Reading Hobsbawm

The name Eric Hobsbawm caught me while I am reading a column about bandits and outlaws. My further readings suggest that the grand old man was a brilliant historian whose legacy includes a book published in 1969 called “Bandits”. Hobsbawm, an avid Marxist, explored how certain bandits remained criminals while others became revolutionaries. Hobsbawm died on 1 October last year and this coming Tuesday would be his first death anniversary. The foremost historian of the 20th century died at the age of 93.

It all started in 1959 when he wrote the book “Primitive Rebels” which is a study of popular forms of resistance where he coined the term “social bandits”. Social banditry is a widespread phenomenon that has occurred in many societies throughout recorded history. Many forms of social banditry once existed in our province. Reading Hobsbawm and social banditry helped me remember the most prominent “bandit” of Mindoro named Valeriano Gasic of Naujan.

Of course the Philippines have Macario Sakay who revolted against the Americans in 1904 in the province of Rizal and was hanged to death in September 1907. Sakay was loved by the people especially the residents of the Island of Talim in Laguna de Bay where he considered as his fortress.

Aside from Gasic, Reynante Andal of Pinamalayan and later, Dodo Robles have organized bands of armed men and initiated an armed struggle against the government from 1972 to 1973 as Communist fighters belonging to the New People's Army or NPA. The two groups of revolutionaries, tagged as outlaws by the police and the military, did not last long and easily crushed by the government forces that time. 

I dream that one day, I could write something about Noel “Rex” Verdadero of Magsaysay, former leader of an anti-Communist vigilante group turned bandit and was killed in a gun battle with Philippine Constabulary in June 1987; John Rey “Meno” Andres of Rizal town, together with his heavily armed group who began to sow terror in the Rizal villages of Aguas and Pitogo in 2006 and was killed also in a gun battle with the police in Urdaneta, Pangasinan. Yes, to write ala-Hobsbawm! 

Hobsbawm's key thesis was that outlaws were individuals living on the edges of rural societies by robbing and plundering, who are often seen by ordinary folks, as heroes or beacons of popular resistance. The point about social bandits is that they are regarded by the state as criminals but considered by their people, the poor masses in the countryside, as heroes and champions, perhaps even leaders of liberation, and in any case as men to be admired, helped and supported.

Social banditry of this kind is one of the most universal social phenomena known to history. Philippine cinema likewise had a bunch of films narrating stories of real "hero-bandit" like Teodoro Asedillo of Laguna (Fernando Poe, Jr.), Nardong Putik of Cavite (Ramon Revilla, Sr.) and Kumander Alibasbas of Pampanga (Joseph Estrada), to name just three.

Valeriano Gasic is considered today as a true blooded local hero from Oriental Mindoro. But in the 1900s, he and his gang of 35 men, all armed, reportedly killed around 70 suspected American collaborators. In an En Banc Decision of the Supreme Court (G.R. No. 1548) issued February 11, 1904, Gasic was sentenced to life imprisonment after his capture. Captain Gasic was then the Presidente del Municipal of Naujan. He went underground and lived in the mountains when the Americans started to rule Mindoro and declared him a “tulisan” (bandit) according to this site . The sentence was later commuted to five years in exile in the island of Culion, Palawan where he died due to tuberculosis.

“The stronghold of the “tulisanes” around Lake Naujan also became the main area of resistance during the war against the Americans in Mindoro from 1901-1903. Gasic, as regional commander, was adored by his troops and by many civilians as "commander in chief, army of liberation of the military district of Mindoro", wrote Volker Schult, author of the book “Mindoro, A Social History of a Philippine Island in the 20th Century: A Case Study of a Delayed Developmental Process.”

Until today, government officials in other countries around the world have routinely labeled political rebels as bandits. Such labeling seeks to attach negative connotations to the rebels, strip them of political legitimacy, and reduce their popular support. Not unlike how Gasic was discredited by many American leaders of Mindoro, then.

But this is what I have re-learned from Hobsbawm: Like history books, heroism and banditry, are all ideological constructs…

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(Photo: Chipsofbrookefield files)

Arnis

Bata pa ako ay adik na ako sa mga martial arts movie kagaya nang kuwento ko sa inyo noon. Ang martial art nga ang isa sa pinakamalaking ambag ng mga Asyano sa Hollywood at marami ring mga Pinoy na apisyunado at eksperto dito ay nagkaroon ng pangalan sa Amerika kagaya nina Trovador Ramos, Edgar Sulite at Dan Inosanto. Si Inosanto ay gumanap din sa ilang minor roles kabilang na ang hindi natapos at pinakahuling pelikula ng kanyang kumpareng si Bruce Lee noong taong 1972 na may pamagat na “Game of Death” na nagtampok din sa kali o arnis.  Naging kilala siya sa promosyon ng Filipino martial art, lalo na ang arnis, sa buong mundo. Tumuon tayo kay Inosanto dahil sa isang pelikula na ipapalabas sa Enero 2014 na “I, Frankenstein” na inaasahang tatabo sa takilya. Bagama’t ito ay hindi maituturing na isang sagarang martial art movie, may konek si Inosanto sa nasabing pelikula. Ikukuwento ko sa inyo mamaya pati na ang isang pelikula na idinirehe ni Luis Nepomuceno na nilabasan ng mga international stars na napanood ko noon sa Levi Rama Theater.

Sa “I, Frankenstein” daw, kung saan bida sina Aaron Eckhart at Miranda Otto at sa direksyon ni Stuart Beattie ay itatampok ang arnis. Sa isang panayam, sinabi ni Ekchart, “We've created a different world for Frankenstein to live in. It's a modern world. He's a kali stick fighter and he's fighting for survival, love… all these different great things". Ang kali at arnis o eskrima ay pareho lang. Sina Eckhart at Otto ay sinanay ng mga martial arts expert na Ron Balicki at ang asawa niyang si Diana Lee Inosanto, anak ng maalamat na si Dan at inaaanak ni Bruce Lee. Si Dan Inosanto nga pala ay itinanghal ng Black Belt Magazine, ang bibliya ng martial art, bilang “Man of the Year”  noong  taong 1996.

Ang usaping ito ng arnis at pelikula ay nagbabalik gunita sa ilang bahagi ng ating kabataan, lalo na yaong mga tinaguriang Martial Law baby at mahilig sa  sineng katulad ko, ang pelikulang “The Pacific Connection” na na-international release sa titulong “Stick Fighter” sa direksyon ni Luis Nepomuceno na ipinalabas noong 1974. Bida dito si RolandDantes at kasama ang mga international actors na sina Nancy Kwan, Guy Madison, Alejandro Rey, Hiroshi Tanaka, Dean Stockwell at Cole Wallard, gayundin ang mga lokal na talento na sina Fred Galang, Gloria Sevilla, Elizabeth Oropesa at iba pa.

Isa ito sa mga ang  pelikulang Pinoy na may pinakamalaking badyet noong kapanahunan namin dahil ang setting nito ay noong ika 19 na siglo. Kahapon ay muli kong pinanood ang pelikulang dose anyos pa lang ako nang aking napanood. Buti na lang at may internet na ngayon. Hindi maganda ang pelikula sa maraming aspeto. Karaniwan ang istorya at may maraming sabit na diyalogo na wala sa akin noong bata pa ako. Iba nga pala ang ating apresasyon sa mga bagay-bagay noong tayo ay bata pa kaysa sa ngayong tayo ay may edad na. Sa kabuuan, ang pelikulang ito ay unang nagtampok ng pelikulang arnis sa daigdig na sinundan lang ng mga pelikulang kagaya ng “I, Frankenstein”. Aktwali, ‘sanlaksan na ang mga pelikulang banyaga na nagtampok sa arnis. Isama na natin ang mga tumabo sa takilyang “Bourne Identity”, “Ong Bak”, “Empire Strikes Back” at iba pa.

Ang arnis ngayon ay legal na na isang pambansang simbolo simula ng nilagdaan dating Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ang Republic Act 9850 noong Disyembre 11, 2009. Dahil sa Batas na ito, ang arnis ay kasama na sa kurikulum ng mga paaralan sa physical education. Hanggang isama na ito sa Palarong Pambansa noong 2010.

Ngayong kilalala na ang kali o arnis sa buong daigdig ay may puwang na rin ito dito mismo sa Pilipinas, hindi nasayang ang mga mithiin ng mga Arnis Grand Masters na sina Remy A. Presas, Federico T. Lazo at iba pa na itampok ang kulturang ito ng mga Pinoy.

Kabilang na ang mga eskrimador sa puting tabing na sina Dan Inosanto at Roland Dantes…

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(Photo: ma mags.com)

Ngopoles

Kasalukuyan pa ring kumukulo ang dugo ng karamihan sa atin dahil Pork Barrel at kay Janet Lim Napoles. Kung nakamamatay at nakapapalis lang ang mga negatibong komento, sa media at kung saan-saan pa, matagal na sanang tigok si Napoles kasama si Seksi, si Tanda at si Pogi at bula ng hindi makita ngayon ang PDAF. Lahat na halos ng Pinoy ay isinawsaw ang kanyang daliri sa key board  ng opinyong bayan at pinatilamsik ang kanyang laway sa panlalait at pang-aalipusta, kasama ang paghugos ng mga tao sa Luneta at iba pang pook, sa tunay na nakababaliw (na hindi mapasisinungalingang nakaaaliw din) na sitwasyong ito sa kasalukuyang kaso ng nuno ng korupsiyon.

Ngunit habang malakas ang ating emosyon, sigaw at panawagan na isakdal, ipiit at parusahan si Napoles at kanyang mga kasabwat, kaagad na ibasura ang Pork Barrel at sugsugin pa kung sinu-sinong mga opisyales ng pamahalaan ang nakinabang sa anomalya, kaladkarin ang mga karibal nila sa pulitika sa isyung tila karnabal kung piyesta kung pag-usapan, may isang mahalagang bagay tayong nakakaligtaan. Ito ay ang pag-aanalisa sa mga Non-Governmental Organizations o NGO sa bansa. Papaanong ang tunay na diwa at layon ng mga tunay na Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) o NGO ay mapanatili at maiiwas sa pagpasok sa katiwalian.

Hindi maipagkakaila na simula nang umusbong ang mga NGO sa bansa na bunga ng reaksyon ng sambayanan sa mapanupil na Batas Militar at pagpapalawak ng demokratikong espasyo na haplos ng Pangyayari sa EDSA noong 1986, pinalakas nito ang mga adbokasiya ng pulitikal na pakikilahok ng masa, ng mga mamamayan sa usapin ng paggu-gobyerno at pagpapaunlad. Sa tulak ng pangmadlang interes, nagsagawa ang mga lehitimong NGO ng mga panlipunang serbisyo, adbokasiya at makataong gawain sa iba’t-ibang larangan katulad ng karapatang pantao, likas-kayang pag-unlad, mabuting pamamahala at iba pa. Nanguna rin ang mga ito sa pagpapalaganap ng mga impormasyon, mga pag-aanalisa, naging mga mekanismo ng pagbibigay-babala at tumutulong sa pagmu-monitor at implementasyon ng mg programa’t proyekto ng pam-pamahalaan man o pang-pribado.

Maliban sana sa ating pagbubuhos ng galit kay Napoles at sa mga kasabwat nito sa Kongreso at Senado, maganda rin na pagtuunan natin ng pansin ang pagbibigay ng mga mungkahi upang ang mga NGO o CSO sa Pilipinas ay magpatuloy na maging tapat sa kanilang mga layunin, prinsipyong tinutuntungan at mga adhikaing panlipunan, pang-ekonomiya at pampulitika.

Dapat na magpatuloy ang mga talakayan at dayalogo sa usaping ito ng pagkikinis ng mga NGO sa bansa. Kung sakali mang ang usaping ito ay seryosohin sa imbestigasyon ng Kongreso in aid of legislation, dapat na matukoy kung sapat na ba ang kasalukuyang sistema ng regulasyon dito o dapat pa ba itong pag-ibayuhin ng pamahalaan?  Anu-anong mga pamamaraan upang maging obhetibo nating “burahin” ang mga bogus lang. Ang pagtitiyak na ang mga pekeng NGO ay hindi makapasok sa mga proyekto ng gobyerno. Dapat kagyat na ma-resolba kung ang pagreregularisa ay gawain nga ba ng pamahalaan, o dapat mamayani ang “self regulation policy” na siyang tinutuntungan ngayon ng Securities and Exchange Commission o SEC. Ang pagkakaroon ng mga malilinaw at napatutupad na mga batas hinggil dito ay kasing halaga ng paglusaw sa Pork Barrel sa ating mga pampulitikang kusina o pagpapanibago sa resipe nito at pagpapakulong kay Napoles at kanyang mga kasabwat, kasapakat at kabalat. Si Napoles na tuwid nga kung magsalita ngunit kaduda-duda naman ang mensahe.

Anu’t-anuman, higit na mahalaga ngayon ang mahigpit na panawagan para sa pampublikong paggigiit para sa accountability, sa pamamagitan ng pampublikong paghahayag o transparensi. Ang bawat NGO ay dapat na maatasan na regular na mag-uulat ng kanilang mga pamamalakad, operasyon o pamamahala at mga accomplishments sa mga tao at grupo na dapat sana ay kanilang pinaglilingkuran. Kung papaano ito gagawin ay dapat siya ring pag-ukulan ng pansin.

Ang mga tunay na taong NGO ay tuwid kung mangusap at magpaliwanag. Determinado at may pagtatalaga ng sarili. Hindi ngongo ang mensahe...

(Photo: GMA Network)

Peace-sible

This month of September, the country is set to celebrate the 10th National Peace Consciousness Month, which aims to promote a culture of peace, and raise public awareness and understanding of the comprehensive peace process. This year’s theme is, “Lahat ay peace-sible!” Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita “Ging” Quintos Deles said this time of the year is “another great opportunity for the public to engage in empowering venues that encourage positive action and dialogue for peace.” She stressed further that, “the theme is a hopeful reminder that lasting peace is possible, especially if we all contribute towards it.” The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process or OPAPP has been leading the annual celebration of the National Peace Consciousness Month by virtue of Proclamation No. 675, s. 2004.

The 76^th Infantry (Victrix) Batallion, 2ID of the Philippine Army (PA) stationed at Brgy. Sto. Nino, Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro, through the leadership of LTC Mario C. Africa GSC (INF) PA initiated a Tribal Leaders’ Dialogue last August 30, 2013 and that was Friday. Ms. Eden M. Cenon, Community Affairs Officer of the National Commission on the Indigenous Peoples (NCIP); Nestor Liboro, Chairman of Pantribong Samahan sa Kanlurang Mindoro (PASAKAMI); Hon. Ruben P. Dangupon, IP/ICC Representative to the Sangguniang Bayan of Sablayan; SP04 Ricardo L. Gonzales, Municipal Executive Senior Police Officer (MESPO) and yours truly as the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Office-designate of LGU-Sablayan. Ms. Joie S. Angway and Armi Villaroza from the Municipal Social Welfare and Development (MSWD) also came to facilitate the distribution of goods for more or less 60 IP participants. 1Lt. Larry L. Mayao acted as moderator to the event.

Actually this was the third time the 76^th IB extended and reached out to the Alangan and Taobuid Mangyans of our municipality. Its objective is to review the 10-year old agreement between the Mangyans and the Military.

Allow me to backtrack a little about the Agreement. No doubt that a certain incident happened in Sitio Talayob in Magsaysay town in July 21, 2003 where a whole family of Mangyans was killed during what was claimed by the military to be an 'encounter ' between the 16th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army (PA) Army and the New People's Army, is the root of all of these. During the alleged encounter, soldiers fired indiscriminately at the Blanco's house, and Roger and Olivia Blanco, and their three children, were killed. That was long ago. Everything has been different now and peaceful now. But the fact remains that the Mangyans lives and property are in danger whenever there are armed operation initiated both by the military and the rebels in their communities.

From that horrible incident raised a new beginning. After that killings in Talayob, Rev. Fr. Rodrigo F. Salazar, then coordinator of the Mangyan Mission of the Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose and Rev. Fr. Mario R. Ronquillo, Chancellor, wrote a letter to then Secretary Eduardo Ermita who was then the Chief Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. People from the OPAPP facilitated the first ever dialogue between the Mangyans and the military and on September 6, 2003, through the leadership of Col. Fernando L. Mesa, Commanding Officer of the 204^th Brigade an Agreement was signed. As a result, both the Mangyan and military leaders agreed to undergo series of cultural awareness program on Mangyan culture given to foot soldiers including officers. The activity continued during the time of Lt. Col. Elmer L. Quiros, former Batallion Commander of the 80^th IB. During the of Lt. Col. Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos of the said infantry division, the same Agreement was reviewed and finally signed on September 17, 2008 in San Jose. The previous Agreement was again signed and made into flesh. But this time, there were two provisions being added: the protection of women, children and elderly.

In SEC. 22 of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) or RA 8371 states that during armed conflict, “ICCs/IPs have the right to special protection and security in periods of armed conflict. The State shall observe international standards, in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, for the protection of civilian populations in circumstances of emergency and armed conflict, and shall not recruit members of the ICCs/IPs against their will into the armed forces, and in particular, for use against other ICCs/IPs; nor recruit children of ICCs/ IPs into the armed forces under any circumstance; nor force indigenous individuals to abandon their lands, territories and means of subsistence, or relocate them in special centers for military purposes under any discriminatory condition.” True enough, there are limits to war and civilians must be protected. 

In his speech, Maj. Mario Lito R. Retirva (INF) PA assured the Mangyans of the soldiers’ adherence to human rights tenets. On my part, I firmly believe that the present Agreement between the Mangyans and the military, which is to be implemented in each municipality and formally be signed in the next few weeks, provides protection to individuals and communities. Also, the accountability of both parties for their action is established. It is in a way a form of concrete measure to promote human rights and the International Humanitarian Law.

Peace indeed is feasible…

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(Photo: LGU File)