Dante A. Ang, Publisher
Manila Times
June 11, 2004

This article was featured in the Manila Times . The views contained herein are of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CPP and the revolutionary forces.

Third of three parts

He was a closed Catholic when he entered the organization. But even while still a student in Batangas, Ka Roger was already looking for answers. He wanted to know the difference between the teachings of Jesus Christ and Mao Zedong and the communists. Both teachings, he said, are no different from one another in espousing love of neighbor and in serving the interests of the country.

"That is why," he said, "when you asked me what my religion is, I just opened up what was previously a closed Catholic belief."

Ka Roger admitted that the communists' god is the people. Nothing can stop the people once they decide to move; he cited the examples in China, Vietnam and the Philippines (EDSA 1 and 2).

Call them terrorists, kidnappers, extortionists or whatever. But they are certainly no philanderers, no womanizers. The fact is, they are a very disciplined lot. The organization is no place for the Lotharios of the world.

Under NPA laws, a man is allowed only one wife. Bachelors may not have more than one girlfriend.

In courting, NPA men observe certain rules. First, the organization investigates the woman's background: family, education, political affiliation, religious beliefs, reputation and other information that is of interest to the NPA.

The Party makes sure that the prospective girlfriend or wife shares its political beliefs. At the very least, the Party sees to it that she will not be a problem when she marries a comrade.

Once everything is cleared, the Party helps its comrade in pursuing the woman. On their own, comrades talk to her, cajole her and do everything to win her heart for one of their own.

Photo courtesy of The Manila Times

That is probably why most of the women eventually become members of the organization after marriage. Some, if not all, of the women join their husbands in the mountains or in "war zones" after their marriage. Separated couples are allowed to visit their loved ones at least once a year - a la annual vacation. Depending on the alert level, the husband visits his wife, and occasionally, the wife and children are allowed to stay briefly in the camp where the husband is stationed.

That is why, Ka Roger explained, it is important that the woman share the political belief of her prospective husband. Otherwise, he said, there's a high probability the relations may turn sour and the risk of the woman squealing on the husband. The Party is concerned about the safety of its members and it would not want to imperil the lives of its own members even for love's sake.

What's more, even their children at some point, perhaps because of exposure or upbringing, also join the CPP.

"Rules are rules"

Ka Roger's eldest daughter, for instance, at 23, is already a member of the NPA. She, too, is an active organizer like her parents. But the father in him makes him worry everytime his daughter goes on a campaign.

What happens if the Party leaders rule that the woman isn't fit to be a girlfriend or wife of a comrade? Ka Roger took the question in stride. "Rules are rules. Everybody follows. Only women who are considered fit to be girlfriends or wives of their Party members must be pursued."

James, for instance, is still single. His former girlfriend left him for another man. Even then he has no regrets. He waits for the moment when he would meet another woman who earns the favor of the Party. He believes in the infinite wisdom of the Party leaders. His devotion and loyalty to the cause seems absolute. James practices what the Party preaches: Party interest before personal concerns. No ifs, no buts. No middle ground.

Ka Roger said the Party takes care of its own. Members do not draw monthly salaries. The Party takes care of their personal needs from food, clothing and medicines to school tuition for their children. What they need, the Party provides. They may not enjoy material luxury, but he said they have more than enough. They do not complain. Besides, they have simple tastes.

And given their tight economic condition, Ka Roger said that educational support for the children of the members is limited temporarily to one child per family.

Being a father himself, he, too, feels bad everytime his troops kill or hurt a soldier or a policeman. But it is a case of "them or us". Ka Roger reminded me that the country is effectively in a "state of war". These soldiers and policemen, although acting on orders of their superiors, are actually part of the government's killing machine, he said.

The Party remains optimistic that the peace talks will succeed. It joined the talks in the firm belief that a political solution to the armed struggle could be found.

The Party's Agenda

The Party has presented a concrete program of government, according to Ka Roger, to carry out economic and political changes. First, he said, is socioeconomic reform, followed by political and constitutional reforms.

The NDF was very transparent and has presented its position to the government panel. It remains open to a compromise as long as the root of the problems is addressed.

The substantive point on the agenda concerns the issue of the armed components of the NDF and the NPA vis-�-vis the AFP and the PNP. Ka Roger did not elaborate. But I suppose he was concerned about the future of the NPA if peace between the NDF and the government is finally achieved. Laying down their arms is one issue that is certainly non-negotiable to the local communists. Integration in the AFP and the PNP, however, is a distant possibility.

The last substantive item on the agenda is the secession of hostilities and disposition of forces, which, if resolved, would bring lasting peace.

Agreement on the Comprehensive Respect for Human Rights according to the International Humanitarian Law has been reached on President Estrada's watch. Ka Roger deplored the government's refusal to carry out the agreement although it had been jointly approved by the government and the NDF.

Joint Monitoring Office

The government has yet to create the Joint Monitoring Committee that will monitor all human rights violations. Despite numerous violations, the government is unmoved. (The government and the NDF set up the joint monitoring office last week with an NDF ranking member, Fidel Agcaoili, in attendance). The NDF is still waiting for the review of all Marcos-influenced laws that need to be repealed or amended.

Ka Roger also deplored the government's refusal to release political prisoners, who he said number around 200. He recalled that the government promised to release them in 2001.

For its part, the NPA currently holds two political prisoners who could easily be released. All it will take is for the government to simply inform the NDF panel that it wants to settle the issue.

Ka Roger said the NPA is not asking the government anything in return for the release of the two soldiers. He reiterated that the prisoners would be freed once the government notifies the NDF that it wants them released.

Even if the two soldiers have cases pending against them, the NPA will suspend hearing them and release the prisoners once the NDF panel orders their freedom.

Ka Roger reiterated that the NPA is not asking for anything - not even a swap of prisoners. He noted the government's anathema to prisoner exchange. He deplores the government's inaction given that the NDF will pose no objection so long as the government asks for the release of the two prisoners.

Revolutionary "Taxes"

The Permit to Campaign Fees had become a hot topic during the May election. Several candidates for local positions were reportedly prevented from campaigning in areas influenced or controlled by the NPA.

Some candidates were ambushed ostensibly for refusing to pay the fees.

Ka Roger tries to justify the imposition of the fees. Realistically, he said, two governments exist now. One is the reactionary, puppet government; the other is a revolutionary government borne of 30 years of armed struggle, headed by the communist Party.

He said running a government requires money. And the "taxes" that the NPA collects from businessmen and politicians maintain their bureaucracy, not to mention the cost of waging a guerilla campaign against the government.

Ka Roger reiterated that the communist Party is a separate government and therefore has the right to tax people and businesses operating in its controlled or influenced areas.

He laughed off charges that the NPA guerillas are nothing but bandits. But if they are bandits, he said, they are the kind that set up institutions for the people. They provide free education and medical services to their "constituents".

NPA Schooling

They, too, have schools. But unlike regular schools where students attend six years of elementary, four years of high school and four years of college, theirs is quite different. For one thing, schooling is abbreviated and not sequential. Their students go to school for weeks. The subjects taught are more practical and deal mostly with people's rights and understanding the political issues. Students also graduate and are issued diplomas.

Ka Roger was very proud of the NPA's "medical school". He said medical students are taught the basics like surgical operation, treatment of communicable diseases and other ailments. They also have their "OB gynecologists" who help deliver babies.

They also conduct medical and dental missions in various barangays as part of their social commitment to the people.

Teaching their members the basics in medicine is expected. The NPA is at war with the government and it needs medical staffs to treat its sick and wounded. Besides, I wouldn't be surprised if the guerrillas use their knowledge of medicine to proselytize. It enables them to empathize with the people. It is actually an important component of the NPA's propaganda tool.

Ka Roger said those who refuse to pay revolutionary tax are subjected to disciplinary actions. But he said the NPA does not threaten the lives of those who refuse to pay. There are other recourses. He did not elaborate.

Alternative government

The Party has established its own alternative government with 128 guerrilla fronts in the countrysides. Although these maybe small, their influence in the countryside as a revolutionary government becomes impressive if taken as a whole, Ka Roger boasted.

He talks of a parallel government in areas influenced or controlled by the NPA. The NPA runs its government unmindful of the barangay councils and provincial government. The youth, according to Ka Roger, recognize the revolutionary committee more than the barangay or even the provincial government.

Of the 128 revolutionary fronts, some have set up democratic governments, or, at the very least, where seeds of a democratic government have already been planted.

I pointed out to Ka Roger that without infrastructure, there could be no government. In the NPA's case I told him, I do not see any infrastructure. He disagreed with me. He said it is the people who make up the structure. They set up units in the barangays, army units and government units. The lowest is the barrio revolutionary committee similar to the barangay council where everybody is represented - farmers, youth, women, and representatives from the middle forces. A chairman heads the committee and is elected, depending on the level of sophistication.

For as long as there are people, Ka Roger said, there will be structures. But he admitted that the NPA lies low whenever the military or the police launch offensives in controlled or influenced barangays. It resumes its "democratic" activities once the soldiers or the police leave the place.

Ka Roger was not impressed with these government "offensives". Most of the time, these offensives or "follow-up" operations were launched so that the commanders could get a sizable budget for themselves. "Pag may follow-up operations, may budget. Kinakana nila," he said.

The military laughed off this accusation which it said was not surprising, coming as it does from Ka Roger. "He is known for that kind of brave, often baseless statements," said Lt. Col. Daniel Lucero, public information chief of the Armed Forces. The military's constituted duty, he added, is to protect the country from various threat organizations, and the NPA is the "real threat to our freedom, which our Constitution guarantees."

Ka Roger also claims that the NPA gets arms from some friendly soldiers whose salaries are barely enough to keep body and soul together. "Pag wala na kaming bala, hanap kami kaibigang sundalo."

Committee members are elected. But in the beginning, he said, and until old traditions are detoxified, officials of the committee are appointed.

Democratic government

But there are ways of removing appointed officials. The NPA has its own set of rules in setting up a democratic government. Committee officials are elected through secret balloting only in areas considered progressive. In less progressive areas, officials are elected by the raising of hands.

Ka Roger said the NPA starts its proselytizing in far-flung barangays where the government's presence is hardly felt. Its organizing efforts, however, are no longer limited to the poor barangays. The NPA is now able to organize in cities, factories, schools and even churches. He credits its success to government neglect.

Residents in barangays inside the guerrilla fronts are organized and taught their rights.

Propaganda or not, Ka Roger believes Communism's time has come and that "victory" is at hand. He dreams of the day when the Filipino would be free; free from the dictates of the foreign powers and of special-interest groups; free to chart his own destiny; free from the injustice heaped on him by the rich, the powerful and the corrupt; and free from hunger and want.

You may disagree with him, hate him even for his revolutionary (some say terrorist) tactics in expressing his political views and in imposing his ideology on us, but his dreams and aspirations resonate in the hearts of the jobless, illiterate, the sick who could not get medical help and the victims of injustice.

Call him a terrorist, a kidnapper, an extortionist, an enemy of the State, but like most of us, Ka Roger, too, longs for peace -- peace with honor. ###

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