Refugeat the church
She refused to be named, that woman who emerged from the bushes last Thursday morning in Barangay Malubog, Cebu City. I still remembered her reaction as members of the police tried to calm her down. She was hysterical and only wanted female company. Her tears stained her face. I noticed her arm; a cable tie was still present and she obviously cut it on her own by force. She narrated everything she remembered which shocked everyone who heard. The following day, I visited her again at the hospital but the statements now seem to be different - in a different tone and manner of saying.
That weekend I learned she was discharged from the hospital and was going to be kept at a safe house, that of the Catholic Church. She still feared for her safety because of the statements she said that day. It was best for her to be away from the public, and she thought the church could best for that. She was instrumental in changing the landscape of killings in Cebu. It felt like the Oratio Imperata has been heard.
What’s sad is the attempt of another armed person to enter such a safe house which was guarded by the Church and some detailed personnel of the police. It’s an indication of the desperation to clean up whatever mess was made or just to shake things up to create chaos. How could people think about such actions? It could have been better if we just live in harmony and peace. Should we really blame the illegal drug trade? Now we see how deep this societal cancer can be.
This week we are expecting the arrival of the heart relic of St. Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. Like I’ve mentioned in my previous entries, I’m not a believer of the Catholic faith but I know Padre Pio has something to share to the Visayans. He will be a beacon of hope as people will flock to his heart relic, a first for the country. I’d like to also see it for myself, out of curiosity.
But the main thing is, now that the church is intervening, let it be. It will be a risky process but it will all be worth it. Let us also hope and pray that this will change things for the better. I know we are all sick and tired of all the killings. Please, let this be a game changer.
The Oratio Imperata will still be prayed and those of not the same faith will also keep on praying. Cebu needs a lot of prayers so that people will realize how valuable life is. We thank the Commission on Human Rights for their efforts in keeping the truth. Let us hope that it will prevail. You know, it will be never be all in vain.
As the investigation gets rolling we hope that it will be fair and clean.
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