary del Rosario also thoroughly reviewed the Embassy’s contingency plans, which resulted in a greater commitment of resources that will help in the urgent implementation of the repatriation program.

Accompanied by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Esteban Conejos, Jr., Secretary del Rosario proceeded to Syria on January 1 to further intensify the Philippine Government’s ongoing efforts in the mandatory repatriation of Filipinos in Syria.

Quezon City Unveils Tandang Sora Marker

By Gloria Esguerra Melencio

(Women in the male-centered Philippine history books have been absent for a long time. Thanks to the “herstorians” (her story writers) who penned  the Women In the Philippine Revolution , a book where one can find the life of Melchora Aquino whose 200th birth commemoration falls on 6 January 2012.)

Mabibigyang buhay ang nakasulat sa dyip na Tsora, pinaigsing katawagan sa Tandang Sora, isang lugar sa Quezon City na ipinangalan kay Melchora Aquino.  O ang mga paaralan o bulwagang ipingalan sa kanya. Lalo na ngayong ililipat ng pamahalaang Quezon City ang kanyang mga labing nakalibing sa Himlayang Pilipino tungo sa Banlat, Tandang Sora sa Quezon City, lugar kung saan siya ipinanganak at nabuhay nang matagal.

Isasakay sa karwahe ang kanyang mga labi. Imamartsa ito mula Himlayan tungong Banlat habang nakabalot ng bandila ng Pilipinas ang kanyang kabaong. Magsisilbi itong marker sa bantayog na paglalagakan sa kanya – isang anyo ng pagdakila sa matandang babaeng ipinatapon sa Guam kasama ang iba pang kasapi ng Katipunan noong 2 Setyembre 1896.

Si Tandang Sora ang pinakamatandang kasapi ng Katipunan sa edad na 84.  Marunong siyang manggamot ng sugat ng kanyang mahihirap na kapitbahay; pati na ng panlalabo ng mga paningin at pag-alis ng puwing.

Magsasaka ang mga magulang ni Tandang Sora na sina Juan Aquino at Valentina de Aquino ng Gulod sa Banilat (Banlat), Caloocan (bahagi na ng Quezon City sa kasalukuyan). Matapos ang pagiging Reyna sa Santacruzan at pagiging mang-aawit sa mga piging, napangasawa niya si Fulgencio Ramos, cabeza de barangay at tinatawag na “Pantalakong” o “Ingkong.” Tinatawag naman si Tandang Sorang “Nanang” ng kanyang mga apo at “Kabesang Sora” ng kanilang mga kapitbahay.

Mayroon silang anim na anak, tatlong lalaki at tatlong babae. Nang mabiyuda siya, sinuportahan niya ang kanilang anim na anak sa pamamagitan ng pagsasaka sa 25-ektaryang lupaing naiwan ng kanyang asawa. May 15 katao siyang katuwang sa pag-aasukarera, pag-aalaga ng mga punongkahoy at mga kalabaw.

Sa harap ng tahanan ng kanyang panganay na anak na si Juan Ramos sa Pugad-Lawin, Bahay-Toro (sakop noon ng Kalookan) naganap ang pagpunit ng sedula ng 1,000 kataong tumututol sa pananakop ng mga Espanyol. Naganap ito noong madaling araw ng 23 Agosto 1896 na hindi umuulan at kabilugan ng buwan.

Kinabukasan,  24 Agosto 1896, ginanap ang pulong ng mga pangulo ng Katipunan sa bahay ni Tandang Sora sa Banlat. Dati nang isinasagawa rito ang mga lihim na pulong ng Katipunan. Naganap ang pulong mula ikasiyam ng gabi hanggang madaling araw. Nang biglang dumating ang mga guardia civil dahil itinuro ang bahay ni Tandang Sora ng isang espiya, nagpulasan ang mga Katipunero sa iba’t ibang direksyon.

Sa payo ni Andres Bonifacio, tumakas rin si Tandang Sora kasama ang kanyang pamilya patungo sa Novaliches. Sinunog ng mga Espanyol ang kanyang bahay matapos matagpuang walang tao ito.

Nahuli ng mga guardia civil si Tandang Sora sa Pasong Putik sa Novaliches noong 29 Agosto 1896. Ikinulong siya sa Old Bilibid Prison sa Manila matapos ito.

Ipinatapon sa Guam si Tandang Sora kasama ang 171 Pilipinong deportado. Kasama si Segunda Puentes Santiago ng Sta. Mesa na nahuli sa labanan sa Pinaglabanan sa San Juan del Monte noong 30 Agosto 1896, inakusahan si Tandang Sora ng sedisyon at rebelyon.

Sakay ang barkong Espanyol na Churruca, 57 bilanggong Pilipino ang dinala sa Yap Island; 57 sa Ponape; at 57 rin sa Guam. Ibinilanggo ang mga lalaking detenido sa Marianas Islands samantalang inilagak naman sina Tandang Sora at Segunda sa bahay ni Don Justo Dungca sa Agana. Isang mayamang Pilipinong taga-Pampanga si Dungca na matagal nang naninirahan sa Guam.

Matapos ang pitong taong pagkakabilanggo, ibinalik sa Pilipinas si Tandang Sora sakay ng US Uranus sa edad na 91.  Walang nakakaalam ng kanyang pag-uwi mula Guam kaya mag-isa siyang bumalik sa kanilang tahanan sa Banlat, ayon sa kanyang mga apo.

Tahimik na pumanaw si Tandang Sora sa tahanan ng kanyang anak na si Saturnina sa edad na 107. Inilibing siya sa Musoleo ng mga Beterano ng Rebolusyong Pilipino sa La Loma, North Cemetery bago inilipat sa Himlayang Pilipino sa Quezon City, isang pook na abot-tanaw mula sa kanyang sinilangang tahanan sa Gulod sa Banlat.

Source: Rafaelita Hilario Soriano (Editor), Isagani R. Medina, Melchora Aquino in Women in the Philippine Revolution, Printon Press, SFDM, Quezon City, 1995.

Photo Credit: Reprinted from the same book, page 14.

Caption: Kuha ang larawan nang papasakay na si Melchora Aquino sa barkong Churruca upang ipatapon ng Espanya sa Guam.

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