DETAINEES SERIES

Letters From Prison

By: Temogen "Cocoy" Tulawie

December 9, 2012

Dear Fellow Human Rights Defenders, Peace Advocates and Friends of the Bangsamoro people,

Assalamu Alaikum Warrahmatullahi Wabarakatu!

I am writing from my prison here at the Davao City Jail where I had been confined for 332 days since my arrest last January 13, 2012. I join all of you in the observance of International Human Rights Day as we renew our universal commitment to respect, promote and defend human rights of all people everywhere in the world.

For the confines of my prison, my thoughts and prayers have never left my homeland in Sulu which is admittedly centuries-old behind from the significant gains of the human rights movement since the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. My current incarceration speaks eloquently of the human rights situation in my beloved homeland. If I come to think of it, I may even be more fee inside my jail than my fellow brothers and sisters who could not speak up freely of what is really happening inside our tiny, embattled island. Like my imprisonment, my people are also living in a garrison controlled by warlords who are incidentally the government of the day. Sulu today is like a big prison where people could hardly speak up and criticize due to dire powerlessness amidst a culture of impunity.

It is a known fact that in Sulu, nobody will dare stand for human rights for fear that they will end up like Cocoy Tulawie, who is now languishing in jail, vanished and forgotten. Sige ka, magiging Cocoy ka, is the lesson that mothers are teaching their sons for fear that if young people will fight and stand for human rights, like Cocoy, they will also be punished and forgotten.

What is the message that my current imprisonment conveys to our people? That it is simply foolish to be human rights defender in Morolandia. That after all, human rights is not universal as it could never apply to Sulu. That it is wiser to keep quiet and submit to the oppressor if only to stay alive. But even those who remain silent are not also spared. No one is spared from the violence, summary killings, mass arrests, indiscriminate bombings, kidnappings and gang rapes. If you are lucky to survive it all, surely, a neighbour, a child, a sibling or a loved one will not be spared. One way or the other, we are all victims.

I am happy about the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro and join the millions of Moros who look forward to a new beginning in our political history as proud and distinct people. While hopes and expectations are high, I could not help my dismay with the fact that there is hardly anything in the framework agreement that deals about the situation of the political prisoners all over the country. While charged as ordinary criminals by government, it is a fact that political prisoners are being persecuted because of their political beliefs and primarily because of our commitment to human rights.

There can never be peace in Mindanao without justice. No amount of peace agreement signed will bring about peace if basic human rights are not protected and human rights violators continue to hold positions in government by simply switching political parties.

A wolf dressed in sheepskin is still a wolf. A warlord who turns “liberal” and sings the chorus of reforms cannot conveniently claim he has now the support of civil society organizations and present himself like a new convert of the peace process. Peace without justice cannot be sustainable as it is tantamount to surrender.

Despite the reform efforts in the ARMM and the “matuwid na daan” policy of President Aquino, it is disheartening to note that Suly has not experienced the promised reform as it is lagged behind in its crooked, violent, oppressive and corrupt ways of malgoverance.

Who will take the cudgel for human rights when the human rights defenders are already threatened, imprisoned or worst, killed? I am appealing to the United Nations and international human rights organizations to remain steadfast in your support for human rights defenders like me. Many of us have not even reached prison as they were summarily executed. I am also concerned with indigenous peoples’ leaders who are battling with corporate mining interest intruding into their ancestral domains. My heart bleeds for the mothers of the young Moro students from Basilan who suspiciously disappeared inside a Philippine airport; and for an ordinary Moro baker who was tortured by soldiers inside a military camp and instead of being protected is now the one being charged and detained by government?

How can we afford to celebrate human rights day amidst this façade of hypocrisy?

Human rights advocacy in the Bangsamoro society is a lonely fight. It is almost suicidal to promote human rights amidst a highly militarized society that only respect the rule of the guns. Yet, many of the human rights defenders took the risk so that our people can enjoy and assert our basic rights and freedom. Now behind bars, our only hope lies upon the solidarity and support of national and international human rights organizations especially the United Nations whom we know will never forget us in this condition of great despair and suffering. Your solidarity during this darkest period of persecution and legal harassments will concretize the concept of universality and connectedness of our struggle.

For my Bangsamoro brothers and sisters, let us all join hands in supporting the transition period that will pave the way for the establishment of the Bangsamoro government. Our collective right to self-determination can only be achieved if we close our ranks against the oppressors and tyrants of our society. Let us put an end to warlordism and violence and work together to ensure that genuine reforms will indeed happen within our communities and be truly experienced by our people.

Democracy icon and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi in her Nobel lecture said that “To be forgotten, is to die a little.” I feel inspired when she asked the world “not to forget other prisoners of conscience, both in Myanmar and around the world, other refugees, others in need, who may be suffering twice over, from oppression and from the larger world’s “compassion fatigue.”

I am incessantly praying that with Allah’s help, I will be able to return home back to the loving care of my family and the warm welcome of people in Sulu. Insha Allah.

Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie

January 14, 2013

Davao City Jail

Maa, Davao City, Philippines

STATEMENT OF TEMOGEN “COCOY” TULAWIE ON THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF HIS ARREST AND INCARCERATION AS A HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER

Dear Friends, Comrades, Supporters and Fellow Human Rights Defenders,

Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmantullahi Wa Barakatuh!

Exactly one year ago, January 14, 2012, just at the stroke of midnight, I was with my two sons, Eeman (17 years old) and Ameer (13 years old) in a rented house at Catalunan Grande, Davao City when combined elements of the Regional Special Action Force and Regional Intelligence Unit of the Philippine National Police led by PSupt. Fernando Ortega forcibly broke in the door in order to arrest me. As the assaulting team was still alighting their vehicles, I already noticed them from inside the house and I immediately turn on the lights. The men were in full combat attire, with long high-powered firearms, bullet-proof vests and laser night vision goggles as they were under strict orientation that I am a highly dangerous target who possessed bombs and weapons.

There was still every chance for me to escape but I did not consider that option as it will just cause unnecessary commotion in the already quiet and sleeping neighbourhood. I peacefully submitted myself to the arresting team who then brought me to the Davao Medical Center for physical check-up which is standard operating procedure.

Due to direct threats against my life, I had been running the life of a fugitive since I left my hometown in Sulu in 2009. Since then, I had been sensibly imagining the day of my arrest and have also psychologically prepared my two sons, Eeman and Ameer, on what they should do when that event will actually happen. Both of them have clear instructions whom to call on, what to do, how to conduct themselves when I will be arrested. We had been talking about this fateful event for several times. But even with the amount of preparation, nothing in my imagination actually prepared me for that day. The first thing that crossed my mind was what if they will summarily execute me. The Philippine state is notorious in its record for summary execution and political killings and Davao in particular is also infamous for the Davao Death Squad and so the idea that I may never even reach the nearest police station scared me to hell. I tried so hard to maintain presence of mind and engaged the arresting team members in a conversation. I asked them to bring me to the nearest police station so they can duly record the conduct of my arrest into the police blotter. I recalled this standard operating procedure being taught in our past human rights seminars and I have never realized until such time that such procedure could spell life and death for a person in custody.

I was fortunate enough that the arresting team led by Col. Ortega faithfully observed the procedures in conducting arrest and dutifully brought to the Talomo Police Station. After that, I was brought to the Davao Medical Center for physical examination. There, I pleaded with Col. Ortega to return back to my house in order to check on the situation of my two minor children and to give them access to my whereabouts. Without hesitation, the good officer went back and was able meet my two lawyers who were already in the house frantically calling all police stations and military camps for my whereabouts.

Prayers throughout the night

As l left my children alone in the house that night, I prayed very hard and entrusted everything to Allah’s mantle of protection. I kept praying ‘ Hasbunallahu Wa Ni’mal Wakeel” I trust no one besides you Ya Allah. I recited this over and over again in the course of such perilous journey where anything could just happen. There were two critical roads which I greatly feared. Going out of the subdivision, we turned left towards downtown. At that juncture, I thought, if we will turn left towards Tacunan, then something will be very, very wrong as I could easily be executed there. I prayed so hard and invoked Allah’s mercy. It was such a relief that the vehicle turned right and we went towards the national highway. At that point, again, ahead because I knew that the Talomo Police Stiation is towards that direction. In fairness to the arresting team, they were indeed heading towards the nearest police station.

Private plane waiting

While at Camp Catitipan, I noticed that the arresting team was in a hurry and I asked why. One of them informed me that after conducting all the SOPs e.g. medical check-up, picture-taking, documents’ turnover, etc., I will already be turned over to the Military Intelligence Group who came all the way from Zamboanga City. The MIG reportedly has arranged for a private plane to take me to Jolo, Suly. The assigned officer of the PNP asked the MIG why they are so interested on Cocoy Tulawie that they are even willing to charter a private plane to transport him to Sulu. At that point, I realized that the Governor of Sulu is obstinate in delivering a very resounding statement. That it is simply foolish of me to fight against a highly powerful and influential politician who will never hesitate to spend millions in order to silence any dissent and take full control over his own fiefdom. The chartered private plane symbolizes power, machismo and ostentatious display of wealth which is simply a criminal act given the wallowing poverty and the suffering of the people in Sulu.

Despite a Supreme Court Order transferring the venue of the case from Jolo to Davao City, The MIG operatives from Zamboanga City simply wanted to deliver me to their patron so they could then collect the handsome reward. Since no amount of reasoning could convince the arresting team to wait until Monday when the courts are already open, my legal team had to call key cabinet members over the weekend just to delay my transfer to Jolo. It is noteworthy to mention here that the late Secretary Jessie Robredo readily helped us by instructing the PNP Superintendent in Region XI to suspend the transfer to Sulu to give my legal team a reasonable time to confer with the Supreme Court. The Chair of the Commission of Human Rights also burned the mobile phone lines to reach out to the Supreme Court even on a weekend.

One year after.

It has been a year that fateful arrest on January 14, 2012. A lot of things happened since then which can perhaps be the subject in forthcoming letters from prison. What is clear though is the fact that despite the sustained campaigns and legal strategies, money and political influence remain to be my foremost obstacles to freedom. It is sad to note that despite the rightness of my cause, the public sympathy, the earnest efforts of HR groups and the CHR, the international support and a solid legal defense, my accuser can still afford to prolong my incarceration by the simple excuse of delay and by paying off each and every legal remedy via known tricks of well-oiled law firms.

From the confines of my prison though, I have learned to respect time. Never have I fully understood the virtue “sabar” (patience) until I have lived the life of a prisoner. I have no choice but to follow routines like head count, search of contrabands, etc. It is also part of routine that I get to wear a yellow t-shirt all the time which for me could subconsciously rob me of my own identity. I realized I need to struggle to maintain my health, psychological well-being and the political will to sustain my fight not only for myself and my family but also for my people and other human rights defenders who are into far worst condition than the one that I am currently experiencing.

I have also learned to resign everything to God’s plan and mercy. Listening to the plight of hundred if inmates that I have encountered here, I realized that despite all the odd I am facing, I am even more fortunate than many of them. So that keeps me humble, patient and grateful with each day’s worth of blessing. In my long years as a human rights activist, it is only now that I have fully appreciated the importance of our shared advocacy and the global solidarity that connects our struggle. I feel overwhelmed by the love and support of leaders and organizations from Hong Kong, Germany , Ireland, US, the European Union and all over the world most of them I have never even met before.

Just last week, during one of the weekend visits of my family, my son Ameer cried when he learned that I will have to be transferred again from Davao City to Manila after the Supreme Court approved Gov. Sakur Tan’s petition for transfer of venue. He asked me why I seem to be helpless over my own situation now when all their growing years, they looked upon their own father as a fearless defender of the rights of others. In his desperation, Ameer asked me why I could not defend my own self?  Ameer’s question gave me a pang in the heart and almost crushed my spirit as a father. If I had not been tempered by the day to day survival measures of prison life, I could have just broke down and cried. Yet, I accepted his question for what it is worth. I know I have not given him a satisfactory response. I ma not have the answer now but I know deep in my heart that Allah will answer my prayers in His own time.

I wish to end this letter with a thanksgiving and a deep sense of gratitude for all your support, hard work, generous assistance, prayers and well wishes in the last 12 months when I had been robbed of my freedom. Thank you for working so hard for me and my family. Let us continue working together to defend all human rights defenders in the Philippines and all over the world. I have full faith that Insha Allah, I will be able to return back to Sulu as a free man in order to continue my important mission as a human rights defender of my people.

Sincerely yours,

Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie

Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie is a human rights defender active in organizing in Sulu. He has been a leader of a local organization named “BAWBUG” which means “Serve, Respect and Protect” in the Tausug language. Bawbug was established to address the defense of the rights of muslim communities affected by military operations in Sulu.  He was also a member of Center for Humanitarian Dialogue (CHD) and a council member of Non-Violent Peace Force (NP), in the province of Sulu.