82-year-old survivor of Abu torture in Bohol seeks gov’t help

In this May 30, 2017 interview with reporters, Porferio Cosenas is asking for financial assistance from the government so that he can buy his medicines needed to heal his body from the beatings he endured in the hands of two Abu Sayyaf bandits. The two gunmen were later killed by government troops on Pangangan Island, Calape town, last May 15. (PHOTO BY LEO UDTOHAN / INQUIRER VISAYAS)

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol — An 82-year-old survivor of Abu Sayyaf torture in Bohol has appealed for help from government as he struggles to recover from injuries he sustained from the beatings by the bandits.

Octogenarian Porferio Cosenas now has difficulty speaking and walking.  His whole body aches and he has to buy a lot of medication to recover but he does not have the money to buy them.

As he recalled the torture he suffered in the hands of the bandits, Cosenas spoke as if he was being strangled. He walked slowly since his groin was still aching.

Cosenas, also known as Lolo Peryong, was being beaten by two Abu Sayyaf bandits, minutes before they were killed by soldiers on Pangangan Island, Calape town, last May 15.

His back, chest and groin remain painful even if it has been two weeks since he was beaten up.

On Tuesday (May 30), Lolo Peryong was accompanied by his daughter, Rodelita Granaderos, to Tagbilaran City for his check-up.

They also dropped by radio station dyRD to air an appeal for financial assistance from the government to buy the medicines needed to treat his wounds.

Granaderos, 49, said she could not afford to buy the medicines her father needed.

“Our situation is very difficult. That is why we are asking for help,” she said.

Police reports said the elderly chanced upon Abu Ubayda, who was armed with an M-16 rifle, while he was trying to escape from government troopers who had been hunting the bandit group down.

He tried to fight Ubayda off using his bolo but was overpowered and beaten up.

Ubayda was later killed by government troops, along with his companion, Abu Asis, in Barangay Lawis, on Pangangan Island, Calape town.

The two were the last men standing out of several Abu Sayyaf members who tried to set up a base in Barangay Napo, Inabanga town on April 10.

All were killed in separate operations in different towns that lasted for more than a month.

But according to Lolo Peryong, the two Abu Sayyaf members, and not just one, attacked him and even threatened to kill him.

One of the armed men hit the elderly with the rifle butt while the other jumped on top of him and choked him.

He said one Abu Sayyaf member then spoke in Bisaya: “Ato lang ni patyon ning tiguwaa (Let us just kill this old man).”

Lolo Peryong said he had to plead for his life.

“Unsay sala nako ninyo nga patyon man ko ninyo? (What have I done wrong that you want to kill me?), he told the bandit group.

Abu Ubayda repeatedly punched and kicked him in the body and groin area that he lost consciousness.

“Abi nako patay nako adto higayuna (I thought that was my last)” he said.

The men fled and government troops found the unconscious Lolo Peryong who was then brought to a hospital in Calape town.

He had a wound in the head that required stitches. The police said it could be that his head hit a rock when he fell unconscious or was bashed by one of the Abu Sayyaf members.

The physicians also had to stitch his genitals because it was damaged due to severe beating.

Although he was released from the hospital, his back and chest continued to ache while his groin remained painful due to swollen testicles.  SFM/rga