Col. Ariel Querubin, who has been in detention for almost three years, was allowed to be with his 87-year old mother on her birthday on New Year’s day in their place in La Union. A friend who was there wrote to me the heartwarming reunion of the Medal of Valor awardee with his mother.
I had a very good reflection about hope and family this New Year. For the first time, I celebrated New Year out of town with a very special family. And the experience gave me a chance to reflect about how my mother had been spending Christmasses away from us for 10 years now. How she must have longed to come home. Oh how I missed her now. Let me then share with you, a new year’s story about a mother and son that I will never forget…
Hours before the New Year kicked in yesterday, the frail 86 year old mother of a bemedalled soldier was standing by her cane outside the door, waiting for her son to come home. In the last three years, she had been hoping that among those who will come to visit is her detained son, Marines Col. Ariel Querubin, and it happened that night on the eve of New Year’s day and her 87th birthday.
Even if it was just his silhouette forming from the distant dimmed lights, Eufrosina Querubin knew it was her son Ariel. She was already smiling and when he finally kissed and hugged her tight and said “Mamang,” tears welled in her eyes and so did the Medal of Valor awardee sobbed in his mothers embrace.
Querubin has been detained for almost three years now as he stands trial in a military court for mutiny. Querubin was among the nine detained officers from the Marines together with his former Commandant Maj. Gen. Renato Miranda, whose relief triggered a stand-off at Fort Bonifacio on February 26, 2006. Along with 19 other officers from Army Scout Rangers led by Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, they were accused of plotting to withdraw support from President Arroyo in February 2006.
Ariel’s mother wasn’t told that he was granted a two-day pass to visit her. Only his sisters Yolanda who flew in from the US and Sonia knew and prepared the usual big party for their mother’s birthday, and the greatest joy they could gift her with, is Ariel’s homecoming. But Ariel even as he was granted the permission for a leave from detention, had somehow waited that permission will be revoked as it had always been denied in the past, and that apprehension was gone when he was finally in his mothers arms.
Ariel was initially escorted by two security personnel. Two other custodial officers followed him to his home in Bauang, La Union. Amidst the joy and excitement of his children getting on a road trip to La Union with their dad, Ariel was worried if his mother will even recognize him, as she already was suffering from memory lapses on top of her hip and shoulder fracture only braced together by a metal for which she was operated earlier on.
But a mother’s memory will never be lost when it’s about her son. “Mamang”r did not only remember him, but even his friends whom she regarded as family members like family, Maj.Gen. Juancho Sabban and Brig.. Gen. John Martir.
Both were classmates of Ariel in the Philippine Military Academy and both also belonged to the Marines. Sabban is now Task Force Comet Commander and Martir is Deputy Chief of Staff for Communication and Equipment. They’re both vying for the Marines Commandant post and while Sabban remained like a brother to Querubin, Martir will be a prosecution witness against his fellow Marines in the mutiny case.
“Like a son to me John calls me Mamang also. But I never expected him to forget that what we had before was more than just being neighbors in Fort Bonifacio we were like family, his kids when they came to our house were like my grandchildren too,” said Mamang whose excellent English tells of the years when schools teach good English.
The New Year’s eve in La Union gave the Querubin’s their short lived moment as a family. Mamang fondly recalled how her son as a little boy had figured in many accidents and as a young soldier in many harrowing experiences. But a stand out in her memory was the day she received a telegram informing her of the death of her son.
“I really kept that telegram. The telegram told me that my son died a hero, and it spoke of his bravery and gallantry as a soldier, how I wept,” she recalled of that bloodiest coup attempt in 1989 where Ariel’s bullet-riddled body was lined among the dead soldiers as he was been clinically declared dead, until his finger twitched when the doctor was checking his class ring to properly identify him.
For a few years, his case was understudy by medical practitioners of how he could’ve possibly survived that multiple organ injury, and to this day he still got shrapnel metals embedded in his rib and legs that can still alarm metal detectors when going thru security check. The doctors only surmised that he was physically fit at that time so he stood every chance of survival. But his sister Yolly joked that Ariel could have nine lives, recalling the many car accidents he had figured in where many have died, yet he survived.
The New Year and Mamang’s birthday had been a moment after 3 years for the mother and son to reconnect. They laughed as they reminisced his misdemeanors as a kid. They amazed at the thought of how he survived many near-death encounters but they were both thankful for the opportunity to be together that night, what he never did to his father until his death.
With sadness, the Querubins also remembered how Ariel who was a fugitive at that time of his father’s death, couldn’t even come to the wake for fear of being arrested. As military intelligence agents and authorities waited for him to show up in their home, he only spoke to his sister in a phone call from a distant sari-sari store.
“I don’t know if it was fate or by design that not too long after that by accident or sheer coincidence that I was brushing elbows with my mother in Nepa Q-Mart. I was still hiding then, so I intentionally grew my hair long and sported a beard that my very own mother didn’t even recognize me,” Ariel was telling friends and family over dinner, while Mamang was chuckling at the thought of that incident.
“I mistook him for our neighbor who was a doctor. And when I realized it was Ariel, I hugged him, and before I could even start to cry he shoved me to a fruit stand nearby where we hugged and we exchanged how are you’s,” Mamang said.
Ariel was involved in the coups attempts of the 80’s. He almost died in the 1989 coup but he escaped from the hospital three months after that. He was recaptured and got amnesty from the peace efforts that President Ramos offered to military rebels. He was reinstated, got back into service and started reaping military medals for his victory in combat. He got a gold cross 3 months after he returned to the service, he has 8 of those gold cross medals. He got his Medal of Valor, the highest military award, when he overran Camp John Mack, the third largest camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Most notable of his recent accomplishment was the neutralization of Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Sabaya.
“I have never prayed so fervently in my life as I do now. In this day and age, I offer five mysteries of the rosary every night only for Ariel, that the panel in the military court will be enlightened and touched by the holy spirit, that Ariel’s lungs will always be healthy, that his diabetes will be gone and his malaria will be healed,” Mamang said saying she doesn’t pray for herself anymore after all she is managing her diet to keep up with her arthritis.
Already wrinkled and crouched in old age, Mamang still stands proud of her son. She showed a fine breeding that is evident in her son. The Querubins were not a wealthy clan here, but obviously they are respected. Their house is no mansion, but it’s a comfortable home that did not have to ask his son more than he could earn. Everyone in the family stood for each other, and the people here admire them for that.
“Ariel will always live his father’s legacy, that is a good name. He will never go up the rank by any other means but his hard work. I don’t mind him going only as far as a colonel, to me his my son, always my hero,” Mamang said.
Photo Captions
1. Col. Ariel Querubin with his mother, brother Omar (PMA Class/73). sisters Sonia and Yolly.
2. Col. Ariel with mom and daughter Faye and son, Val.
3. Ariel with sisters Sonia and Yolly.
ARIEL:”Never have so much been owed to so few!”
“A good reputation and respect are worth much more than silver and gold.”
Thank you to all of you, tanay boys and girl, at sa lahat ng mga bagong katipuneros. Mabuhay kayong lahat!
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=24&chapter=22&verse=1&version=46&context=verse
Makes me think after all…Gen. Yano has a soft side. I hope though he bends more to the good side.
GOD BLESS both mother and son!
Nice to hear from you a blessings from the MOST HIGH…maligayang 2009 na makapiling mo ang iyong pinakamamahal na Ina and all your loveones!
Pagpalain ka ng Panginoon sampu ng iyong mga magigiting na kapwa-sundalo na patuloy na nakikibaka laban sa kawalang hustisya sa ating bansa.
Tuloy ang laban…at nalalapit na ang inyong paglaya and we are hoping na kayo ang susunod na leaders ng AFP/PNP after the regime of pekeng panggulo!
Mabuhay po kayong lahat!
Kinakabahan na ang mga kurap sa AFP/PNP sapagka’t nalalapit na ang araw ng kanilang pekeng panggulo, our days will come like a roaring lions na magpapataw ng pinaka mabigat na parusa sa lahat ng mga sumalbahe at yumurak sa ating Constitution at karapatang pang-tao.
Binibilang na lang ang kanilang mga araw kaya lalo tayong maging mapagmatyag sapagka’t posibleng mangyari ang di natig inaasahang mga bagay dahil nga hawak nila ang pwersa ng AFP/PNP na walang konsensiya sa tunay na hustisya na dapat na kanilang protektayan.
Kaya sori na lang sa mga bayarang general problems sa AFP/PNP dahil wala silang magandang ehemplo na iiwanan sa darating na saling lahi ng mga Pinoy, kundi kakutyaan at kawalang modo o kunsensiya sa pamumuno.
Lalo tayong maging masigasig sa pagbabantay sa kanilang lahat dahil their days are numbered?
I could not help the tears as I read this story, Ellen. It reminds me of my own mother, who is 90 years old, and a fellow Ilocana of the Querubins. I actually miss her as I have not been able to keep my promise to be with her on Christmas this year.
But I am sure glad to hear that Col Querubin has been able to get a pass to see his Mom. No thanks to the Dorobo. He deserves the treat!!!
Kaya pala matapang si Col. Querubin. Taga La Union pala! Hats off ako sa kaniya lalo. A branch of my family in fact came from La Union (Bacnotan, Bauang, and Agoo). Hang on there, Colonel!
Oooops, last year pala!
BTW, here’s a note from Arkibo:
Please visit:
http://www.arkibongbayan.org/
or go to:
It is 2009, and the DESAPARECIDOS is intensifying its search for Karen, Sherlyn and hundreds of the disappeared. Posted January 2, 2009
Arkibong Bayan Web Team
It’s a nice gesture from…sino nga ba ang aking dapat pasalamatan?…
Anyways, they should also give everyone of those incarcerated soldiers and officers “free days” to be with their respective families.
Pwede namang palayain ng permanente kung gusto!
Free the Tanay boys! Free the Magdalos! NGAYON NA!
I bet, the reason why Col. Querubin just won’t die (more than nine lives siguro) is because he has a bigger mission to fulfill for his beloved Pinas. Way to go, Colonel!
A mother’s joy is priceless!
Truly a cat with nine lives! That explains why he’s having a hard time.
He’s bullied by the dog-bitch and taunted by a rat!
Pag-ibig sa pamilya, pag-ibig sa bayan, pag-ibig ng Diyos!
Mabuhay po kayong lahat!
Isang mapagpala’t mapagbagong bagong taon!
“They treated him as a BROTHER”.
Yon ang matindi dun e. Pero ano ginawa? He didn’t only turned against but likewise almost stripped his “brother” naked. Would you consider that a brother? If he ever meets Col. Querubin’s mother again, can he still afford to utter…mamang?
Not so long ago, they were cooking a biopic for this rare breed. Ang problema ata hindi nila malaman kung paano tapusin kasi walang katapusan ang mga makukulay na kaganapan sa kanyang buhay. Marami ring artistang gustong gumanap. Ang isa naging politiko na; may isa pa subalit sumakabilang buhay na.
I am 101% sure that our country can be the best place to live in if the AFP, PNP and more especially our government officials are the likes of Col. Querubin, Gen. Lim, Gen. Miranda, Sen. Trillanes, the Magdalos and the Tanay Boys.
Honestly, I don’t mind if they rule the country even if it is a military rule as long as they maintain our govenrment free from evils and for as long as their love for our country remains.
Just think of the advantages our country will have if peace and honesty is everywhere.
Off topic
From GMA News – DAR chief Pangandaman appeals for fairness to bloggers over golf clubhouse mauling
Talagang baligtad ang utak nitong mga Pangandemon na ito. Tayo pang mga bloggers ang lumalabas na hindi fair. Mayroon kaming sintido kumon kanya natural lang na one-sided ang mga bloggers. Hindi kami tanga.
Sa totoo lang, kanya ka nasa puwesto ngayon ay ginamit mo ang iyong kademonyohan para maiupo mo ang reyna ng mga demonyo. Hindi ako magtataka kung ang anak ay tinawag ng Daily Inquirer na Barbaric. Siyempre pa, nagmana sa ama.
Kung fairness ang hinihingi mo, ang fairness na alam ko para sa iyo ay tanggalin ka at ang iyong anak sa puwesto, bayaran ang mga de la Paz, at ipakulong ang iyong demonyito.
Sa mga kapwa kong bloggers, dagdagan pa natin ang dagok sa magamang demonyo. Mayroon nang mga 950 bloggers na nagsisimpatya sa mga dela Paz sa blogsite ni Bambee dela Paz. Ang blogsite niya ay
http://vicissitude-decidido.blogspot.com/2008/12/world-is-fucked-up.html
nice! i’m glad they got to spend some quality time with their families.
“…………..to me he’s my son, always my hero,” Mamang said.”
katagang namumutawi sa isang inang alam ang piangdadaanan nat pinagdaanan ng anak na walang bahid dungis ang paglilingkod sa bayan at ipinupuhunan ang sariling buhay para sa kapakanan ng nakararaming mamamayan.
col querubin, MABUHAY KA!!!
‘yung daga! ‘yung daga!
ano na’ng nangyari?
ganito pala dapat: “…….isang inang alam ang pinagdadaanan nat pinagdaanan ng anak na walang bahid dungis AT PAG-IIMBOT ang paglilingkod sa bayan…”
Close pala sa nanay ni Col. Querubin si unconfirmed 2-star Gen. Martir.
Naku Inang, mas mabuti nang nagpakain ka na lang ng ahas sa palad. Hindi pa Racumin o Dora na lang sana ang inihain ninyo nung araw diyan.
Mabuhay si Col. Ariel Querubin, ang tunay na makabayang sundalo!
tongue,
‘yang si johnrat ay mas makamandag pa sa pinakamandag na ULUPONG!
kaya hindi siya dapat pamarisan ng kahit sino man.