THEN ONE morning, as the sun rose from the horizon, 10 farmers with their carabaos and plows arrived at Bernardo’s farm. They worked all day until nightfall, until it was done. The next few days saw them back planting rice. The farm was saved and community leaders got the help of Fr. Brian and his lay workers to help them free Bernardo, and they did.
Fr. Brian became a strong advocate for farmers’ rights, protesting land-grabbing and the killing of poor farmers by goons hired by plantation owners. He, the clergy and Bishop Antonio Fortich once organized a massive rally to demand social justice, as well as an end to land-grabbing and military oppression.
It was the first time poor people came to challenge the rich landowners and their political cronies. It was organized by trained farmer-leaders and held in Kabankalan in March 1980 to protest land-grabbing, deforestation, the corrupt local mayor then and the violent military. They were looting and killing tenant farmers, driving them off their plots. I joined Fr. Brian and others in the rally. The military could kill anyone they branded a communist insurgent.
An estimated 10,000 people flooded the town, and huge banners, flags and placards were everywhere. The empowered people were fearlessly protesting and demanding justice. The once all-powerful families that controlled the local government and the military were challenged and unnerved by this show of people power. It got national media attention.
The land-grabbing stopped, and the military was ordered to stand down. The cruel mayor was assassinated in 1983 by communist insurgents. Months later, Fr. Brian, Fr. Niall O’Brien, Fr. Vincente Dangan and six lay workers were wrongly arrested, jailed and charged with his murder.
The “Power to the People” rally was not forgotten; this was revenge. They were known as the “Negros 9”, fighting for social justice. They lived and suffered for their faith.
The dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. finally bowed to international outcry over the injustice and released them in 1984 for lack of evidence. After Marcos was ousted in February 1986, they returned to their mission with renewed faith. Their mission continues to this day through the Negros Nine Human Development Foundation.
Pope Leo XIV must become a leader who takes decisive action to protect victims of clerical sexual abuse and bring abusers to justice in the civil courts. He is challenged to oppose the evil of human slavery and the trafficking of hundreds of thousands of children every day. He needs the support of every bishop and believing Catholics to do it./PN
