Lorca brothers

Bantayog ng Mga Bayani
QC, Philippines
Nov. 30, 2015

NAP LORCA

Among the 15 names inscribed in the walls of the Bantayog ng mga Bayani this afternoon are those of the brothers -- Napoleon Porras Lorca and Rolando Porras Lorca.

"Nap" Lorca was born February 2, 1946 in Pasay City but after the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in 1971, went to Iloilo. A member of the Kabataang Makabayan (KM), he worked with the Federation of Ilonggo Students (FIST) which led student demonstrations in Iloilo. From the ranks of FIST rose the leaders of the KM and the Samahan ng mga Demokratikong Kabataan (SDK).

Nap and fellow studentis moved to the foothills of the Madyaas Mountains when they sensed that Marcos was preparing the ground for the declaration of martial law. He is remembered for organizing the indigenousTumandok of Central Panay. He and his group's integration with indigenous people taught the latter ways to improve farm production like constructing village water system, and protect themselves from bandits and extortionists, among others.

Nap died on September , 1973 in La Paz, Iloilo City, while resting in a house raided by the military. His activist girlfriend, Roseana, was pregant at the time with their son who never saw him. She later left for Italy where she passed away in 2006.

His remains are buried in his hometown Duenas, Iloilo.

Five months after Nap's death, his younger brother Rolly, was killed in a raid by a commando of constabulary soldiers in Libacao, Aklan.

ROLLY LORCA

Rolly, born in February 2, 1950, is the ninth child of Teodolo Lorca, a personnel of the Philippine Air Force and Jesusa Porras Lorca, a teacher. He took his elementary at La Paz Elementary School and took up college at the Lyceum.

His story is almost like that of any KM activist: he organized students and staged street demonstrations against government abuses, US imperialism, commercialization of education and other problems plaguing the country.

He was one of the first KM members who decided to leave Mania and go the provinces to organize. In his case, he chose his home province Iloilo.

Aside from his activity in FIST, he also organized peasants including farmers in his hometown Duenas. The peasant alliance he helped formed spread to neighboring towns including those in Capiz Province.

Retrievers of his records gathered the following information surrounding his martyrdom:

He travelled three days to get to Libacao, Aklan to meet other activists -- Antonio Tagamolila (Bantayog martyr) and Antonio Hilario (Bantayog martyr) for a meeting. A commando team of constables raided their meeting killing all three three of them, another two comrades including a pregnant woman. One from the group managed to escape despite injuries.

The bodies of the dead including Roly's were buried at Taroytoy. The family later exhumed Rolly's remains for reburial in his hometown Duenas together with those of his elder brother Nap.

In 2007, the Lorca brothers were among the honorees during the inauguration of the monument dedicated to heroes who joined the resistance against the Marcos dictatorship.

The Bantayog ng mga Bayani has been established to perpetuate the memories of martyrs who joined the resistance, armed or unarmed, against martial law.

Never again! Never forget!