SELDA-Panay 2012 reunion


Last year, the reunion of ex-political detainees was exuberant -- good food, booze and a lot of singing.

This year, organizers of SELDA-Panay decided to do away with all the trappings. This time, they resolved to be low key. Nobody even smoked inside the dining hall.

Each participant stood up to narrate his/her experience in detention after the declaration of martial law in September 21, 1972,
or 40 years ago.

They have common stories to tell: they were subjected to physical and mental torture and they still could remember the faces of their torturers.

Credit should go to Rose Asong, Cynthia A Deduro and Chuchi Pestaño who consistently told their male counterparts to do away with drinks during reunions. Age must be another factor for the acquiscence of the males. Despite their number, mmore than one-half of the lechon was still untouched when I arrived.

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