Monday, September 19, 2011

CPLA / PNoy / Baguio, Trinidad jueteng thriving

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO
March L. Fianza

Not even PNoy can deny that the Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army, a group seen by many as a “spent force,” has two opposing factions – one led by ArsenioHumiding and the other faction led by Mike Sugguiyao.

These factions are supported by a political arm called Cordillera Bodong Administration (CBA) under president MarcelinaBahatan, and another CBA group headed by Engr. Andres Ngao-i, respectively. Bahatan’s group also has a sec. gen. in the person of Sadanga Mayor Gabby Ganggangan.

I now wonder how the President manages very annoying news reports that disturb the peace in peaceful provinces in the Cordillera region, unless he listens to “not so correct” info from advisers close to him.

In all the Cordillera provinces, especially Benguetsnd the city of Baguio, this may yet be the stumbling block to the clamor for the passage of the organic law for the autonomous region.

The factions were the result of so-called “peace negotiations” entered into by Humiding’s group and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

But there is nobody to blame here because at the outset, nobody expected that another group would be grumbling and coming out criticizing a MOA that supposedly puts closure to the Mt. Data “Sipat” or cessation of hostilities between the 1986 Cory government and the then genuine CPLA.

Logically, it would be understood by many that a closure to the Mt. Data “sipat” would mean “going back to arms.” Maybe that was the reason why Humiding’s CPLA posed with their Armalite rifles in front of a newspaper’s camera. I remember well, someone said before that there’s money in war.

However lately, Humiding’s CPLA gave a new explanation that what was performed was a “galigad” that was to pass on responsibility to a new group and that a “sipat” cannot be closed.

Certainly, any late explanation is a “Johnny come lately.” It could have been a different situation now if the “Johhny came lately” reasons were told earlier at the time when the MOA was still on the drafting board.

By the way, while the opposing factions were busy hitting and protecting the MOA, respectively, they wasted no time in demolishing each other with graft and corruption charges.

After the MOA signing in Malacanang was witnessed by PNoy, Kalinga Governor Jocel C. Baac, along with at least four mayors of towns where CPLA cadres existed made the two factions meet in Tabuk hoping for a settlement of their differences.

Tension was at its peak in that meeting attended by OPAPP personalities, military commanders, self-proclaimed CPLA and genuine members, newsmen and civilians.

An OPPAPP worker said they consulted LGU heads about the MOA with more than P250 M socio-infra that was attached to it to which Ngao-i said “you are lying!” The Kalinga mayors in that meeting admitted that they knew nothing about the MOA.

After some highly emotional confronting questions by Ngao-i’s group that were inadequately answered by Humiding and company, the LGU heads welcomed the socio-infra projects while it was agreed that Ngao-i’s faction would submit its proposals to OPAPP.

Later in a meeting by the Cordillera Regional Development Council last month, its members passed a resolution asking requesting PNoy to suspend the implementation of Executive Order 49.

EO 49 that was signed by PNoy on July 19 enjoins government agencies in the region to ensure the smooth implementation of the “closure” agreement between the CPLA and the government.

The government agencies and provincial governors who were members of the RDC however, could not adhere to PNoy’s EO49 because they had no knowledge about the Mt. Data closure agreement because they were not furnished copies of the MOA. The RDC also passed a resolution asking for a dialogue with the OPAPP.

Last weekend, Sec. Ging Deles was set to have lunch with members of the local press in Baguio but she was not able to come due to a tight schedule that included meetings with Humiding’s group, followed by Ngao-i’s, and later followed by a meeting with Benguet Congressman Ronald Cosalan.

Nobody knows what transpired in those meetings, although someone told me later that in that meeting by Deles and Ngao-i, RDC private sector representatives Dr. Gil Bautista and Dr. Julie Cabato were present.

From this point, I was asked by some of my colleagues in the press if PNoy was informed correctly of what transpired in those meetings, because they heard that he was not.

And so on the 25th year supposedly commemorating Mt. Data “Sipat” or cessation of hostilities symbolizing unity between President Cory’s Philippine government and Father Balweg’s CPLA then, the CPLA today and PNoy’s government agencies are instead splitting apart. This seems to bring me back memories of the Low Intensity Conflict (LIC) period.

This was shown by two separate celebrations – one held in Mt. Data by Humiding and company that was attended by former Sagada mayor Tom Killip and supported by OPAPP, and the other celebration held in Baguio by Ngao-i’s faction that was attended by RDC members, Dr. Bautista, Mayor Domogan, Army Col. Yerson Depayso, Atty. Joe Limmmayog, older CPLA cadres and recruits.

The simple picture is that OPAPP recognizes Humiding’s group while the RDC asked PNoy for a suspension of the implementation of the Mt. Data closure agreement that they knew nothing of, which appears to be backing Ngao-i’s faction.

For a President who does not seem to hit the ground running, it would not be easy to know who to stick with. According to a “peace” process worker, Humiding’s group was more believable because they had the vision and they were a bigger group.

But I tend to believe that implementing the peace process in the Cordillera goes beyond so-called veiled visions and numbers. It also goes beyond satisfying the President.

Instead, the peace process in the Cordillera should satisfy people who are on the ground. Otherwise, presidential advisers would fail in their jobs. In the more popular first SONA of PNoy, he said, “Ikaw ang Boss ko!” So be it.
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While the CPLA, RDC, OPAPP and PNoy were busy deciphering the feelings of each other, juetengeros were operating peacefully and free in Baguio and La Trinidad.

Here in my friends’ iron works and furniture shops at Km3 that I visit so often, I would count around 50 kubradores who come and go without fear of being arrested by Camp Dangwa’s cops who do not receive orders to raid jueteng stations anymore because those who issue orders have their hands cuffed to something lucrative and unknown.

The La Trinidad municipal council passed Reso. No. 06-2011 and Reso. No. 180-2011, that stated their stand against all forms of gambling.

But it makes me wonder why despite forwarding the resolutions to Mayor Greg Abalos, a close relative and a personal friend whom I supported in the last election, and police chief Richard Albon for their appropriate actions, the illegal numbers games persisted even more.

The games mentioned in their resolutions were jueteng, salisi and poker. I have yet to talk to Mayor Greg about this, but for now this brings me the suspicion that somebody in his office is on the take.

I have mentioned this to police colonel friends at Camp Dangwa but not anyone of them is willing to take the cudgel to conduct a surprise raid on the jueteng station at Km3. Maybe, they are also on the take, or maybe their big boss is.

By the way, I was told that at one time, a councilor who is a member of the peace and order committee approached operators of an on-going “salisi” game in Buyagan barangay and settled for P20K, allegedly to be shared by members of the municipal council.

But this deal was bungled because the police raided the games. In an attempt to immediately erase suspicions of involvement, the committee washed its hands by drafting a resolution against the salisi operation.

However, the other councilors wanted an investigation to weed out those involved. Deliberations never pushed through because the resolutions were intentionally shelved and were never continued. Whatever, the councilors know who their colleagues are.

In Baguio, anti-gambling forces have not been moving lately even while they know that a jueteng station is at Labsan St. just behind the Justice Hall.

Also, the Baguio police chief would deny knowing that a gambling den operates in a building across the Caltex gas station at Legarda even if that was where one of his cops was shot and killed. I do not know if the gambling den is still there but I would be willing to direct him to the place.

Now, what happened to Sec. Jesse Robredo’s “one strike policy?” I see it as something Robredo or this government is not serious about. It has become an unimplemented office memo and a much abused rhetoric that only serves to satisfy the President. –marchfianza777@yahoo.com

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