This is a feedback to the Philippine Collegian's story entitled, 'Crossing the Line
of Duty: Accounts of Militarization in Campuses" dated 08 October 2008.
After reading the article, I noticed that there had not been any side
of the military presented, not to mention the bad light it has unfairly
shed to the military. It is for this purpose that I may impart a
perspective other than what the article has presented.
As
an Army officer, there were cases where student youths were among those
who fired their guns against us in combat up there in the mountains;
student youths who have completely abandoned their studies in lieu for
the armed struggle. The Philippine Collegian
itself, in its website, has the story of "Gemalyn Lacadin @ Gemma" (not
her real name) – she started out as an activist, she ended up carrying a
gun, and… dead. Based on the article-tribute to her, she has shed off
the luxury of her life devoting to her cause. The devotion for the
betterment of the people is remarkable, but the cause to resort to armed
struggle is not. The fact is, she will no longer be able to
distinguish that there would have been other, more peaceful means of
caring for the country.
Such
was Gema's story, and there are others equally, if not more
heartbreaking. Our concern for the students is not unfounded. As with
Gema's, there have been many cases where promising students whose lives
were ended too soon and too tragically because they have crossed the
path to the armed struggle, where, however it is romanticized by the
insurgent members, is still a portal to a life of suffering, violence,
and crime. It is not the road less traveled by, it is a dead end. And to
veer away from that path makes all the difference.
But
more than feeling sorry for the loss; we, in the military see it as our
duty to prevent such violent deaths from happening. Through the years,
we have learned of the schemes of the CPP-NPA to access the youth sector
– seeping through educational institutions and campus organizations,
and targeting students. Their persistent presence and contact in campus
communities speaks strongly of their adeptness in appearing
inconspicuous but highly influential to students.
Ours
is not to dictate, ours is just to inform our youth that activism and
membership to some organizations could lead to this violent fate. Our
visit to the campuses and our symposia are for this purpose. Students
have the right to be informed, they have a mind of their own, so let us
allow them to consider these facts, and decide for themselves. What
could be prevented from happening, should be.
All
of us are activists in our own ways; somehow at some point in our lives
we find advocacies to which we devote our lives with. We are not
against activism. What we are against is the armed struggle that lured
away activists from their activism. We are glad to see our youth filled
with confidence, assertiveness, and who truly care for the welfare of
the country. Sometimes, we are even inspired by their idealism. That is
why, we find the statement of Vijae Alquisola, National President of the
College Editorials Guild of the Philippines, saying that our visits in
campuses are to silence students and… to send a chilling message to
youth and student leaders" rather inaccurate.
We
would like to make it clear that rallies, demonstrations, and other
protest assemblies are well-acceptable to us. Demonstrators can continue
to argue, oppose, or debate over the merits and demerits of policies,
decisions, etc – such are the works of democracy. Our premium concern is
those who cross and double-cross the thresholds to armed struggle and
illegality.
We, in the Armed Forces of the Philippines,
do our level best to keep our students aware and vigilant. Wouldn't it
be a greater disservice to know what we know and leave the students
badly informed and susceptible? No matter how many eggs are thrown at
us, we continue to strive to prevent the youth and the students from
entering into the borders of violent armed struggle. We choose not to
lose by default.
Meanwhile, the military is accused of tagging certain legitimate organizations as communist fronts. Actually, the tag did not come from the military; the classification came from the mouth of Communist Party of the Philippine Chairman Jose Maria Sison
that was video recorded. In that video record, Sison thoroughly
explained the nature and purposes of these groups. Sison could be
slighted for the incorrect attribution to the military; it is his
brainchild in the first place. Sison sees no harm in tagging these
groups, including the League of Filipino Students, as communist fronts, so, there is actually no issue here.
May
I also clarify the disparagement made on the film "Batang Aktibista".
Contrary to the article's criticisms, the short film in fact, presented
the issues on the tuition free increase and the lack of school
facilities as legitimate issues being raised by the students. Issues
that are very much relevant to the students; issues that I, myself, as a
parent, is very much affected with. The film was not about discounting
these issues, but rather, the film is about groups who are using these
issues into luring the students first, into activism, then later on into
armed struggle.
We
see regular NPA cadres agitate students, the kind of which that pushed
the students from mere activism into the use of arms. Students are
falsely told that they have become military targets, or that they will
be harassed. Such is the paranoia sowed among the student activists for
them to become allergic even when soldiers are merely helping
communities clean their environment, or giving out free medical/dental
services, or carrying out a feeding program, or conducting symposia in
campuses for dissemination of information.
In
speaking of paranoia, this has been the same obsession which shook the
CPP-NPA-NDF when the group purged its own members on mere suspicion. A
paranoia that is so deep that it claimed thousands of lives of its own
members. There are those who lived from this nightmare and share their
experiences; an example of such factual account of these sufferings is
contained in the book of Bobby Garcia entitled, 'To Suffer Thy
Comrades". We should not forget that most victims of these purges were
student cadres who abandoned their studies and carried out cadre works.
Today's
students are better empowered, can interface and confront adversities
with dynamism and composure. Anchored to what is right and steered
towards the right path; with the right ideas, the right choice and
proper application of thoughts, our students can create a world of
difference and make the country proud. We too are parents who may not
have all the answers, but who wants the best educational opportunities
and experiences for our children sans interference from dubious groups
and personalities.
___________________
This reply was posted by a fellow Kule writer. She has posted a reply (don't know if she made it) in her multiply site:
http://exsanguinatrix.multiply.com/journal/item/17/Open_letter_from_the_AFP_to_the_Philippine_Collegian_and_its_readers
I
was really furious upon reading this letter. This is still the same
military who committed various acts of torture and killlings during the
Martial Law era. This is the same military who launched
counter-offensives against the people in the countryside. This is the
same military who arrested people without the warrant of arrests and
detained them illegally. This is the same military who killed people
extra-judicially only by the reason of being a symphatizer of a just
cause. This is the same military who sought terror at the same time
denying this.
This military man do not know what he is saying. It
is as if heroism can be done without violence. And violence for whom
and against whom? That history is replete with violence in order to
establish a new society. But this military preserves the present
society. A society ruled by the exploiting classes. And they mandate the
military to do the same. Thier target: the people.
