What would you have done if you were the mother of the Dominguez brothers?
By TheAdvocate
@TheAdvocate (2392)
Philippines
January 24, 2011 4:32pm CST
The recent spate of carnappings and murders have brought up an interesting topic in our family. The police announced that their primary suspects in the Evangelista/Lozano murders are the Dominguez brothers. When my mother heard that her first question was whether the brothers had a mother. Then just last night, we saw the mother with one of the brothers and was interviewed afterwards. She said that her children were brought up right and therefore could not have done those heinous crimes; that their business is threshing of rice grains. She said this in spite of the 31 warrants of arrests against her children. We watched in disbelief - she implied that her sons were framed-up...31x. So my brother asked my mother: If you were the mother and you knew about your children's criminal activities, what would you do?
I'm throwing this question to all mylotters there - if you were the parent, what would you do? what kind of evidence would you be looking for to be convinced that your children are criminals? Would you go with him to surrender, to his trials? Did you have a similar experience even if it is on a lesser scale, where your children were accused of a wrongdoing? How did you deal with it?
Which brings up an interesting point related to the Ampatuan trial: where is Andal Ampatuan's mother or wife and children?
2 people like this
4 responses
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
24 Jan 11
It would be too hard for a mother to accept such kind of situation. I understand the mother why she is defending her children. She maybe really innocent of their activities and she believes they really are innocent. But come to think of it, did the mother think of why 31 warrants of arrest have already come to her children? Why oh why, and yet she still feels they are not at all guilty? Well if I am the mother of the Dominguez's then perhaps I'd rather die out of desperation and shame because I was a failure in raising them up well.
I think the mother should think by now. If indeed they are only fall guys in this particular case of Lozano and Evangelista, the other warrants of arrests issued against her children should give her enough warning to watch over her grown up children more attentively and seriously this time around so that they could not be issued another warrant of arrest again.
@TheAdvocate (2392)
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
@salonga: It seems that the mother is so sure that she brought them up well that she could not admit that they turned out bad. She's at the other end of your logic. While you look at the end result she came from the starting point. I don't know of any mother who would admit that they brought their children up to be criminals. I think that her reaction though is a refusal to look at reality and accept responsibility for it.
@SIMPLYD: But you have to come to terms first with what they have done before you see them in jail. Does that mean that you would believe the charges rather than the protestations of innocence of your children? Because that's what the mother seems to be doing.
@EdnaReyes (2622)
• Philippines
25 Jan 11
When all the children had grown up and moved out from the house, mothers have little knowledge of what's life they're having. The mother could be true that she thinks her children are being framed up. She might not have full knowledge of her children 's activities and it's but natural for a mother to defend her children. If the world is all against her children, she's the last person to go against her own and will always be the first to stand by , protect and defend them even if it will mean being against every body's opinion and thinking.
@TheAdvocate (2392)
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
I think this is still true whether the child has moved out of the house or not. It might be nature's way of ensuring survival, that is, make sure that someone will always defend the young.
@mercedlegurpa (955)
• Philippines
25 Jan 11
Well I'm happy that those Domiguez brothers are not my sons. If I were the mother, and if she really loves her children, then maybe the best thing for her to do is to accept their wrongdoings and they should serve the punishment for what they've done. She should not tolerate this kind of criminal acts. In fairness, this is easier said than done; as you know mothers are mothers. I think these young rascals are supported by a big fish that's why they're not afraid. I can't say that I'm perfect, nobody's perfect but we know what is right and what is wrong. We should implement honesty in our homes and implement a simple way of life.
@TheAdvocate (2392)
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
True, it is difficult to walk the talk, but I guess this is doubly hard in the case of a mother. It's a failure of monumental proportion and hits close to home. Her statement that she brought them up well and therefore could not do those things is circular and fallacious. I guess a mother is like a lawyer who despite overwhelming evidence must stand beside his client and defend him/her to the best of his/her ability.
@mingviva03 (127)
• Philippines
25 Jan 11
As a mother I will give my support to my sons, still show how much I love and care for them. I will let justice decide for their case. If they are guilty or not I will accept it. But still I am their mother, I cannot hate them.
@TheAdvocate (2392)
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
I commend your attitude. My mother is the same, she will stand by our side but will respect the outcome of the case. I guess mothers are wired that way. Not being a mother, I can be a bit harsh in this types of situations. But I look at my mother and I realize that parents have no other option except to side with their children.
