this story originally appeared in the philippine daily inquirer on January 14, 1999.
You can never tell what’s on a person’s mind, especially mine since the wheels in my head spin rapidly nonstop. Even at night when all the world around me is asleep, endless pondering, worries and fears keep me awake, sometimes till the wee hours of the morning. What could be bothering me so much? For most of the year, it was research papers and college applications. Lately it is Leo Echegaray. When I was around 10 years old, my mother told me something that I will never forget and for which I am grateful to her. She said: ”If somebody touches you in your private parts or in any way you don’t feel comfortable, you have to tell me. I don’t care whether it’s your dad, your grandfather, your teacher or your friend. You come to me and I will protect you.”
At that time, the Polly Klas kidnapping was a big news in the United States. It took place in California. There was a sleep-over party at Polly’s house with her mother present. Polly, 11, was taking a shower when a man sneaked into their house and kidnapped her. Almost a year later, the kidnapper was caught and Polly was found naked and dead in a ditch. The man who kidnapped, raped and killed her was a repeat offender who had been set free on good behavior. Polly’s murder was his last crime as he was finally sentenced to life imprisonment.
We were living in California then. During the months when the police were searching for Polly and the case was constantly in the news I couldn’t sleep. My bedroom and window were beside the front door, which meant anyone who broke into our house could easily take me. While lying awake, I would pray for Polly and ask the Lord to protect me not only when I was in my bedroom but at all times. I would pray that all girls would be protected from abuse and danger.
Another case which stole hours of sleep from me was that of Rep. Romeo Jalosjos, who has been found guilty of raping a 12-year-old girl. The victim’s father pimped her to the congressman. Jalosjos was reelected to Congress last May even as he was serving a life sentence. But that’s not the saddest part about this case for me. It is that the girl’s father let men rape her in exchange for cash. The same man who cared for her since she was a baby and whom she loved. And now, Echegaray. At first it was no big deal. He was just an answer to one of the questions in our current events quiz: Who is the first convict to be given the death penalty since the restoration of capital punishment in the 1992 Constitution?
I’m sure many would agree with me when I say Echegaray doesn’t deserve to live. But when you think about it, neither does Rosalie, the victim’s mother. Neither of them should have peace and happiness again until their daughter does, and that may take forever. At the start of this case, Rosalie sided with Echegaray and not with her daughter, and even testified on his behalf. She left her daughter and mother to pursue the rape charges by themselves. Her testimony even included a denial that Echegaray was her daughter’s real father because she thought it would help Echegaray get life imprisonment instead of death. Asked why she lied, Rosalie answered that Echegaray was her family’s only source of income and that she loved him. In court when Echegaray was sentenced to death by lethal injection, Rosalie sobbed and embraced him when the verdict was announced. When Echegaray decided to marry an old college girlfriend and not her one week before he was scheduled for execution, Rosalie returned to her daughter and mother. Now she admits that her daughter was raped by Echegaray several times, and once as her younger siblings watched. Because of her conflicting testimonies, Rosalie lost credibility with the court. More than that, she lost her daughter. Until now Baby has not forgiven Rosalie for abandoning her and siding with the convicted rapist.
A few of my friends and I were discussing the other day what we would do if we were in the victim’s position. One thing we all were sure of was that we would never forgive our mothers if they were to turn their backs on us, especially in a situation like this. One girl even said, ”She (Rosalie) acted as his accomplice; she should also be punished for trying to help him and lying in court.” What does it matter that Echegaray is her family’s only source of income? Can’t she find other means of making a living? There are lots of mothers out there who have raised and supported their families by themselves. By what she did, Rosalie was saying that she didn’t believe her daughter or she didn’t care that her daughter was harmed and abused. I thought parents were supposed to protect their children at all cost, even to the extent of taking a bullet for them. With a mother like Rosalie and a father like Leo, whom can a girl trust? What kind of example are they setting for future mothers and fathers? As for the Catholic bishops and nuns protesting capital punishment and holding prayer vigils in hopes of saving Echegaray, a friend had this to say: ”Why does the church have to butt in? I thought church and state are separate.” But, who knew one man’s death could stir all this attention from the church? This is no ordinary man, mind you. He is a playboy, drug pusher, drug addict and child rapist rolled into one. We should remove his kind from this earth. For once, my friends and I were proud of President Estrada when he stood his ground and did not grant Echegaray clemency. Quite possibly that was the only right thing he has done since the beginning of his term. While writing this, I asked my self what I hoped to get from the exercise besides finally setting loose the thoughts wracking my brain and keeping me awake at night. I don’t know. Some peace, maybe. A full night’s sleep, perhaps. Not only for myself, but also for Echegaray’s victim. In raping her, Echegaray made a victim of all young girls like me.
