At the police station a tarpauline was hanged with an image of different career women with a text written..., "Celebrating Women's Month , March 2013, Kababaihan: Gabay sa Tuwid na Daan." I just read it since its too bold.
I was there to visit a detained friend . The lock up cell has three divisions, the first and the last were occupied by men while the middle cell by women. Once you are inside you can see them closely and you cannot stop to wonder what offences they have done. Of course there is also that feeling of fear of hostage drama since the space is too narrow.
I did not hesitate to ask one of the lady detainee how old she was and why she was locked up. They were three young looking girls inside and claim to be 18 years old. I did not see the shame in their faces while the two were busy on their mobile phones texting. They were detained for possession of illegal gambling paraphernalia on a Friday ( which Saturday and Sunday are non-working days to bail them off). What i am thinking was, they are not supposed to be there and I cannot bear to think that they are staying for another two nights since one of them uttered that they will be released by Monday. I presume mothers of these 18 year old young ladies are of my age. It worries me.
I just cannot imagine how arresting officers deal with such kind of local vicious crime. The illegal number game "last 2 digit" is rampant in Mindanao. Why can't raid operations catch "big financiers"? So hard for them? So what is easy? The 18 years old women who were seen handling petty amount with tally sheets of bet numbers?
Maybe it is more sounding to celebrate women's month not in ceremonies with politician talking so much of passed bills and laws,women's right, blah blah blanh and promises of these and that. Instead, let the organizer on the local level visit our correctional and recommend how justice and freedom can be served for those women in jail who are victims of pretentious society.
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