The Philippine Online Chronicles

Last Tuesday marked the fourth year of my arrest and imprisonment for involvement in the “Manila Pen” incident last November 29, 2007. In the midst of the heated debate on the place and manner of CGMA’s detention while on trial, I wish to offer the following points both for consideration and most of all for prayer:

1) Prison, for powerful leaders, is a place both feared and appreciated. They appreciate its apparently deterrent character. Dictators from Marcos to Gloria (a lesser but no less lethal version) have used it to detain and even torture their enemies. They of course fear the possibility of a political boomerang, where instead of watching detractors behind bars, someone the person they least expect and desire to see is put behind bars - themselves.

2) Prison, for powerful leaders, is one of the best if not the best place to understand the workings of both the justice and penal systems. Prisons house both innocent and guilty, rich and poor. Even prisons are places of injustice and inequality. Thus, leaders can begin to appreciate the need for radical reforms in both justice and penal systems.

3) Prison is thus a school, a place of special learning. Good leaders, especially Presidents like P Noy should visit prisons regularly. Instead of avoiding the dreaded place, it should become a regular haunt for leaders who truly love the poor, for truly, the majority behind bars are poor.

4) Prisons are humbling reminders of the fleeting nature of things that are valued and jealously guarded by quite a few. Here, even the most powerful, the richest, the most famous and beautiful may find their end. Realize then how wealth, power, popularity all come to an end. Realize this soon, before it’s too late to enjoy and embrace that which truly matters and endures beyond the grave.

5) House arrest is not the real thing? Prison is the real thing! House arrest is not enough to discipline the vengeful and arrogant ego. Here, a virtue most leaders need to learn is inevitably learned - humility.

6) Prisons are deserts and retreats. Especially for those who have lived lives of comfort and privilege. Prisons teach the fundamental truth that we don’t need much to live decent and meaningful lives. Here, we find the precious gift of space and time to reflect and more importantly, pray.

7) Prison teaches us what ultimately matters in life. When our soul leaves our mortal bodies, it carries nothing with it except one and only one thing… Those who remember us, remember only one thing, how we loved and cared for others. And what a gift to be in prison while we still have the space and time not only to understand but do precisely what matters most…

I was imprisoned twice during PGMA’s time. I was imprisoned on May 29, 2002 in Quezon City Jail because of a libel case filed by Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and his son Jackie. The second time was on November 29, 2007 at Crame Custodial Unit for ‘Rebellion’ filed by the government of PGMA. Those were precious, defining moments in my life. I am sure, very sure, it will do the same for CGMA.

Fr. Roberto P. Reyes

November 30, 2011

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