On May 20, Maalaala Mo Kaya showed the first of the two-part feature presentation entitled, “Robbed Motherhood.” The story stars Angel Locsin as Muslim mother named Roma who kidnaps Toper (Christopher), the son of Idai played by Dimples Romana. The true-to-life story is a painful one. It tackles the realities of kidnapping and its effects on two families who were involved – one who has lost a child, and another who has gained one.
The life of Idai has been a struggle throughout. At first she grows up in a home where she was forced to take the responsibility of taking care of her siblings when her mother left them. When she has come of age, she had her first child as a 17-year-old girl. Soon enough she had three children. Idai and her husband, Alfredo (Dominic Ochoa), worked hard to raise their family the best way they can. A painful reality that Idai and her family had to face was losing their youngest child, Christopher. Then, towards the end, another tragedy befell the family at the loss of their son Carlo who died because of illness.
MMK Robbed Motherhood: Angel Locsin and Dimples Romana Portray Motherhood’s Greatest Fears
The events of how Toper was kidnapped were seamless and most unexpected. One day, Idai and her sister were in a fastfood restaurant with the kids to simply have some lunch. Little did they know that it would also be the last time they would share a meal with Toper. When Idai started to feel that something was terribly wrong, terrified, she searched for him in every nook and cranny in the restaurant. For a whole day, she did nothing but look for him. By nightfall, Idai and Alfredo went to the Police to report their son missing. However, the authorities said they cannot declare Toper missing because it has not yet been 24 hours. This angers Idai and they left the police station in sorrow.
Idai and Alfredo did not give up looking for their son. Not knowing where to look and who to ask help from makes the search for Toper feel like a lost cause sometimes. But Idai is not faint-hearted. Even if they were running out of money, unable to sustain their needs at the brink of bankruptcy, she was still adamant in looking for their son. Alfredo, on the other hand, would remind Idai that they had other children to take care of and they had a home to save. Such dilemma for the husband and wife is too complex and it is difficult to determine what is right and wrong. For Idai, she cannot give up Toper, and for Alfredo, there are other lives at stake, not just their lost child’s. What is a parent to do? Well, Idai did not lose hope. As a mother, she knew that her son was alive and that was good enough for her to keep going.
The search went on for sixteen months. Having to deal with doubt, fear, failure and hopelessness as a mother is most painful. Within a year at times, Idai would have thoughts that losing Toper was her fault and was because of her carelessness. Alfredo reassures that it is nobody’s fault that such thing has happened. Idai tries to remain strong and just when she starts thinking of surrendering, she receives a phonecall. At the end of the line is a woman named, Roma saying that she has her son. After almost a year and a half, Idai finally gets word.
Roma asks for a payment of P30,000 for Toper’s living expenses. Idai’s joy is cut short when she was asked for payment. Even if she knows that Toper is still alive and is living somewhere in Lanao, she and Alfredo are deeply concerned because do not have that kind of money. The husband and wife decided to get some help from the authorities. Help was found, eventually, but entailed their full cooperation. They were not to do anything without informing them of every detail of Idai’s communication with Roma. They have been told that kidnappings, specially involving people from Lanao, were most often than not linked to terrorism. They kidnap children and train them as soldiers. Hearing this made Idai and Alfredo feel more concerned and more cooperative.
Idai and Roma meet in Lanao. After planning the meet-up operation, Idai goes to Lanao with one of the lady operatives who presents herself as Idai’s niece. When Roma finally calls informing Idai of the meeting place and meeting time of 9:00 AM, Idai proceeds with caution. Upon reaching the meeting place an hour early, Idai is anxious. She was only told to wear a good-morning-towel over her head and simply wait. Little did Idai know that she was already being watched by Roma in the restaurant, their meeting place. Finally, Roma’s accomplice Amalia, approaches Idai and asks who they were looking for. Idai says that she is waiting for a woman named Roma and in a few moments, Roma approaches their table and reveals herself.
Roma and Idai get into a heated argument. What Roma said over the phone was not happening. She said that Toper will be brought along with her to meet Idai and return him to her. Instead, Roma was asking Idai to go to where Toper was staying. Roma did not want to leave because she was instructed by the authorities to remain in the meeting place. Roma, too, tries to get her way but ultimately, she goes back to her home and decides to fetch Toper. At one time, things were almost compromised when Roma got suspicious of Idai’s “niece” in a phonecall she made. Quickly, the operative was able to say that she was calling her uncle to inform him that they were finally going to see Toper.
Idai and her son Toper are finally reunited. In that perfect moment when Idai was able to finally embrace her son Toper, she takes off her good-morning-towel signalling the police to go ahead with arresting Roma and her accomplice and sister, Amalia. To Idai’s surprise, Toper does not seem to recognize her and instead, he tries to reach out to Roma, calling her “mama.” Roma, on the other hand, demands that the authorities release her sister. The unexpected reaction of Toper towards Idai is heartbreaking, as well as Roma’s separation with her sister, Amalia. At the end of the day, Idai brings Toper home while Roma and Amalia are arrested.
Toper is reunited with his family but does not know who they are to him. After almost two years of being separated, Toper has forgotten his own family. He no longer spoke Tagalog, instead, he spoke the native Muslim dialect. The pork adobo that he loves and which was his favorite, is something he now abhors because he was raised in a different culture. Idai is deeply saddened by this and begins to feel regret all over again. However, there was a ray of hope when Toper was able to recognize his older brother. When Toper remembered his brother, he only wanted to stay with him and no one else. After some time, another devastating event befalls Idai’s family. Their son, Carlo dies because of a terminal illness. Although the family knew it was inevitable, they were not ready. It is ironic that in the return of their son Christopher, they lose another son, Carlo.
Idai and Toper are restored. In the midst of this painful irony, Christopher tries to comfort his mother. Like old times, he once again held his mother’s face between his hands and asked her not to cry anymore. He then calls her, “mama.” Hearing that from Toper was more than Idai could hope for. She finds joy in knowing that she finally has her son back and that he has finally returned.
Roma’s side of the story is still untold. Although Idai has gotten what she has longed for, Roma now suffers as a mother herself. Now that she is torn away from her own family and sister, her side of the story has much to reveal about the truth of the circumstances between her and Idai. This point of view will be shown in the second part of the “Robbed Motherhood” series on May 27.
The title of the story for MMK’s May 20 episode is “Picture.”