Traumatized by kidnapping

There would be no Doctors, Nurses, Policemen, and all other professionals without the teachers, but then you might wonder why in the Panglima Mammah Elementary School in Indanan, Sulu they, who take good care of our children’s future, were harassed and attempted kidnapped?

THE SULU KRIS tried to understand why.

Background: Last March 10, 2014, a Teachers’ chartered Tamaraw was stopped along Tagbak, Indanan road, where the driver had to lay down his life to save our educators.

That is why since opening of classes in June 2, 2014, the Indanan Police daily escorted the teachers, who are residents of Jolo to report to Panglima Mammah Elementary School. THE SULU KRIS joined with them last June 6 to personally learn the teachers’ ordeal. The Police Vehicle stayed in front of the convoy and was too fast.

But even so, the teachers who personally experienced the near-death experience in Tagbak, Indanan, Sulu while being manhandled by the kidnappers are still suffering from mental stress and they are indeed traumatized, though it has been two months ago since the attack. THE SULU KRIS saw them convulsed and fidget when we crossed the kidnapping site in Indanan.

The teachers unanimously ask now for psycho-therapist or psychiatrists from the government to alleviate their symptoms. Our survivors have not recovered yet from the horrific experience that befell on them.

They are also amenable to the change of place of assignment, a transfer to another school, if it were offered to them.

Upon reaching the public school, THE SULU KRIS noticed immediately the presence of a Barangay Tanod armed with a long gun. The Sulu Kris learned that Barangay Tanods have been guarding the school premises since June 2.

BPAT guarding the school ground

The principal told THE SULU KRIS that it is not easy to grant the request for transfer of the teachers that is why she was now asking help from the government or any other agency to provide psychotherapists to the teachers.

The fearful Ma'am Sheng, one of the victims of the frustrated abduction, is still doing her best to teach her pupils despite the ordeal she experienced. Her classroom is full of educational materials. The pupils are all happy and agog to be present and learn something new. You won’t really see from their countenance that they are hiding anxiety and suffering from stress.

Ma'am Sheng and her curious pupils

The Panglima Mammah Elementary School is a blessed school. Its learning materials and equipment are complete; its buildings in good condition; its school’s properties are many. There are already 390 enrollees as of June 6 which is still expected to rise since they are still accepting new enrollees.

THE SULU KRIS also see new classrooms and newly renovated ones. Their library is full of books and computers; the only missing is the peace and order on the roads leading to this school.

The Principal (extreme right) and some of the teachers of the PMES

To ensure the safety of the teachers, Police Inspector Alradzmer Hadjail, the Chief of Police of Indanan Municipal Police Station has deployed five personnel in Km4 or Barangay Tagbak, the exact place where the kidnapping incident took place. They are also conducting an Operation “Hatid-Sundo” to the teachers of Panglima Mammah Elementary School.

PI Alradzmer Hadjail, Chief of Police of Indanan

“Iyong “Hatid Sundo,” ay maintain yan, sa umaga, sa hapon, at the same time we also conduct mobile patrol along the road. Nag-start ang "Hatid-Sundo" before opening of classes when the supervisor coordinated with us,” said Chief of Police Hadjail.

A dozen police details are under the “Hatid-Sundo” program to ensure that similar incident will not happen in the area and also to remove the fear in the hearts of the teachers, Chief Hadjail added.

But the Chief is not yet sure if the kidnappers were really from Indanan, or not.

The Chief of Police also promised that the PNP-Indanan is willing to serve the community 24/7. Their hotline is 09353697598.

The Barangay chairwoman of Barangay Tagbak, Hon. Darwisa Kadil, also acted to ensure the security of the Panglima Mammah Elementary School by deploying four Barangay Tanod that will guard the school round the clock. She made a visit to the school every day also, she said.

Mrs Ainal Jalaide, a grandmother of two school children in the school said that, she is already comfortable with the security of the school. She will also help in her capacity on how to help protect the teachers.

Mrs Ainal Jalaide

The school children in the School are not exuding fear also. They are constantly laughing and playing with each other while learning something new during the initial days of the classes.

Learning is playing

The Principal of the school, Ms. Felomina Sappari is thankful to all the development in her school. All their requests to authorities were already granted, but she has one last request to the authorities that is not yet answered: to give her teachers professional psychiatrists so that the teachers will fully recover from their traumatic experience.

“The teachers are complaining to me almost daily,” said the principal. “they want to be completely de-stressed out, transferred or offered vacation leave.”

But the principal cannot decide yet on these things. She’s waiting for the actions of the Superintendent and the Armm DepEd administration regarding this.

One of the teachers, according to the principal, was so near the hero driver during the incident of kidnapping. She was soaked in blood, too, that time and was no longer expecting to have survived the attack.

“Hindi siya makatulog sa gabi dahil sa trauma,” said the Principal.

The principal is also asking for additional security for herself, as she had personally received two threat letters and several text messages within the short span of time.

On a positive note, the family of the hero driver has been given assistance by the local, provincial, and regional personalities.

ASEC John Magno, et al turning-over the Financial Assistance to the widow

And still on a lighter note, and possible reflection assignment, THE SULU KRIS met this child who want to be MNLF when he grows up.

A child who wants to be MNLF after College!

Other responses of the school children THE SULU KRIS met were also curious, and should be a challenge to educators, parents, and security sectors alike. One child dreams to become a doctor in order to touch on dead people. One child wants to be a Policeman in order to legally fire a gun.

These kids must have been living in an environment of death and guns.

The video of the chat:

Ka' Dadang Loves to Risk her Life for Others

They say that first impression lasts, but in her case, and if you'd have "that" first impression of her, look again, and very intently this time. You'd have to be proven wrong! Awfully dead wrong.

Ask any ten random people who had known her, this question: "Describe Ka' Dadang," and their answers shall crazily revolve around her being "Mataray", "Mabungis", not a friendly person, difficult to be a friend. But is it right?

Today, dear friends, I found the answer, and it is "No!" A big resounding "No!"

You, including me, must have been judging from her stern-looking face, but had you really tried to approach her and spark some friendly conversations with her (yes, remove that fidgety feeling that may arise from being close with this stern-looking woman), you would have found a whacky but determined person, who would have care less about her own life and job just to render selfless service to other people in need, especially in life-and-death situations.

We will talk about her flirting with death just to save lives, but let us first know Ka' Dadang.

Getting to know Ka' Dadang

Ka' Dadang is a single mother, a mother of two (13 and 14 years old), whom are the sources of her inspirations in life, in addition to her nurturing parents, who are still "alive and kicking" today. May Allah swt give them long happy life.

Her love story had ended four years ago, yes, but that became her stepping stone to make her life more meaningful to other people today.

Will she ever choose a different life? Will she ever want to rewind some parts of her life? She said, "No! I love the way life had mould me to be."

"Every life experience that I had," she said, "had taught me valuable lessons."

She is the kind of a woman who is "Mapagbigay," always putting herself and her happiness secondary to her loved ones'.

Thus, she left her husband in a happy note, personally working out the divorce paper herself, because her husband would not left her, and also because Ka' Dadang did not like to live being in a polygamous family.

Had she been affected with the divorce? "Yes, a lot." She said, "I avoided social life for two years and stayed with my two children to help me ease the pain."

She had not told any soul about her problem, not even her parents.

But until now, she and her husband are still in good terms with each other, separated, yes, but happy people still.

That experience, among many other bad but nurturing experiences, has made her what she is today: a very kind woman, soft spoken, frank, friendly, and have a knack at sending cold water to any person's angry heart.

Yes, she had wonderfully settled a lot of conflicts in Sulu. Should there be no Ka' Dadang, many conflicts in Sulu would have become full blown war and bloodshed and uncertainties. Her recent success was in Kalinggalan Kaluang. Just few days ago.

The two warring families were in the middle of it all, with three casualties, two wounded persons, burnt houses, destroyed coconut trees -- name it -- But Ka' Dadang had effectively negotiated a truce. Alhamdulillah, no more bloodshed for now, if both parties continuously respect the agreement Ka' Dadang provided for both sides, Inshaa Allah!

Saving a Wounded Boy "Terrorist"

Her most unforgettable memory of selfless service was when she saved the wounded 13 year old boy in Buhanginan, Patikul a year ago.

The boy, called Haiver, the son of a Barangay Councilor in Buhanginan, was wounded at the back from a Marine fire, mistaking the boy as a member of Abu Sayaff group.

Upon knowing the incident, she immediately sprang to action and asked the Red Cross to come with her and save the boy.

Her office, the Center of Humanitarian Dialogue, did not know of her decision. She did not inform her officemates.

"I threw the name of my office at the back, and worked only in my personal capacity just to help save lives," said Ka' Dadang.

Alas, since the ASG and the military were in heavy fighting that time, it was not easy to transport the boy to the Jolo town to get treated, besides the boy was considered as ASG terrorist. The boy had seemed to have already lost so much blood.

Ka' Dadang recalled that they had been stopped by at least five checkpoints along the way, but she angrily insisted that: "Even though, this person might be terrorist, but he still need treatment!"

She had successfully brought the boy to the hospital in the Jolo town despite many elegant and sly maneuverings of the military to get at the boy. The military had even offered to take the boy to the Trauma Hospital in Camp Bautista, but Ka' Dadang refused.

She instructed the Hospital to put the boy in a Private room, and instructed the boy's Patikul Police Guards not to let anyone get near the almost dying patient, except his family.

She had also asked the Mayor of Patikul to extend assistance to the patient. And it was granted.

She stayed with the boy during his operation and got blood donors for the boy, who needed continuous blood supply. The blood was almost completely drained from his body.

After being unconscious for 16 hours, the boy woke up, and looked at his angel: "Anti', di' ta kaw tuud kabayaran," said the boy crying.

The mother approached Ka' Dadang: "Magsukul, Inda', sin tiyabangan mu kami, magbuhi' balik ha anak namu," said the mother hugging Ka' Dadang.

The boy is now second year high school and already happily married to his fiancee, whom he had asked for marriage while he was laying dying at the hospital.

He said that time: "Tiyauna na kami, Ama' Ina', misan aku matay na, bang man in kami nakawin na."

The military had hit the boy at the back in the boy's own farm while he was trying to complete his dowry to his fiancee.

So you say that first impression lasts? Not all the time right?

Ka' Dadang and her Team of Selfless Civilian Warriors in Sulu.