Don Maderazo Speaks

By Charisse Gay G. Ursal
BiliranIsland.com
First Posted 23:41:00 01/28/2011

“Kung wa ko mapriso, dili ko makabalo unsaon pagbalik sa Ginoo.”

And there he was. Singing a song of praise from a church hymnal, the Maderazo family was again complete after former Mayor of Caibiran, Don Maderazo, was released from jail. Two years and four months of sentence seemed forever for the family. But after a protracted wait, there they were- offering their praises to God and thanking Him for giving them a second chance to live their lives together.

But before the Maderazos set foot at the church’s platform, they went through a rough road.

The dismissal of ex-Mayor Maderazo’s case for his alleged involvement of the murder of Vice Mayor Apoy Almen last 2001 heightened many people to react, disapprove, and even to the extent of mauling the court’s decision. Critics boomed and different sides of the story erupted.

But amidst the political tension, one man never said a word about what life has become during and after his incarceration in jail. One man in the center of controversies, and one man who found God walking along with him in his catastrophic journey.

Don Maderazo was born in the family who has already built a political institution in Caibiran. And as a man who was raised by a family of politicians, he was deemed to be a politician himself. He began his political career three months before he graduated from a criminology course. He became a Councilor in 1992; seated as Vice-mayor in 1995; and won the mayoralty post in 1998-2006.

Everything seemed to be running accordingly to his plans, but never was it part of the plan that he will be staying inside the jail for over two years.

Behind the jail bars, Maderazo was not anymore the leader. He became an inmate who followed the jail’s internal rules. He was uncomfortable with his transient home, but he had no choice but to live with it until he was proven innocent.

“Tanan nga kakulba naa sa sulod. Stressful kaayo especially when I think about my family and what is happening outside,” says Maderazo.

While inside the four-corner metallic room, Maderazo used the word of God as an instrument of hope to his fellow inmates. He gave Bible study to the prisoners and taught them moral values. According to him, the application of moral values such us respect, determination, and faith are few of the things which the prisoners should learn to live with.

“Mas maayo sa sud nga gamiton ang Ginoo kay sila (prisoners) need moral values. Kinahanglan nila og mutabang sa ila,” stressed by Maderazo.

Every night, Maderazo persistently talked with his fellow inmates, helped them with their family problems by giving pieces of advice, and continued reading the Bible, allowing God to touch their hearts. And just after one month and a half, 75 out of 89 prisoners were converted to become Seventh-Day Adventists.

“Naa mi Sabbath school program every week. Every night mag-worship mi kauban si Mayor og tungod ana, daghan sa amu ang nibalik sa Ginoo og nawala na pud ang mga kastigo, sugal og samuk sa prisuhan,” related by one of the prisoners, Ramie Garin.

According to Garin, Maderazo changed the jail’s system by helping him and his fellow inmates find light behind the darkness. Maderazo gave money to those visitors who did not have enough fare to go home. And moreover, Maderazo abetted himself to establish a living so that he may be able to support his own family.

“Wala mi ikasaway ni Mayor,” Garin said.

For the inmates, Maderazo is a deliverer of change and the dismissal of his case was sent as a form of good karma.

However, Maderazo’s critics still believe that the court’s decision was empowered by a political backing, thus, should not be, in any manner be celebrated. Rather, it should be changed and questioned.

But despite the controversies, Maderazo believes that his imprisonment was God’s way of making him realize that the world is not just about politics, but is about evangelizing God’s word; acknowledging our limitations as human beings; and extending help to other people not because you have to, but because you want to.
And if there’s one thing that matters, it is not wealth nor freedom… but faith.

He admitted that what he is now is far different from what he used to be. He is, at present, one of the elders in the Seventh-day Adventist church in Caibiran. And if it was not for what he had gone through, he would not have had the chance to relive his relationship with his family, friends, and most especially to God.

“Sa una, I just went home to eat and get dressed. But now, I go home because I know that my family waits for me to come back and I am very happy that we could praise God together,” says he.

Maderazo was released because the prosecution lacked enough evidence to prove his involvement of the murder. Innocent or not, nobody knows.

But Maderazo knows that from now on, he will continue to sing praises to God and nothing, even jail bars, can stop him from doing so.

About Charisse Ursal
A sophomore Mass Communication student from the University of the Philippines- Cebu College. She graduated from the Cathedral School of La Naval last 2009 as the batch 1st honorable mention.
She have contributed articles to Sun.Star Cebu and The Freeman. Charisse is the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Manolo E. Ursal.