FIlipino Author

"Amado V. Hernandez"

Amado Vera Hernandez, commonly known as Amado V. Hernandez. A Filipino writer, freedom fighter and a labor leader.


He wrote novels, poems, plays and essays. Some of his famous works are the novel of "Mga Ibong Mandaragit" (Birds of prey) in 1969, the "Luha ng Buwaya" (Crocodile's Tears) in 1972, the poem "Chow Chow" and some of his plays that are what he experienced while in prison "Muntinlupa" in 1957, the "Hagdan sa Bahaghari" ( Stairway to the Rainbow) in 1958, the "Ang Mga Kagalang Galang"( The Venerables) in 1959, and the "mag Kabilang Mukha ng Isang Bagol" ( Two Sides of a Coin) in 1960 and his essays are "Si Atang at ang Dulaan"(Atang and the Theater) and the "Si Jose Corazon de Jesus at ang Panulaan (Jose Corazon de Jesus and Our Poetry). These works are inspiring and eye opener for such readers.


In the articles written about him they said that he was imprisoned, during the Japanese invasion here in the Philippines he joined the resistance movement, he was an intelligence operative back then. After the war the president that time appointed him as a councilor of Manila during the reconstruction of war-devastated city. But his most activities after the war involved organizing labor unions across the country through the labor federation Congress of Labor Organizations (CLO). Influenced by the philosophy of Marx he advocated revolution as a means of change. On May 5, 1947, he led the biggest labor strike to hit Manila at that time. The following year, he became president of the CLO and led another massive labor demonstration on May 1, 1948.

In 1950, the Philippine military started a crackdown against the communist movement, which was had sparked open rebellion in some areas on Luzon island, and the CLO headquarters was raided on January 20, 1951. Hernandez was arrested on January 26 on the suspicion that he was among the leaders of the rebellion.


But with no proper evidence he was transferred from one camp to another for six months, it took nearly a year before he was indicated a charge. He was assisted by those few who has interest in civil rights, but he was remained in prison while his appeal is in pending.


After five years of imprisonment, the Supreme court allowed him to post a bail, and he resumed his journalistic ways. On May 30, 1964 they acquitted him, and in decision it would be a landmark in Philippine jurisprudence. The "People of the Philippines vs. Amado V. Hernandez" is now a standard case in the Philippine Law schools. As he continued to teach and to write his acquittal . Until he died teaching in the school of University of the Philippines on March 24, 1970, and even received prestigious awards from different organizations.


Of all he experienced he wrote something about it that can inspire or challenge some. being in such kind of situations or state he did not let those to be a hindrance to his way, instead he use it as his weapon to survive and to create his legacy.


References:

National Historical Institute, Filipinos in History 5 vols. (Manila: National Historical Institute, 1995)

www.designbluemanila.com

www.arkibongbayan.org