Kakailian,

Warmest greetings!

First of all, we would like to extend our sincere condolences regarding the death of Police Lieutenant Kenneth Tad-awan in Northern Samar. Even if the difference between your side and ours is significant, both camps are aware of the sharp pain of losing a comrade-in-arms.

You were right in saying that it is imperative to reflect after the incident. But it is not just the youth who needs to think because Tad-awan is your brother. His death must reflects your own decisions and principles. In the first place, it is not the youth that caused his death. He died because he participated in a war between two forces: troops of reaction and troops of the revolution. His decision to join the reactionary forces, the force that helps to maintain the present system, is your decision as well.

Tad-awan’s death could have heavier impact if it would push you to think about the side you chose to serve. If you remember, the national minorities faces the severe problem of defending the land and resources of the ili. Often, it is asked of the minorities to sacrifice supposedly for the benefit of many others. But we can all see that only big corporations enjoy the profit. The difficulties in farming as well as lack of other opportunities, these are factors that push most of our kababayan to enter the police force or the Army.

Worse, you would be beefing up the forces that protect large destructive companies, against your own communities. To screen the truth that you are using your training against your own hometowns, you are taught that the NPA are the enemies. But the Red army came about as a reaction against the historical violence set upon the people. During the Spanish colonization, due to their plans to mine the gold of Cordillera, they launched various raids so that they would get the chance to exploit the resources of the community. The NPA didn’t exist back then. Presently, there is still the raiders but the ones protecting them are from the community itself.

On the other hand, the defense of our kakailian continues and there is an NPA that integrates the struggle of the minorities to the struggle of the vast Filipino masses. The experience of Cordillera in exploitation, poverty and violence happens in the entire nation. It is not wrong to defend the community and it is just as right to unite with other peoples of the same experience.

Why do you push the youth to reject the NPA in the name of peace when there isn’t any peace at all to speak of? While there are those who attack due to greed, there would be no peace in the Cordillera. To offer their lives and youth for our kakailian is not a dishonorable cause. The more important question is for those who won’t spend their lives for this cause. Why do you choose to serve those who repress and exploit the people of Cordillera? For the CPDF, the war waged by the NPA is just and there should be nothing but love and pride for every young person who decides to serve the people and the revolution.