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PHILADELPHIA, USA – A few days ago, we were discussing about the life and times of Efren Dato, the Radio Veritas priest who risked life and limb to ensure that the Filipino people were correctly and honestly informed about the unraveling events of EDSA I.
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From his brief days in the University of Philippines, to his near expulsion from the seminary, to his focus on youth empowerment, to his rise as a cleric broadcaster of the eminent radio station, Efren Dato is easily summed as a consistent activist and reformer.
But his life had a turn-around, adding more than a spice to his unique evolution.
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Frustration and Self-Exile
Efren Dato, still a priest during the early 80s after the martyrdom of Ninoy Aquino, was ready to give up his pastoral priesthood and his Radio Veritas anchoring duties to join the active and swelling revolution against the government. But EDSA I came and with it the realization that the Filipinos, through Divine Guidance, are not advocates of violence but of peaceful, diplomatic change. With it, too, was the complete abandonment of all thoughts and inclinations to join the revolution in the hills.
In a Philippine Panorama interview in March 9, 1986, he is quoted to have said in one of his TV appeals during the previous month “that the real glory of the people’s revolution lay in the magnanimity of the victors.” Great words from a priest at the forefront of the EDSA I peaceful revolt, but the magnanimity he was describing will immediately soon dissolve.
During the six years of Cory Aquino’s rule, he felt very frustrated. Though he did not entertain any forms of violent overthrow, he felt somewhat betrayed by the insistent allegations of corrupt practices in the new government. He felt that Cory Aquino may not be directly involved in the anomalies, but the people surrounding her certainly were. It was a mere duplication of the Marcos dictatorship, but with more subtleties and less ostentatious show of greed. It was greed and oppression nonetheless.
It was at this point in his life that he felt lost, distracted and wandering. He was still a respected priest, performed various work for PTV Channel 4 as anchorman, reporter and Radio-TV producer, but he felt a void in his life. There was something missing, but he couldn’t figure out what. He was still preaching and organizing as a progressive-minded priest would, but he felt that that was not enough.
There was something obviously sinister with governance, but there was something equally wrong with the people themselves. The people allowed themselves to be let down by their new leaders; the previously oppressed opposition was now the new oppressors. What was not new was the subject of oppression: the Filipino people. He felt the sting and recalled that, “the people and the leaders became selfish again. Only if we can have individuals who can graciously sacrifice for the service of the people can real change happen … including change in the Church.”
Though frustrated, his life was not static. He was still broadcasting, was an NBI chaplain and a frequent lecturer at the National Defense College and other government agencies. He was also the parish priest at Pulilan, Bulacan, where he offered free baptism and wedding services, introduced public accounting of funds, and empowered lay people to get involved in parish administration.
In November 1991, he resigned from the Pulilan, Bulacan parish as he felt unfulfilled. From Bulacan, he left for Manila to continue with his full time media ministry and political activities. He eventually found himself actively campaigning for then candidate Fidel Ramos and, upon the latter’s Presidential win, was appointed as Presidential Consultant on Interfaith Issues and Presidential Chaplain. Despite all of these multifarious activities and appointments, he was still getting bored and still feeling the void in his life getting larger and larger.
He wasn’t sure whether it was because he looking for a fresh challenge, that Marcos had already fled to Hawaii, or that democracy was fully restored in the country. In his moments alone, he was also thinking whether his mid-life crisis was caused by his longing to have a family of his own. He was probing himself whether the priestly vow of celibacy was really something he could adhere to for life. He likewise felt that the government and the people, despite having a newly elected and credible President, were being sucked into the same corrupt Marcosian black hole.
In December 1992, feeling helpless and lost, he left for the United States. He had high hopes that the resolution of his worldly problems would be found there. His sudden departure is reminiscent of his abrupt dissociation from UP to enter the seminary in 1969.
Longing for a Family of his Own
Once in America, he was assigned as Associate Pastor at the St. Thomas More parish in New York. Later, he would also be assigned to the St. Raymond Parish in East Rockaway and the St. John Nepomucene in Bohemia, both in New York.
Coming to a country with an already established and fully functioning democratic system, Fr. Efren Dato did not have much use for his radicalism. He immersed himself in organizing the parish and the outlying communities into a healthy congregation.
Calmer and older, he pursued academic endeavors. He was able to finish a Master of Science in Training & Human Resource Management from the University of Leicester in England, 12 credits in Pastoral Planning & Research from Fordham University in New York, and the Leadership Education Program from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
In his first few years in the United States, he has greatly impacted the community where he was assigned. In October 1993, a U.S. Assistant Deputy Commissioner wrote that he is a “warm, charismatic and respected clergyman, was a scholar and human being of rare and special merit.”
But Fr. Efren Dato still wanted a family of his own.
Through informal introductions, he met his future wife: a beautiful Filipina lady working in the Information Technology sector and a recent immigrant. In June 1996, they wed civilly. Many of his former parishioners in New York felt betrayed and angered by his move to forgo priesthood and enter married life. Some thought he fell victim to the temptations of sex and other worldly, material concerns. There was a general antipathy against his decision from family, friends, the Church and his New York parishes.
He surmised, “Celibacy is a hallmark institution of the Catholic Church. If you cannot adhere to it anymore, it’s time to get out of the Church and live as a layman. That’s what I did, that’s what I honestly felt. Had I stayed on as a priest while engaging in extra-marital and illicit sex, then that would have been a grave sin that no priest could or may ever be forgiven for.”
Hence, the legitimate question: was he tempted by sexual desires? He responded forthrightly that, “I left the priesthood because I respected the gift of celibacy, a vow which I can no longer uphold. I respected the Church so much that if I cannot commit anymore to even just one of the priestly vows then I have to terminate my role as a priest. It wasn’t because of a woman or the irresponsible idea that women are temptresses. It’s nothing like that. It was about making a rational choice. Do I want to have a family of my own or not? I chose to have a family.”
His respect for the Church and celibacy can seamlessly be contrasted with another Fil-American former priest, Rodney Rodis, who was recently sentenced by a U.S. District Judge to 63 months in prison for stealing more than $600,000 in donations from the St. Jude Church and Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Louisa County in Richmond, Virginia. The stolen money was used in part to support his secret family – a wife and three children. He also used some of the money to wire to relatives overseas who used it to buy real estate.
Ex-priest Rodney Rodis’ case was featured last month in an Inquirer.net article by columnist Rodel Rodis (no verified relation) entitled “Bigotry’s Logic”.
Efren Dato explained, “the reason why Rodney Rodis stole from the Catholic Church was because of greed and because he wanted to support his secret 5-member family. That’s absolutely wrong. Why steal? Why raise a family without telling the Church? Why disobey the vow of celibacy without ending his vocation as a priest? That’s the height of hypocrisy! I never wanted to be someone like him, and with his distasteful and canonically impermissible example, I feel vindicated with my decision in 1996. Now people can say I made the right choice. Better as a married layman than a priest with a secret family.”
Candidacy for Sheriff
When his mother died in 1968, he felt he had to enter the priesthood since he loved her very much and that was her dying wish. If her mother didn’t die that soon, he may have chosen a different path. His first love was Political Science as he wanted to explore the facets of how and why politics develop. But he also wanted to become an NBI Agent by first finishing Political Science capped by Law School at the prestigious UP College of Law.
The call of the priestly vocation snuffed out that dream. Or so it seems. After marrying in 1996, he felt the urge to let go and attain the dreams he had as a boy. He was too old to re-enroll Political Science (and already had face-to-face encounters with political dynamics as a priest-activist-radio broadcaster) or enter law school. He thus set his eyes on becoming an elected U.S. official, specifically as County Sheriff in 2004.
A Sheriff, according to conventional wisdom and old Western movies, is the gun-totting, silver badge-flashing and boots-wearing officer in a cowboy hat. But those were movies. In New Jersey, the Sheriff is not an actual police officer but is a formal authority in charge with protecting the courts, implementing warrants of arrest, managing jails and if need be, patrolling the streets and arresting criminals if the crime happened in front of him.
The Sheriff position was attractive to him because he felt that he was still a “dating paring gustong magpulis-pulisan” (a former priest wanting to play as a cop), which is consistent with his NBI Agent dream. The position remains to be a very contentious position in American society.
Efren Dato first emerged as the official Democratic Party candidate through fully processed primaries. How he managed to become the Democratic Party candidate for Sheriff in 2004 while just becoming a U.S. citizen in 2001 is a feat in itself. He campaigned on the slogan “New Leadership for New Challenges”, emphasizing that much has changed after 9/11 and that society must respond appropriately to these changes. He cited his past leadership roles and counter-terrorism experience.
Similarly banking on his experience as NBI Chaplain, his education in Harvard and in England, as well as his trainings in Community Policing in the Somerset Police Academy and District Chaplaincy of the Franklin Township Fire District 3, he ran a hard campaign. He did not merely rely on the Asian vote as many Caucasians and African-Americans voted for him as well. At certain points in the campaign, he also told voters of his former vocation as a Catholic priest, his being a man of God and a man of the people.
At this stage of his uniquely evolving life, it seems that his love for educating and organizing people – be they Filipinos or Americans – never waned. It may have in fact gotten stronger. It was as if he’s doing almost the same thing but transplanted in a different locality with contrasting situations.
He lost the election but not without a good fight. Among three candidates (a Italian-American ex-policeman, a Caucasian candidate, and a Filipino ex-priest), he garnered an astounding second place finish with roughly 49,000 votes. The Italian American won with 71,000 votes. The Caucasian candidate only received 5,000 votes. Even if he lost electorally, he was able to establish a strong Filipino presence in New Jersey township society. His being a minority was never a disadvantage; he in fact brandished it like a gallant sword. The Italian-American winner was also the incumbent at that time and was a policeman for 30 years.
Despite losing, he is still a politician in his New Jersey township of Franklin. He is the Third Vice-Chairman of the Democratic Party of the township. He is an ardent supporter of Obama, still a very likeable public servant, and the first minority to run as an official Democratic Party candidate for county Sheriff.
Business and Community Leadership
Efren Dato always wanted to combine the distinct roles of law enforcement and institutional management, which is why he ran as Sheriff in the first place. It had law enforcement responsibilities and management functions. Failing to win, however, spurred him on to pursue other business and community leadership posts.
He was elected as Deputy Director of the Office Economic Development in his township. He also presently manages his own consultancy, E.D. Global, LLC and serves as Executive Director of Hamilton Street Business & Community Corporation (HSBCC). He is involved in economic development, program planning, budget development, public relations, training and marketing. He also helped establish the Minority Business Alliance and is a Commissioner of the Franklin Township Sewerage Authority.
No Regrets
One wonders if he has any regrets in his life. As far as EDSA I is concerned, the public figures associated with the event have all evolved into great architects of history. Jaime Cardinal Sin continued for years to be the beloved prelate who was also instrumental in the EDSA II installation of the current President. Cory Aquino has remained the voice of reason and has occasionally challenged (with a “L” sign for Laban, meaning fight) the alleged rampant corruption of the sitting Administration.
Johnny Enrile served as Defense Minister and as re-elected Senator while continuing his business interests. Fidel Ramos succeeded Cory Aquino as President and is heralded as the one who spurred economic growth, in contrast to Erap Estrada who killed such growth. Gringo Honasan continues to live the infamous life, going from rebel to Senator to rebel then back to Senator like a consistent pendulum. June Keithley went on with her life in media, writing books and winning awards for journalism and her heroism as the reporter who single-handedly operated Radyo Bandido, another important radio station during EDSA I.
How about Efren Dato, the former priest of 22 years? What did he really amount to? He said that he has no regrets whatsoever in his life as an activist, as a priest, as a critical EDSA I participant, as a married man, and now as a community leader in New Jersey. He wouldn’t change a thing.
It does not matter to him that he needed to uproot himself from the Philippines to get a balance on things. Simply put, it matters not that he wasn’t given the accolade he deserved as a courageous, defiant and unprotected priest championing the peaceful cause as a Radio Veritas broadcaster. Arguably, he deserved better press attention then and now, but it hardly matters.
“I am very content with how my life has evolved … so far,” he says with a chuckle. “I’m proud of my family, especially my daughter who is a blessing from God as she was at one point clinically dead for 20 minutes, spent a month at ICU, and who still needs constant medications. I’m happy as well with my current accomplishments in the United States, particularly in the Somerset county. I’ve done a lot of work, made the Filipino-American and Asian communities proud, and have even run for an elective position which I almost won – well, nearly,” with a louder chuckle.
Four years ago, he was given an Achievement Award by the group Pakistanis for America for his role in assisting them in their concerns. He was also the recipient of a U.S. Census 2000 Award, elected President of the UP Alumni Association of New Jersey, and was appointed or elected in many other organizations.
He adds, “Certainly it would have been better if the role I played in EDSA I, as an instrument of God himself, was accorded better attention not because I wanted more publicity or awards for myself but because I was doing it in the spirit of humanity and the common good. In the EDSA book of Fr. Reuters, the emphasis was on a lot of personalities – the important ones and also the people who just suddenly showed up at the end, and there was a mere one-liner on me,” with no trace of cynicism on his face. “It doesn’t really matter, I am happy where I am, I continue to give God my praises by competent community work, and I am blessed with all that I have. I have a great and supportive wife, and my daughter after that harrowing medical phase is alive and well, taking taekwondo classes and piano lessons. Tell me, padre, what else can I ask for?”
He was, in fact, cited by the Armed Forces of the Philippines in 1986 for an Outstanding Civilian Award and was mentioned in many old newspaper clippings pertaining to EDSA I. The Rotary Club of Manila cited him in 1986 for a Special Award for Press Freedom. His priest-friend, Fr. Rod Samson of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish in New Jersey acknowledges his supreme sacrifices and his leading role in the EDSA I efforts. Former Filipino priest turned Jersey City Judge Victor Sison views him as a brave frontliner during those days of tumult.
He never was considered as an awardee by the Edsa People Power Commission.
People nowadays still notice him somewhat, at least those who know him. During his Philippine Church wedding in December last year, former President Fidel Ramos, Supreme Court Justice Leonardo Quisumbing, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, ex-DOJ Secretary Silvestre Bello and Cong. Neneng Nicolas were all principal sponsors. This Church wedding was canonically facilitated with the timely arrival of Pope Benedict XVI’s Dispensation, the document from Rome that formally allowed him to marry in Church.
When you look at his face, you can still see a parish priest speaking through, with a coherent blend of the Radio Veritas broadcaster that he was. He still effects changes in many ways. It may at times be odd that he’s relatively unknown as a crucial participant in EDSA I, an unsung hero at that, except to close friends like Fidel Ramos and fellow progressive priests.
Yet, he was still there, his actions were still historic, and his booming voice capably assisted in propagating the call for a peaceful resolution of the stalemate by the late Jaime Cardinal Sin.
In the end, those are the things that matter most.
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