Correspondence reports:
Victories in dismantling the CAFGU in the Cordillera

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

Simon "Ka Filiw" Naogsan

In the last week of July, AB interviewed Cordillera People's Democratic Front (CPDF) spokesperson Simon "Ka Filiw" Naogsan in Mountain Province. He shared advances in revolutionary work in the Cordillera, particularly in the region's anti-CAFGU campaign. Part of the interview also covered Ka Filiw's disclosure of the issues behind the marijuana and hashish trade, where he pinpointed the military officials who benefit from it.

The CAFGU (Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit) are the AFP's local armed minions used for intelligence work and the coercion and violent control of the local population. They play a critical role in the enemy's base denial efforts against the revolutionary movement.

Usually, it is elements of the CAFGU who are the most active counterrevolutionary elements in the locality. Most of them are lumpen elements who want to make quick money. The enemy intentionally incites CAFGU elements to commit fascist abuses so it can use mailed fist tactics and still manage to evade responsibility or have someone else to heap blame on — aside from the fact that the CAFGU are more driven to fight as contradictions between them and the local population and revolutionary movement grow.

Although we recognize, exacerbate and take advantage of the contradictions between the CAFGU and the regular units of the AFP, and we use political persuasion more with the former compared with the latter, the CAFGU are among the principal military targets of the NPA. From the start, the revolutionary movement combats and prevents the recruitment and formation of CAFGU detachments. When they are formed, the NPA uses various means to crush, dismantle, disarm or expel them.

Particular to the Cordillera, we take into consideration traditional and communal relations, utilizing them as supplementary methods when we use political means to dismantle the CAFGU. We particularly take into consideration three important points:

Those who join the CAFGU come from the ranks of the national minorities being organized by the revolutionary movement. They experience intense poverty due to the lack of livelihood opportunities and neglect and oppression by the reactionary state. They usually join the CAFGU only so they could avail of the small allowance offered, and have no desire to fight the revolutionary movement.

The national minorities put a lot of importance to being part of their ili (indigenous community). They do not detach themselves from the ili. This is what shapes their identity as individuals. This indigenous custom is violated when some of them join the CAFGU.

The formation of CAFGU is also a violation by outsiders of the culture and socio-political institutions of the ili. Entities that enter the community are expected to respect the culture, processes, policies and welfare of the community. If not, they are considered enemies. For the national minorities, it is most important to maintain the unity of the ili. This includes the recognition of the socio-political authority of the dap-ay represented by the lallakay. Individuals that join the CAFGU separate themselves from the ili because they put themselves under the authority of the AFP and hence remove themselves from the authority of the dap-ay. Therefore, the national minorities of the Cordillera regard the AFP as an enemy because the latter does not respect the dap-ay and destroys the unity of the ili.

In these places, together with engaging contact CAFGU elements in direct dialogue and using persuasion, the NPA gives a lot of consideration to indigenous customs and institutions for the effective conduct of political work, which includes the destruction of the CAFGU. In this regard, the lallakay and dap-ay are a great help.

The lallakay entice those who have joined the CAFGU to bolt it and reunite with the community under the dap-ay. Their relatives who are activists or members of the revolutionary movement in the community also help in persuading them. According to Ka Filiw, because most CAFGU elements belong to the oppressed and exploited classes, they feel the poverty suffered by their class. They are persuaded to leave the CAFGU at an early stage to avoid being put in a compromising position and committing transgressions against the ili and the revolutionary movement. If they have already committed transgressions, they are encouraged to rectify their errors with their class and their ili. The revolutionary movement also explains to them that the allowance they receive is simply too meager for them to put their lives at risk and turn their backs on their clan and ili.

These efforts have already reaped successes, according to Ka Filiw.

At the minimum, elements of the CAFGU have been neutralized not to fight the revolutionary forces. But there are many cases where they link up with and meet the needs of the NPA and actively assist in its operations.

Withholding information about the revolutionary movement from their AFP cadremen and passing information to the NPA about the enemy's movements are just one means of helping. There have also been cases where they refused to join AFP military operations.

In some barrios in Mt. Province, there have been instances where entire units have been convinced to abandon the CAFGU. There are also cases where many CAFGU joined NPA tactical offensives using the weapons issued to them by the AFP. And there are others who have left the CAFGU and eventually joined the NPA.

07 August 2003
English Edition

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