52 Inmate: Rolando Pagadayawan

October 4th 2001

Name: Rolando PagdayawanAge: 42 years. 12th October 1958 Status: Widower Crime: RapePrison No.: N97P-3040 Detained: 27th January 1997Sentence: Death Dorm: Building X1-BFamily Address: Lot-5-BLK-5Pshase I, Waling-Waling, St., NGA Bangk, Davao CityOccupation: Policeman

4th October 2001

Dear Reader,

I wish to share with you of how I became a Christian, but before that, let me relate to you my old life. Well, before I was saved my life was very much in disarray, of course, I know that there is God, but spiritually I had no real relationship with him. I worship him through my lips only, not by heart and I thought this kind of worship will save me and I will be righteous before God, and I was wrong. My immoral life took me away from the proper path and later on to DEATH ROW.

I am Rolando Padayawan, native of Zamboanga Dels. I was a cop in Davao City with the rank of senior police officer (equivalent to Sergeant). I started as a foot patrol in Metrodiscom Police Command, Davao City on 1st August 1985, and there, I learned to extort money, nightlife in beer houses and had affairs with married women. I met a woman named Hazel Delos Reyes and I married her. It was blissful one and I changed for good but along the way, after one year, problems got into it and we separated our ways. It depressed me and changed me even more for the worst. I returned to my old ways with a vengeance, more drinking and gambling. As a Catholic I used to assist in church masses and instead of turning to God I turned myself to more vices, until I met my wife again and she begged for forgiveness and I felt that I still loved her. We lived again together for several years until one day on 16th April 1996; I was accused and charged with raping her daughter by her first husband. I was detained at Camp Domingo Leonor, Davao City and there, my wife visited me who was at that time pregnant by another

215 man. I told her I did not rape my step-daughter and maybe this was a ploy so you can live with your lover and I also told her that I still loved her but her reply was far from the topic; “maybe its our fate”. I was beside myself and I said I will fight you in court to death and after court battles I was meted the death sentence instead.

At death row I was in rage and agonized with it for months and very afraid of the death sentence hanging in my head, like the sword of Damocles, and one night I was even more afraid when an earthquake with an intensity of 6.7 on the Richter scale shook our cell, and I though this was it. I was like that for many days until a friend shared me the work of God, about hope, peace, love and everlasting life. It enlightens me and strengthens me, it gives me hope and courage to face death, and it changed me completely.

I asked the Lord in prayers daily for guidance and wisdom, so that I can share his words to others. I just finished Evangelism Explosion last December (2000).

I thanked the Lord for the things that happened to me and I thanked him for all the talents and spiritual gifts he has given me to be used for the glory of his holy name. To God Be the Glory!

Rolando S Pagadayawan Witnessed by Pastor Isagani M Obispo