THE source of this story is a former municipal kagawad in one of the towns of Bohol.
It was campaign period and they got notices that in order for the candidates to campaign in the hinterlands, they have to pay certain amount – 1M for the Mayor, 500K for the Vice Mayor and 300K per municipal kagawad.
The candidates decided to ask for “discounts” because the “protection fee” was too high. They were told to gather in one particular place one fateful midnight and were ordered not to report to the police or they would get a “visit” from the NPA right in their homes.
So they complied and as soon as they were on the place, they were blindfolded, made to ride on a horse and proceeded somewhere. It took several hours of continuous walking until they stopped.
Once their blindfolds were removed, they were disoriented and were completely lost as to their whereabouts.
For sure, they were up in the mountains because it was very cold and there were plenty of trees and green vegetation.
* * *
Once settled, they met the leader of the group who listened to their MR – to lower the fees asked.
Eventually, after some haggling, they settled on a particular amount including other terms.
The kagawad did not tell me how much was the fixed fee asked.
But he had one observation during that special meet in the mountains.
Pastilan, gilibotan man mi og mga batan-on nga mga babaye, kasagaran ra ba kay mga angayan pod.
Susko, di gyod ka magtuo nga mga walhonon to sila kon makita nimo sila sa siyudad kay mga piskayon man, this was the observation of the kagawad.
* * *
I was reminded of that story that was told to me many, many years ago when news of the recent encounter between the NPAs and the Bohol police came out.
In that recent encounter, one of those killed was a young female lawyer and a graduate of UP Cebu.
Susko, naunsa man to siya, nganong naapil man to siya nga abogada na man unta to siya, kon gusto siya mo-serbisyo sa katawhan mahimo man unta nga mang-laban lang siya sa mga dinaog-daog sa legal nga paagi sama sa ubang mga abogado, these were just some of the commentaries that I heard.
And more.
Nakahibawo ba pod kaha ang iyang mga ginikanan sa iyang tinuod nga kinabuhi sa kabukiran unya miapil siya sa grupong walhon, matod pa sa uban.
That is the question.
* * *
This was also the reaction of some parents when it was reported that in the encounter between the military and the NPA, some casualties were reported.
The parents were shocked upon learning that their children were killed in action in one Bohol town when all the while they thought that their children were gainfully employed in Mindanao.
Nganong namatay man ka diha Dong nga among pagtuo tua man kas Mindanao nagtrabaho, was the lament of one grieving mother.
What made them believe that their children were working in Mindanao?
Kay kada bulan man mi makadawat og tabang financial gikan niya unya ang sobre kay gikan man sa Mindanao, was the explanation.
* * *
So that’s the answer.
Many parents are led to believe that their children are working in Mindanao or other places when in fact they are somewhere else and doing something else.
* * *
Accordingly, the OS who died at the city pier reportedly fell down aft of the fastcraft near the baggage area just as the fastcraft was doing reverse maneuver preparatory to final departure from the pier.
Accordingly, he was alone when he fell down so nobody noticed the mishap.
His absence was noted kuno when the craft was already somewhere in Loon. The physical search proved futile so they reviewed the CCTV footage at the aft section.
It was there kuno that the accident was noted and obviously, it was too late.
Those who helped in the search operation said that it took some time for them to gather the human remains because obviously, gisuyop sa propeller ang nahulog kay nag-reverse maneuver man.
If the narration is factual, then it is clear that it was an accident, an unfortunate sea mishap.
Parehas ni sa usa ka seaman before nga namatay sab.
Ang gikamatyan kay naputol ang pisi sa barko og naigo siya sa usa ka tumoy sa pisi samtang nag-maneuver ang barko padung molarga.
