The day the stars visited Muntinlupa

It was the 27th anniversary of Rev. Msgr. Roberto Olaguer’s priesthood but the celebration was the most unique we had yet to attend. As chaplain of Muntinlupa’s Maximum Security Prison for the past 18 years, Fr. Olaguer held a Mass at the heavily guarded compound, had visitors from the outside including 50 strong from Fortune Tobacco plus the Baliksamahan group of veteran movie stars, a sumptuous catered lunch, and a concert at the gym to boot.

The first time we received the invitation from Pempe Rodrigo, head of Baliksamahan, we were quickly intrigued. Who was this priest? Why was he celebrating in this manner? What connection did he have with movie stars specifically those belonging to the former Big Three Studios Sampaguita, LVN, Premiere?

We were hesitant at stepping inside that supposed lair of hardened criminals that included convicted killers and rapists. But at the same time, we were challenged.

Aboard four vehicles, we were on our way. In our party were Marichu Vera Perez-Maceda, Gloria Romero, Sarah Calvin, Sheryl Cruz (parents Ricky Belmonte and Rosemarie Sonora) from Sampaguita; Perla Bautista and Delia Razon from LVN; Marissa Delgado and Minda Morena from Premiere; our friends Danny and Tess Rayos del Sol; and Pempe.

Upon reaching the prison entrance, we were disconsolate at the prospect of not being able to take pictures when asked to leave our cellphones and cameras behind. Escorted by inmates holding umbrellas over our heads, we walked over to the chapel; noticed a lot of men, women and children walking around, buying souvenirs, buying drinks from the sari-sari stores. No one could tell the inmates from the visitors. It looked like any other barangay with houses of worship side by side (Muslim, Protestant, 7th Day Adventist, Iglesia) and various kinds of schools offering specific courses.

Inside the chapel, we espied a young man taking pictures whom we quickly requested to let us use his pictures. This is when we began to meet a whole lot of people with interesting stories to tell. The photographer was Michael, son of Mario Uy, plant manager at Fortune Tobacco who was a regular visitor at the prison, bringing in donations, and materials for the inmates to work with for their souvenir items. He had joined the Rivers of Living Waters Catholic Charismatic group when his wife fell ill and met Pempe who was an elder of the group. The group at Fortune Tobacco grew in numbers until they became the Rivers Fortune chapter. They were invited by Pempe to visit the inmates at Maximum Security until it became a regular activity for them and Fr. Olaguer.

We met another member of Rivers Fortune, Manolo Chua, also an executive at Fortune, who with his wife Fely started bringing daughter Angela Marie to perform for the inmates as their way of commiserating with them. Their daughter, 21, suffers from a bone defect from birth, cannot sit or stand but is blessed with a beautiful voice. She performed during the Mass and at the concert that followed. The parents also proudly gave away CDs of her songs, and DVDs of an episode over GMA 7’s Magpakailanman where her story was dramatized. Somehow, her joyful countenance and spirit served as inspiration to inmates who might have felt downtrodden.

Then there was Peter Smith Borja, vocal coach and accompanist of the prison’s Liturgical Choir. He told us he was in for life on charges of illegal recruitment when all he did was refer some people to an agency that turned out to be illegal. A graduate of the UST Conservatory of Music, he has spent 17 years in prison training the 47 members of the choir. His efforts and good behavior have apparently gained favor and he looks forward to freedom very soon.

We also met Reynalda Ong, mother of three- month-old twin girls Sasha and Shelean. She had brought her children by husband Tomas who had already been in prison for eight years. The children would be baptized after the Mass by Fr. Olaguer.

The six-hour celebration started with the Mass, a virtual thanksgiving of Msgr. Olaguer for the blessings in his life. He recounted how 30 years ago while still studying for the priesthood, he asked Cardinal Sin if he could be assigned as chaplain to a prison. Years later, he got his wish.

Fr. Olaguer is an articulate speaker, his sermons punctuated by humor and jokes. It is apparent that he is loved in this community where he insists that there is no distinction between the outsiders and the inmates, where everyone is a Child of God. Later he would beam with pride, referring to Muntinlupa as a Munting Langit on Earth. And here, in the midst of inmates sentenced to life terms (when the death penalty was abolished), strangely enough, we all believe him.

The good priest treated his visitors to lunch with food catered by Mario Uy. Then followed the concert which bannered the amazing Angela Marie, followed by the Liturgical Choir who performed Shine Jesus Christ, Tanging Yaman, among others; the prison live band; then the Entertainment Choir wearing T-shirts emblazoned with electric chair, lethal injection in bold letters as if to remind everyone to be grateful for little blessings.

We had an unexpected visitor during the concert in the person of Ed Lejano, son of Pinky de Leon, whose story most everyone is aware of. We heard that his co-accused Hubert Webb was somewhere around but didn’t see him. Some inmates handed Marissa Delgado a CD addressed to Brod Robin Padilla from Allan Ogaya, stuntman and former fight director. We have the tape with us.” (Robin, please call us. You’ll have to watch this tape to believe it.) It was just too much to digest for one day. We still cannot quite believe that wonderful incredible experience.  

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