Robin Padilla Meets Detained Human Rights Defender Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie

Robin Padilla Meets Detained Human Rights Defender Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie

To express his support and admiration, Robin Padilla, on Tuesday, March 20, visited the detained human rights defender Temogen “Cocoy” Tulawie of Sulu.

Wearing tactical shades, white denim jeans and a white polo shirt on whose left pocket were printed the words “Goodwill Ambassador for Peace” of the GOP-UN Act for Peace program, Robin arrived at the DCPO at around 1:25 p.m., paid a courtesy call on the city police director before proceeding to the cell where Tulawie and six others are detained, shook Tulawie’s hand between the iron bars and said, “Hindi ka bagay dito, ‘tol”.

Pointing to the pocket on his shirt, he told Tulawie in Pilipino: “I deliberately used this shirt because I would not be an Ambassador of Peace without your help.”

Robin and Tulawie spent an hour talking with Tulawie, his wife Musa and sons Iman, 17 and Amir, 13, at the Investigation Division office interrupted only by requests by police personnel for souvenir photos.

At around 2:50 p.m., Robin escorted Tulawie back to his cell, even entering it to shake the hands of his friend’s cellmates. He posed for souvenir photos and, recalling his four year- imprisonment for illegal possession of firearms in the 1990s, conversed with them about life in jail.

Robin also said that if it’s possible for Tulawie to be placed under house arrest, he would serve as guarantor.

“Answered prayer,” Tulawie said of the support he has received not only from Robin but from various individuals and groups around the country and the world.




Tulawie was detained after Sulu Governor Sakur Tan accused the latter of multiple frustrated murder and multiple attempted murder for the May 13, 2009 bombing in Patikul, Sulu that injured 12 persons including the Governor.

Although he firmly denied the accusations, the 41-year old Tulawie, whom Robin called “Bestfriend sa advocacy ng kapayapaan” and “Pag-asa ng Sulu”, was still arrested late evening of January 13.

Before leaving, Robin also said he has nothing against Governor Tan, and that in fact his wedding godfather is Nabil Tan, the governor’s brother. Addressing the governor, he said, “ang pakiusap ko lamang po sa ating mahal nakapatid ay hindi po ako naniniwala na magagawa ni Cocoy yun. Partner ko ito eh.. Naniniwala kami sa mapayapang rebolusyon. Hindi kami naniniwala sa rebolusyon na magpatay ng tao. Luma na yan eh. Pinaglumaan na ng panahon yan eh…

He said a real Muslim “fights for his rights and the rights of other people but not to the point of killing a person where dialogue is still possible.”

Reacting to Robin’s message, Governor Tan told MindaNews: “why should I listen to him? What does he know? Who are his friends?”

- Source