An Option to Live

An Option to Live

It was a mid-afternoon; Abel was playing along with his friends. They were so happy and glad for it had been awhile that they were told not to play around because of the presence of the military. Since the condition was tolerable enough, they managed to enjoy what children ought to enjoy and have fun. Suddenly, they were interrupted; the childish playful sounds turned into silence and all were unable to move by the remarked made by the drunk military personnel, “Maayo pa nga pamatyon nalang mo karon kay kung modaku mo, mamahimo gihapon kamong rebelde.” (It is better for all of you to be dead now because sooner when you grow up you will all become rebel). Abel was just four years old and he already experienced being harassed by the military together with other young children in Kibungkog.

Babes and Abel are children of Nina and Jimmy Arion. It has been three weeks, they have been moving from one place to another along with their parents hoping to save their lives from the death threat made by a military officer.

Why received a death threat from the military? What really happened?


Jimmy Arion was a former barangay captain of Kibungkog, two years ago he exposed a military cover-up on the extra judicial killings in the Philippines. The military would like to redeem themselves by pointing out that it was the communist party in the Philippines that made these executions. They found Kibungkog as the place where they made a mass grave and Jimmy as the executioner.

FACES OF KIBUNGKOG

Jimmy was force to sign an affidavit stating that he was a former rebel executioner. He refused the scam and was able to expose the military disillusion by the helped of the church and some civil concern groups.

Two years latter, this same man able to raise a valid issues on establishing military detachment in a tribal community and was asking the legality of enforcing tribal people to render military services. These concerns are legally right for the law for indigenous community entails the right of the community to refuse military services and to refuse any detachment being establish in their community. These questions made the military mad against him for it was the second time where they were put to shame by this lumad person. In the Philippines, majority treat lumad people as second class people. Receiving such a slap on one’s face, the military could not but made a life threatening remark to Jimmy and his family. Since then the family left the community along with the other 4 families who were been harassed by the military.

The Others

Aside from barangay Kibungkog, there are other two barangays that have been in military control. Barangay Dao and Barangay Palacpacan. It was in barangay dao where the children were commanded to line up by the military and begun to slap their faces. The military personnel were just having fun with these children so they told the people. What kind of fun was this? Barangay Captain Bacliran reported to us, that the military brought 60 men including 9 minors to a Military camp in Maramag (100km) to be in training. In the Philippines, it is illegal to recruit minors or children in the military. This is a form of child trafficking.

Last two weeks ago, we had a Dialogue with Gov. Zubiri our provincial governor, 1st Luet. Dulawan, people of Dao and the UCCP BAC. We agreed on that dialogue such concerns; One, that the Lumad community will not be involved in any military activities such as rendering voluntary service or being in CAFGU. Secondly, the military should move out their detachment for it will endanger the community. Lastly, we agree that the community will have the right to run their own community without any pressure from the military for it has been notice that every meeting of the community, the military personnel are always present. Seemingly such dialogue just came to pass and the agreements made were disrespected by the military.

Living in the Edge

For years the communities have been living peacefully on their own not until the military decided to establish a military bases on these areas. The military justified the reason that they want to establish a camp to finally stop the rebel group but the most obvious real reason is that Kibungkog and Dao have been the best mining ground. The interest of the national government of protecting its people against the rebel group came only when some of the National Officials who engaged in mining business identify Dao and Kibungkog as gold mining haven in Mindanao.

Dao and Kibungkog communities have been against mining. For years, the people of both communities had been successful in stopping multi-national Mining Corporation to engage mining in their areas. But seemingly because of the constant militarization the firm unity of the community may be at stake.

To live in Kibungkog and Dao is living in a red thin line. You have the military in one side and the rebel group in the other side. In these areas there is used to two options that one might choose either to take side of the Military by becoming an asset or military personnel or to take side to the Rebel. Both choices lead only to one’s death.

Roger Limbo is a Lay Preacher of the UCCP Kibungkog and at the same time an official of the barangay. Last October 4, he received a call from the rebel group stating that there were complaints against him and that a lot of reports were made that he is an asset of the military thus, the time is now ripe for him to be taken. This is the way how the rebel group operates.

In the situation where people are caught up with two forces, people will do anything to survive. The basic rule in this situation is the survival of the fittest. People will give false information or do something wrong just to survive. Here also, people live in paranoia. They themselves suspected each other.

Roger the nephew of Jimmy Arion, suspected his uncle as the one who reported all these false information to the NPA. On the other hand Jimmy also suspected that Roger reported to the Military that Jimmy is a rebel. Thus because of this suspicious intend, the relationship was broken and estranged the church and the community.

Starting From Within

Peace in Kibungkog will only be attained if there will be peace within. We called then for a dialogue for Jimmy and Roger, both by the way are leaders of the UCCP Kibungkog. We met in BAC Office last Monday, Oct 6 at 11:00 A.M. At first both could not met an eye to eye contact. The best friends before and at the same time relatives at that moment seems to be strangers to each other. One received a death threat by the military and the other from the NPA. Both were blaming the each other for that.

God worked in great wonder that time. God helped us discerned the truth of the situation. Together we all found out that both had deep concern for each other, both had been victims of false reports, and both still have a lot to do to save each other’s life. We all agree that we need to make some actions to save the lives of

That night we made a contact with the NPA group asking for sparing the life of Roger. We discussed also that the reports that being made were false accusation and were not justifiable enough to take Roger’s life. God in a way able to touch the heart of the commander thus allowing Roger to live as long as he will do what he ought to do and that is to stay away from the military so that he will no longer be subject for suspicion. We relayed the information to Roger and he was joyfully relieved by the threat. Praise be to God!

Our Works Continues

Roger’s life as for now had been saved but the life of Jimmy needs to be saved next. We made plans for another round of dialogue with the military for the sake of given the military a chance to do what they suppose to do. Eventually the governor doesn’t want it for he wants a drastic action and that is to bring all the people in the province hall where they could televise the issue and bring it nationally. This for us in the church could risk the life of the community. Well, we do believe that God will make another way to end this.

We planed also to get the children from the military training. We are now taking ways for us to proceed on saving the children from involving them to war.

Truly the journey continues so as well as the work of God to God’s people. UCCP Kibungkog in spite and despite of the on going challenges, the church still pursuing on;

1. Building a small cogon church of its outreach church in Nangka. Nena Arion was the one who donated her inherited lot for our church.
2. We continue to teach 48 kindergarten children as our children ministry for the tribal people.
3. We continue to work in the demo farm even though this had been an intrigue made by the military labeling the UCCP as communist because we have a communal farm.
4. We continue to give hope for those who have lost their hope for the situation.
5. We continue to give the Option of life. There is more than taking side of the NPA or Military and that is taking side of life. It is a life of being free and to live in peace with each other.


Truly we never took this journey alone, God is with us and so with all the people who are in one way or another supported all of us in prayer (reiki) and in love. We all know that this is not a one time solution, this journey may be long, painful, and even takes one’s but all are sure that God will always with us leading this journey.

Thank you for journeying with us and we do pray that God will continue to bless you more and use your mightily to be an instrument of giving option to all life’s situation.

Salamat.

Maopya ta Manama!