Res Gestae
Not people's army (?)
(First of two parts)
They came exactly minutes after Nanay served dinner. They partook a lion share of our food, gave sort of lectures to my elder siblings and left towards we knew not where. This happened at least thrice a week, in similar coincidence and circumstances. And, it lasted almost a year.
Seeing fully armed men entering our home at night did not bother me at all. I was only seven years old then. I was not too speculative. I did not have much 'Whats' and 'Whys'. Besides, hearing these men (of course, at times, there were women) addressed my parents 'Nanay' and 'Tatay' gave me assurance that they were harmless. If they were our relatives, Nanay and Tatay did not care to explain how. I did not care to ask anyone of them either. All that I knew was we had transient members - Manong Dino and Manong Ritchie, et al.
After the ambush at the nearby barangay, I knew Manong Dino and Manong Ritche, et al. won't be knocking our doors at night again. They were killed and that explained it all. Nanay cried a lot upon knowing that Manong Dino and Manong Ritchie were casualties in that ambush. For almost a year, they became 'sons' to her. But, I believed, Tatay was more thankful than feeling loss for their horrible death. I understand him now why.
Only on their death that I knew Manong Dino and Manong Ritche a lot better. They were not our relatives (as how we understand relationship is). They were members of New People's Army or rebels as they were popularly referred to. They came at night because that was the time they could easily elude the patrolling 'constabuls'. They frequented our home because my elder brother was their probable recruit. My brother was then a pasaway; he was idealistic! He had lots of complaint against the government. But, I knew, Toto was idealistic with his feet anchored firmly on the ground. He couldn't be easily persuaded by the ideologies. And, I was not wrong with it. Toto lived up to his dream of becoming a sailor.
I could sense Tatay was experiencing relief at the demise of our 'nocturnal' visitors. Being a councilman in our barangay and a patriot, Tatay could hardly take to share our table with the enemy of the State. Besides, a dozen of us in the family was already challenge to survive by him; an additional of two or more mouths to feed was a burden enough. Tatay was also haunted by fear of being tagged as protector/supporter of the underground movement. He never was appreciative of any revolutionary effort perpetuated against the legitimate government. He maybe so because Tatay is a kind who never asks what can the government do for his family; he always encourages us to do our share for the government, instead.
Now, I can fully comprehend why Tatay was not convinced of Manong Dino and Manong Ritchie's ideology. The latter who professed as members of New People's Army failed to gain Tatay's confidence because they never manifested an act as their group's name purported to be. Who would respect a 'people's army' who made our home their temporary respite and partook our humble supper, not twice but at least thrice a week for almost a year? Who would have faith on their promise of a reformed government when all they did was to collect ten sacks of rice per harvest as revolutionary tax while Tatay was only required to deliver two sacks for the use of government irrigation?
Recently, I was no longer amazed when I heard Tatay expressed how he was disgusted with the bombing incident perpetrated by NPA in Calinog, Iloilo. For him, these people have never thought still of better alternative to showcase their discontent with the government. And, I agree with my father! Looking through the Calinog experience, the so-called New People's Army are not working to 'reform' the government but to 'annihilate' it. If they couldn't still make better plan of actions to reform our struggling government, I would maintain my conviction that NPA is a misconstrued acronym to mean New People's Army when in fact and in deed, it should have been for NOT PEOPLE'S ARMY.
(Send your comments and suggestions to rogatepnp@yahoo.com or text SMS to 09204608214.)