Gerardo T. Faustino (September 24, 1955 – disappeared July 31, 1977) was a Filipino student leader and activist from the

University of the Philippines Los Baños The University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB; fil, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Los Baños), also referred to as UP Los Baños or colloquially as Elbi (), is a public research university primarily located in the towns of Los Baños and Bay i ...

who is best known as one of the most prominent

desaparecidos An enforced disappearance (or forced disappearance) is the secret abduction or imprisonment of a person by a state or political organization, or by a third party with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of a state or political organiz ...

of the Marcos Martial Law era in the Philippines. Faustino is one of heroes honored by the

in its 'Hagdan ng Malayang Kamalayan' memorial, and his name is inscribed on the Wall of Remembrance 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 fo ...

, a memorial that honors martyrs and heroes who fought the dictatorship.

Student life at the University of the Philippines Los Baños

Gerry Faustino first enrolled as a freshman at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños (UPLB) in 1973, taking up a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture only a year after the University of the Philippines College of Agriculture was elevated as the newly created UP System's first autonomous campus. It was also the year after

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 martia ...

' declaration of Martial Law in September 1972. He soon joined the UP Student Catholic Action (UP SCA), one of the few student organizations still recognized by the university after most such organizations were banned after Martial Law. Already known for being politically aware, he demonstrated leadership potential by participating in the UPSCA’s extension programs. He was eventually elected as a representative to the UPLB student conference, a body that had been formed by the UPLB studentry to push for the restoration of the UPLB Student Council, which had been abolished after the proclamation of martial law.

Disappearance

Gerry Faustino was 21 years old on July 31, 1977, when he was kidnapped with nine other UPLB activists in Makati. The group eventually became known as the “

Southern Tagalog 10 The Southern Tagalog 10 was a group of activists abducted and "Forced disappearance, disappeared" in 1977 during martial law in the Philippines under Proclamation No. 1081 issued by President of Philippines Ferdinand E. Marcos. Of the 10 university ...

,” whose disappearance is considered the most prominent case of abduction under martial law. Only the body of Modesto Sison, one of the ten activists, was found, although the Philippine military later claimed that three of woman activists—

Rizalina Ilagan Rizalina "Lina" P. Ilagan (born June 19, 1954—disappeared on July 31, 1977) was an anti-martial law activist who belonged to a network of community organizations in the Southern Tagalog region in the Philippines. She was abducted by state secur ...

Cristina Catalla Melania Cristina Catalla (born December 25, 1950 — disappeared on July 31, 1977) was an anti-martial law activist who belonged to a network of community organizations in the Southern Tagalog region in the Philippines whose disappearance on July 31 ...

and

Jessica Sales Jessica Sales (born October 15, 1951—disappeared July 31, 1977) was a college professor and community organizer in the Philippines who disappeared during martial law under the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. She was a founder of Student Christ ...

—had been killed in an encounter in

Mauban, Quezon Mauban, officially the Municipality of Mauban ( tgl, Bayan ng Mauban), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 71,081 people. It lies southeast of Manila and some ...

. No clues about the whereabouts of the other six activists have ever been found.

References

1955 births 1970s missing person cases Enforced disappearances in the Philippines History of the Philippines (1965–1986) Individuals honored at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani Marcos martial law victims Martial law under Ferdinand Marcos Missing people Missing person cases in the Philippines Political repression in the Philippines Presidency of Ferdinand Marcos Southern Tagalog 10 University of the Philippines Los Baños University of the Philippines Los Baños people honored at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani {{Philippines-bio-stub

Student life at the University of the Philippines Los Baños

Disappearance

See also

References