Pubdate: Sat, 27 Nov 2004 Source: People's Tonight (Philippines) Copyright: Journal Group 2004 Contact: http://www.journal.com.ph/contactus.asp Website: http://www.journal.com.ph Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3454 Author: Miriam V. Torrecampo Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/women.htm (Women) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration) IGNORANCE OF LAW DRIVES POOR WOMEN TO SELL DRUGS SINCE radio and newspapers hardly reach the Mountain Province, many residents do not have access to information on illegal drugs. Thus, the growing and selling of the dried leaves and flowering tops of marijuana plants for a living is common in the area. Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) chief superintendent Atty. Rachel Ruelo said that unscrupulous people usually lure poor and ignorant individuals to the illegal drug trade. This was the case with former vegetable vendor Susan Napat-a, a resident of Brookside, Upper Baguio City, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by the Regional Trial Court of Baguio City for selling three kilos of marijuana leaves for P500 in 1988. The mother of six has been languishing in jail for 16 years. "Sa hirap ng buhay at kasalukuyan pang nag-aaral ang mga anak ko noon kaya ako nakumbinsing magbenta ng marijuana. Ang alam ko lang, mabili ang marijuana, pero hindi ko alam na bawal at ganito ang hahantungan. Wala naman kasing nahuhuli na nagtitinda ng marijuana roon (Baguio). Ang nagdadala sa amin ng marijuana ay taga-Mountain Province," the 61-year-old woman told People's Tonight. Napat-a said she was helping her miner husband support their family needs through selling various vegetables in a public market. She was enticed to sell marijuana for extra income. She was earning a meager P50-P100 from a whole day's work as vegetable vendor. With dried marijuana leaves as commodity, she would earn a P200 commission per transaction. "Nakakapagbenta ako ng marijuana isang beses sa loob ng tatlong buwan. Mga isang taon pa lang ako noon sa ganu'ng klase ng trabaho. Ang bumibili sa akin ay mga taga-Manila," Napat-a said. The native of Bitwagan, Sadanga, Mountain Province, said she lost her future in jail. Napat-a also lost her two children to typhoid-fever complications. She said she almost lost her sanity for the death of her children. She was not able to attend their funeral. She could only grieve and pray for their souls. "Unang namatay 'yung pang-apat kong anak. Namatay siya dahil sa typhoid fever sa edad na 14 noong April 1990. Isang taon pa lang ako rito (CIW) noon. Dinalaw pa niya ako March 17, magga-graduate siya ng Grade 6 nu'ng sumunod na buwan. Ayaw sana niyang pumunta sa graduation nila, kasi niloloko siya ng mga kaklase niya dahil nakakulong ang nanay niya, kaya lang tatanggap siya ng medal. "Ang payo ko sa kanya: 'Hindi masamang tao ang nanay ninyo, hindi ako masamang tao, gusto ko lang masuportahan ang pag-aaral ninyo. Hindi ko naman alam na masama,'" Napat-a recalled, tears falling down her cheeks. She was informed of her daughter's untimely death on Good Friday, three weeks after the last time she saw the girl alive. "Sana ako na lang ang namatay nang mga oras na 'yun," she cried. Her fifth child also died of typhoid fever only two years ago. Her youngest child was only six years old when Napat-a was transferred to CIW in Mandaluyong City. She saw her kid again when a television station facilitated their meeting recently. "Hindi ko agad nakilala ang anak ko dahil malaki na siya," she said, lightening up. Napat-a's oldest child blames her until now for their family's misfortune. Napat-a said that if she could only bring back the hands of time, she would not sell marijuana. She wishes to spend the remaining years of her life with her husband and four children. She plans to cultivate a vegetable garden of her own if and when her plea for clemency is granted. Napat-a is appealing to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to grant executive clemency to her and 50 other elderly and sick inmates. "Parang awa na po ninyo, President Arroyo, siguro po ay sapat na ang mahabang panahon na pagdurusa namin dito sa kulungan. Sana po ay makalaya na ang mga karapat-dapat nang lumaya. Napagsisihan na po namin ang ginawa namin. Pirmahan na sana niya ang papel namin. Baka bukas ay wala na po kami, hindi man lang namin nakasama ang mga mahal namin sa buhay," Napat-a pleaded. Wrong Target Prison authorities consider 84-year-old Maria Dulnuan a classic example of a victim of wrong circumstances. Through an interpreter, the native of Lon-oy, San Gabriel, La Union -- who speaks only in her native Ilokano tongue -- told Tonight that she and her 12-year-old grandson were looking for some food items to buy for Christmas Eve in a public market in La Union when they met a man who handed her a "bayong." The man, whom they failed to identify, requested them to carry the bayong and meet him somewhere in the same marketplace. When the old woman and her grandson reached the supposed meeting place, policemen approached them and asked for the contents of the bayong. "Sabi nila, 'Tingnan namin kung ano ang dala mo.' Pagbukas nila ng bayong, marijuana pala ang laman. Hinuli kami ng pulis. Sabi ko sa mga pulis, hintayin natin 'yung may-ari ng bayong, pero hindi na siya nagpakita," the octogenarian said in Ilokano. The policemen freed the grandson, who initially refused to have his Lola Maria placed behind bars and tried to exchange places with her. Lola Maria was sentenced to life imprisonment for her courteous deed to an unidentified man nine years ago. She said she has suffered long enough for that selfless gesture. Lola Maria's family, who hailed from the Mountain Province, depends on farming vegetables for a living. "Pagtatanim at pagtitinda ng gulay ang aming ikinabubuhay. 'Yung pinagbebentahan, ibinibili namin ng kailangan sa bahay gaya ng asin, posporo at asukal. Walang ilaw, radio at TV sa lugar namin. Gasera lang ang ilaw namin," she said of her simple life in the province. She said she misses her two daughters and grandchildren so much. She asked Tonight to air her request to President Arroyo. "Palayain na po ninyo kami, Ma'am," she pleads. The old woman is suffering from high blood pressure, rheumatism and poor vision. As of December 2003, at least 98 women inmates -- or 9.3 percent of the total inmate population -- are serving their sentence at CIW for possession and selling of marijuana. Mrs. Lydia Elorde -- president of the Inner Wheel Club of the Philippines, who spearheads the "Laya Ka Na Lola" program -- appeals to President Arroyo and the Department of Justice to review the cases of inmates deserving a commutation of sentence, pardon and even executive clemency. "Sa tingin ko, wala na sila [old and sick inmates] dapat dito, kasi ang tatanda na. In fact, may 80-plus, ang daming 70 years old. It's about time na bigyang-pansin ng Pangulo at DOJ na i-review ang cases nito at palayain na so they could go back to their families and grandchildren. Bigyan naman ng pagkakataon, ilang taon na lang naman ang natitirang buhay nito. We are thankful that, last year, may dalawang lola na lumaya. Naghihintay kami sa pangako ni GMA," Elorde said. - ---