Bulatlat.com

'Woman of the hour'

All it took was a bouquet of roses for Mary Ong, also known as Rosebud, to shed tears - quite unexpected of a former undercover agent. Rosebud had been in the limelight over the past months for telling all on her former handlers in the police force and linking them to high-level drug trafficking and murder. Late last week, it was the turn of women's groups led by Gabriela to give honor to the 'iron lady' - in the same tradition bestowed on other women who became, in their own right and in similar situations, 'women of the hour.'

By A. HERNANDEZ
Bulatlat.com

Despite a purported intelligence report branding her a "witness without credibility," women's groups threw their all-out support on controversial witness Mary Ong aka Rosebud.

Last Thursday, women's groups led by Gabriela and Urduja named Ong "Woman of Courage" for daring to come out and standing up against Sen. Panfilo Lacson.

The star witness in the on-going Senate investigation, Ong spilled the beans on Lacson and his former subordinates in the defunct Presidential Anti-Crime Commission (PACC) and the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force (PAOCTF), accusing them of involvement in drug-trafficking, kidnapping and murder.

Last year, the women's groups gave the same recognition to three "courageous women" -- Clarissa Ocampo, Emma Lim and Menchu Itchon, whose testimonies gave credence to the charges of corruption against then President Joseph Estrada.

Gabriela chair Sr. Mary John Mananzan said her group salutes Ong, whose courage and selflessness, like the three other women who gave the biggest blow to Estrada during the impeachment trial, were worth emulating.

"For it is not easy for women, especially for a mother like her, to come out and dare confront not only a powerful senator but also an evil conglomerate of syndicates," Mananzan said, reading a prepared statement of recognition for Ong.

"It is not easy to testify against men bosses protected by their badge as law enforcers," Mananzan, also president of St. Scholastica's College said. "It is not easy to reveal the pains of a woman undercover who is ringed by machismo and trapped in a world of drug dealings, kidnappings and murders."

Disclose everything

Mananzan urged Ong though to bring her courage one step further and "disclose everything else she knows that runs contrary to the interest of the people."

She said the worsening crime situation that drug-trafficking spawns primarily preys on the vulnerability of women and children.

Gabriela cited statistics which showed that an average of eight women are raped daily. Most of the perpetrators of heinous crimes were found to be under the influence of dangerous drugs.

Urduja chair Tetchie Capillan said the courage shown by Ong and the other women before her should inspire others similarly situated to come out in the open.

"We urge other women facing the same predicament to come out and Urduja and Gabriela are here to help," Capillan said.

Lawyer Marie Yuviengco of the Public Interest Law Center said she and at least five others lawyers were forming a women's legal team to give pro bono services to Ong and other "women of courage."

"We are here to encourage other witnesses to come out and that through this, we are hoping that those similarly situated (as Ong) could muster sufficient courage in supporting this crusade against crime and corruption in the government," Yuviengco said.

Because of the courage shown by Ocampo, Lim, and Itchon during the impeachment trial and now by Ong in the Senate hearing on Lacson's alleged illegal activities, Gabriela secretary general and Bayan Muna Rep. Liza Maza announced the establishment of Women of Courage Foundation.

Maza said the foundation aims to give honor and recognition to the same kind of women and to encourage more women to stand up and fight, and support the just and moral struggles courageous women have taken upon their shoulders.

'Women of Courage'

Nanay Pillar Villafuerte, chair of Ahon Pinoy, a confederation of different community-based mothers' clubs, urged other mothers to lend support to the crusade of the "Women of Courage" especially against drug trafficking which Ong started.

"I know how Rosebud feels because I, too, have fallen victim to that menace. It ruined the life of my two sons and so, I am calling on all mothers to support this fight for the sake of our children's future," she said.

Overwhelmed by the support from women's groups, Ong's tears fell as she accepted a bouquet of roses symbolizing the recognition of women's groups from Sr. Mary John.

"When my fight started two years ago, nobody was there, nobody believed me. But God always whispered to me that there's always the right time for everything and it gave me the strength," said Ong, whose tears continuously flowed as she delivered her acceptance speech.

Despite all the difficulties that she has to face because of her exposes against Lacson, the former undercover agent said that the vision of eventually having a drug and crime-free country kept her going.

"I have to tell the truth. I am confident that in time, truth will prevail and it is this truth that will set me free," Ong said.

She said she had to muster courage to come out and spill the beans on Lacson and the trafficking of illegal drugs in the country because "I don't want the country to be filled with rapists and drug addicts."

Touched

"I'm so touched by your support. To all the mothers, I hope that in your children's time, there will no longer be crimes, kidnapping, murders," she said.

Turning on the roses that the women's groups gave her, Ong said that she hoped when people see those flowers, "they would remember me not as a Chinese woman but a symbol of plunk on the eyes of evil men."

Despite Lacson's supposed evidence against her, Ong expressed confidence that "if only given the chance by the Senate" to discuss things "point by point," she would be able to explain everything.

"Why am I doing this? What do I gain after all of these things come out? Nothing, in fact it already shows there is no selfishness in what I'm doing," she maintained.

Lacson, former chief of the Philippine National Police and, before that, of PACC and PAOCTF, faces charges of drug trafficking, murder and money laundering. A prot�g� of ousted president and plunder respondent Estrada, he built his image as a "clean" and "non-nonsense" police general. That image has since been shattered by the charges.

He has repeatedly said he would drop his immunity as a senator and go direct to jail without any court trial if the charges against him are proven true. The charges of course need to be proven in court. Bulatlat.com

We want to know what you think of this article.