Primitivo Mijares
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Primitivo "Tibo" Medrana Mijares (November 17, 1931 – disappeared 1977) was a Filipino journalist, author, war hero, and former
press censor Press may refer to: Media * Print media or news media, commonly called "the press" * Printing press, commonly called "the press" * Press (newspaper), a list of newspapers * Press TV, an Iranian television network People * Press (surname), a ...
and
propagandist Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded ...
. He was a reporter of the Philippines Daily Express, a newspaper in circulation during the regime of former Philippine President
Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
. On October 23, 1974, Mijares fled the Philippines for the United States, later issuing a
defection In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state in exchange for allegiance to another, changing sides in a way which is considered illegitimate by the first state. More broadly, defection involves abandoning a person, ca ...
statement in the United States on February 5, 1975. He would then testify about tortures and corruption in the Marcos administration. Mijares was last seen in January 1977, boarding a flight from Guam to the Philippines with General
Fabian Ver Fabian Crisologo Ver (born Fabian Maria Trinidad Juan Cirilo Crisologo y Ver; 20 January 1920 – 21 November 1998) was a Filipino military officer who served as the Commanding Officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines under President Ferd ...
and a nephew of Querube Makalintal. He has been missing since.


Early life and education

In his early years, Mijares lived in
Santo Tomas, Batangas Santo Tomas, officially the City of Santo Tomas ('' fil, Lungsod ng Santo Tomas''), is a 1st class component city in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 218,500 people. With the continuo ...
. He was orphaned at the age of 12 after his mother Perla Medrana and father Jose Mijares were killed by Japanese soldiers during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. When Japanese soldiers attempted to commandeer the town's horses, Mijares deceived the soldiers by pretending to give orders to his horse, but was actually telling the townsfolk to hide their horses in a local dialect. Following the war, he was separated from his sisters who moved to
Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and e ...
(now part of
Sabah Sabah () is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia to the south. The Federal Territory ...
). Mijares went to high school in
Baguio Baguio ( , ), officially the City of Baguio ( ilo, Siudad ti Baguio; fil, Lungsod ng Baguio), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Philippines. It is known as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines", ...
where he edited the school newspaper. Mijares pursued a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degree in the
Lyceum of the Philippines University Lyceum of the Philippines University ( fil, Pamantasang Liseo ng Pilipinas) also referred to by its acronym LPU is a private, non-sectarian, coeducational higher education institution located at intramuros in the City of Manila, Philippines. ...
, and passed the
Philippine Bar Examination The Philippine Bar Examination is the professional licensure examination for lawyers in the Philippines. The exam is exclusively administered by the Supreme Court of the Philippines through the Supreme Court Bar Examination Committee. Brief hist ...
in 1960.


Career

Mijares became an editor for the ''Baguio Midland Courier'' in 1950 and the ''
Manila Chronicle The ''Manila Chronicle'' was a newspaper in the Philippines founded in 1945. Its founding newspapermen sold it to Eugenio López, Sr. It was closed down when martial law was imposed by Ferdinand Marcos in 1972. It was published daily by the Man ...
'' in 1951. He and Marcos formed a close relationship after Mijares covered Marcos in the Manila Chronicle. He would write articles aimed at convincing Filipino citizens that martial law was needed, notably a press release for
Juan Ponce Enrile Juan Valentin Furagganan Ponce Enrile Sr., (born Juanito Furagganan; February 14, 1924), also referred to by his initials JPE, or Manong Johnny, is a Filipino politician and lawyer known for his role in the administration of Philippine dicta ...
's alleged
ambush An ambush is a long-established military tactic in which a combatant uses an advantage of concealment or the element of surprise to attack unsuspecting enemy combatants from concealed positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind moun ...
before such an ambush was set to happen. Mijares was later selected by Marcos as the presidential reporter for the '' Philippines Daily Express'' following its reopening after martial law was declared. When Marcos established the Media Advisory Council in 1973, its ex-officio position of chairman was to be filled by the president of the National Press Club. He later told Mijares to run for the position, which he later won as he had no opponents.


Defection and disappearance

Midway through the martial law period, Mijares became disgusted with the Marcos regime. In an interview with the
Reno Gazette-Journal The ''Reno Gazette Journal'' is the main daily newspaper for Reno, Nevada. It is owned and operated by the Gannett Company. It came into being when the ''Nevada State Journal'' (founded on November 23, 1870) and the ''Reno Evening Gazette'' (fou ...
, he stated that he "felt guilty allowing all Marcos' friends to take over for nothing." On October 23, 1974, Mijares fled the Philippines for the United States. He then issued a
defection In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state in exchange for allegiance to another, changing sides in a way which is considered illegitimate by the first state. More broadly, defection involves abandoning a person, ca ...
statement in the United States on February 5, 1975, and began living in
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...
,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
. On June 17, 1975, Mijares was to appear before a United States House International Relations subcommittee to testify claims of bribery, corruption, and fraud against Marcos. The night prior, Marcos made an international telephone call to Mijares, asking him not to testify.
Guillermo de Vega Guillermo Cruz de Vega (February 1, 1931 – October 27, 1975), nicknamed Gimo, was a Presidential Assistant of Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos with the rank of Cabinet Secretary. He was assassinated on October 27, 1975 while workin ...
then got on the line and offered Mijares US$50,000 () as a bribe. The following day, then-Philippine
Consul General A consul is an official representative of the government of one state in the territory of another, normally acting to assist and protect the citizens of the consul's own country, as well as to facilitate trade and friendship between the people ...
Trinidad Alconel called Mijares to reiterate the bribe, which was raised to US$100,000 (). Mijares rejected the bribes and continued with his testimony as planned. Then-Information Secretary
Francisco Tatad Francisco "Kit" Sarmiento Tatad (born October 4, 1939) is a Filipino journalist and politician best known for having served as Minister of Public Information under President Ferdinand Marcos from 1969 to 1980, and for serving as a Senator of ...
later said that Marcos denied ever making a telephone call to Mijares. After his testimony, Mijares began writing a book entitled ''The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos'', which was published in 1976. The book contained a personal account of the Marcos regime. Mijares made his final phone call to his family on January 23, 1977. Mijares was last seen in January 1977, boarding a flight from Guam to the Philippines with General
Fabian Ver Fabian Crisologo Ver (born Fabian Maria Trinidad Juan Cirilo Crisologo y Ver; 20 January 1920 – 21 November 1998) was a Filipino military officer who served as the Commanding Officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines under President Ferd ...
and a nephew of Querube Makalintal. Later attempts at finding him failed as there were no more traces of Mijares found. Urban legends claim that Mijares was forced off of a flying chopper midway through Guam and the Philippines, although his family has denied such claim.


Personal life and legacy

Mijares was married in the Philippines to the future
Pasay City Pasay, officially the City of Pasay ( fil, Lungsod ng Pasay; ), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 440,656 people. Due to its location jus ...
RTC Branch 108 Judge Priscilla De Villa Castillo on February 23, 1956 in Manila. Priscilla Mijares called it the best day of her life, and they had four children. Months after Mijares' disappearance, their youngest son, Luis Manuel "Boyet" Mijares, was kidnapped, brutally tortured, and killed. The Mijares home was wiretapped, and the police called Boyet to tell him to meet his father. He was later found in an open field with his body completely mutilated. During this time, the assigned police officer, future presidential candidate
Panfilo Lacson Panfilo "Ping" Morena Lacson Sr. (; born June 1, 1948) is a Filipino former politician and police general who served as a Senator for three terms: from 2001 to 2013 and from 2016 to 2022. He was the Director General of the Philippine National ...
lied to Priscilla that her son was just joining a fraternity at the
University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 20 ...
. Mijares was also illegally married to Virginia Concha on September 6, 1969, in
Reno, Nevada Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is th ...
. The term conjugal dictatorship is generally used in pop culture and academic circles whenever there is mention of the Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship, due to the first tell-all book of Marcos, which was Mijares's only book before his disappearance and act of valiant heroism. Raissa Robles, an author and writer paid tribute to his son Boyet in the very introduction of her book Marcos Martial Law: Never Again. Former Philippines senator
Rene Saguisag Renito Augusto Verceluz Saguisag (, born August 14, 1939 in Mauban, Quezon, Philippines) is a Filipino lawyer and politician. He served as a Filipino Senator from 1987 until 1992. Early life Rene A.V. Saguisag was born on August 14, 1939 in ...
has mentioned that of all the heroes featured at the
Bantayog ng mga Bayani The Bantayog ng mga Bayani (), sometimes simply referred to as the Bantayog, is a monument, museum, and historical research center in Quezon City, Philippines, which honors the martyrs and heroes of the struggle against the dictatorship of for ...
, Mijares is the one who deserved to be there the most, and was shocked that his name was yet to be engraved. This was after the museum hosted a symposium on his life and his book The Conjugal Dictatorship, considered the definitive book and account of Martial law.


In popular culture

Primitivo Mijares and his son ''Boyet'' were featured in a nine minute song called, "Primitivo Mijares Requiem" which was sung by Jose Paulo Dela Cruz and produced by Francis Tanseco, a painter in the United States whose works have been featured at the London embassy.


Works

Mijares only published one book: ''
The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos ''The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos'' is a 1976 memoir written by press censor and propagandist Primitivo Mijares. It details the inner workings of Philippine martial law under Ferdinand Marcos from the perspective of M ...
'' (1976), an exposé on the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos. The annotated version of the book was relaunched in 2017 by Mijares's grandson, JC Mijares Gurango, along with the
Bantayog ng mga Bayani The Bantayog ng mga Bayani (), sometimes simply referred to as the Bantayog, is a monument, museum, and historical research center in Quezon City, Philippines, which honors the martyrs and heroes of the struggle against the dictatorship of for ...
and
Ateneo de Manila University Press The Ateneo de Manila University Press is a university press and the official publishing house of Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( f ...
. It was relaunched on February 21, right before the 31st anniversary of the
People Power Revolution The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a sustained campaign of c ...
. After the
People Power Revolution The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, was a series of popular demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a sustained campaign of c ...
and again immediately after the
2022 Philippine general election The 2022 Philippine general election took place on May 9, 2022, for executive and legislative branches of the government – national, provincial, and local, except for the barangay officials. At the top of the ballot is the election for succ ...
, the book of The Conjugal Dictatorship was quickly sold out.


See also

*
Human rights abuses of the Marcos dictatorship The dictatorship of Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos in the 1970s and 1980s is historically remembered for its record of human rights abuses, particularly targeting political opponents, student activists, journalists, religious workers, ...
*
Martial law under Ferdinand Marcos At 7:17 pm on September 23, 1972, President Ferdinand Marcos announced on television that he had placed the entirety of the Philippines under martial law. This marked the beginning of a 14-year period of one-man rule that would effectively last ...
*
History of the Philippines (1965–1986) The history of the Philippines, from 1965 to 1986, covers the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos. The Marcos era includes the final years of the Third Philippine Republic, Third Republic (1965–1972), the Philippines under Proclamation No. 1081, ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mijares, Primitivo 1931 births Disappeared journalists 20th-century Filipino writers Filipino expatriates in the United States Writers from Batangas Lyceum of the Philippines University alumni Filipino journalists Filipino activists Tagalog people People from Batangas Marcos martial law victims 1977 deaths