GENEVA, Switzerland – Ron de Vera’s early years were spent away from his mother, writer-poet Adora Faye, who had always been pursued by the government for her activism. It was only when his mother was released from prison in 1986 that they reunited and first came to know each other.
“Mama was not secretive with me and did not talk to me as a child. She did not use metaphors and was very objective. She trusted that I can process the information, even her rape and torture by the soldiers,” Ron said. Adora Faye was in fact again based in Manila to seek medical treatment for various ailments brought by advancing age when arrested for the third time in August of this year. Denied the chance to call family or lawyers, she was flown to Panay Island on the very same day to face murder, frustrated murder using explosives, piracy/highway robbery, and rebellion charges – trumped up ones on amended warrants that merely added her name to its list of respondents.