An interview with Fr. Robert Reyes
Remembering Cardinal Sin
[appeared at Manila Times, June 28, 2005, Sam Mediavilla]
(This is one of the two stories I wrote in honor of the late Manila Archbishop
Jaime Cardinal Sin after a series of interviews with numerous people then visiting the wake of the late Cardinal. I personally asked my friend Johnna Villaviray who at the time was subeditor at the Manila Times to please publish my story.)
Running Priest with “Kariton ni Maria” Fr. Robert Reyes in
an interview with Radyo Veritas on Wednesday recalled how the late Manila
Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin had silence him on 1983 shortly before former
Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Sr., was assassinated and the historical people
power revolution I was launch.
Reyes said he was not spared from the straightforward and
very vocal Cardinal Sin when his activist character slowly gaining popularity
in early 1980’s hitting the Marcoses and their allies left and right with his
sharp words and exposing their alleged anomalies.
Reyes remembered being called at the Archbishop’s Palace in
Villa San Miguel, Mandaluyong where the Cardinal told him to stop attacking
then President Ferdinand Marcos.
He narrated that since it would be impossible and hard to
argue with the Cardinal who is almost a father figure to him at that time being
a young and well spirited newly ordained priest he obeyed to the order of Sin
but only for 24-hours.
“Siyempre napagsasabihan din ako ng Cardinal. Pinatawag ako
sa Villa San Miguel sinabihan akong tumigil na sa pagtakbo-takbo ko at
manahimik sa pagsasalita. Mahirap makipagtalo sa Cardinal kaya 24-hour ako
sumunod. 24 oras lang,” Reyes said.
Reyes recalled although he could not bear to keep the truth
from exposing it due to martial law rule of Marcos administration that time he
did not disobey the Cardinal.
“Kasi ang pananalita niya (Cardinal Sin), pananalita ng
ama,” he added.
But after 24-hours of silence he went back to his old form,
running in the streets talking and exposing everything he knows about the
Marcos government and alleged illegal activities of former First Lady Imeda
Marcos.
“1983 noong kamamatay pa lang ni Ninoy ang dami kong
sinasabi laban kay Marcos, laban kay Imelda. Bigla sinabi niya ipadadala kita
sa Rome para magaral,” Reyes recalled. “It was his way to silence me,” he
added.
Reyes said he was surprised. He said he did not like the
idea and even questioned the Cardinal’s decision knowing he has many things to
expose that time since the government then was already threatening the media.
“Ang sabi ko bakit ganoon? Bakit ngayon?” he narrated.
But three years after he was flew to Rome and learned about
Cardinal Sin calling the people to support the defection of then Defense
Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and rally against the Marcoses only then that he
understood.
He also admitted that they have many disagreements and his
attention was always called by the Cardinal but he said neither a single regret
he felt for the actions he had taken because it made him realized how much the
Cardinal cared for him.
He added: “May mga bagay at kaligtasan na puwedeng makuha ng
isang Cardinal na hindi kaya ng isang ordinaryong pari. He fears for my life.”
“Naisip ko na sayang nga naman kung noon pa lang nawala na
ako,” he continued.
Reyes claimed that if Cardinal Sin is alive today the
priests and other religious leaders are in Villa San Miguel discussing and
assessing the current political situation facing the Arroyo administration
since the Cardinal is always for the truth.
“Kung buhay si Cardinal Sin ngayon baka araw-araw ay
nagmi-meeting na kami sa Villa San Miguel. At magulat ka kapag bigla na lang
iyan magtawag ng suporta na mag-rally uli sa Edsa tulad noong mga nakaraang
krisis sa bansa,” he said.
Reyes further said: “At matakot ka na kung ano ang
tatanungin sa iyo dahil sa mga pinag-gagawa mo.” ###