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You may want to read Chapter 2 first.

“ Mr. Benedict Lomiwan is hereby voted as president of the class,” the instructor announced.

It was barely his third week in the University, but everyone in class already knew who he was. It would be impossible not to! He always got the highest scores in their quizzes – even in algebra – which everyone considered “very difficult”.

It was in Algebra and English that he excelled – a deadly combination. Some students were good in Algebra but not in English, and vice versa. Only Benny, did good in both and that made him an “Exceptional” student.

He knew that by being in the Dean’s List of scholars, he would do justice to the sacrifices of his parents and Fr. Belucci.

He had enrolled in A.B Political Science as he had plans of becoming a lawyer someday. College exposed him to the various cultural minorities in the country and people were less discriminating because of ethnic origin.

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It was a cultural activity in the University and he was in his native costume – a g-string. During school days, he went to class in clothes everybody wore – warm and comfortable city clothes, and it was the first time he had to wear his native costume again. He had looked forward to it.

“Hey Benny, I’d cover myself if I were you,” someone from the crowd teased him, “half of the girls in class would be asking for a date next Monday.”

Benny just smiled and waved. He had always been proud of his heritage, even when other people had looked down upon him. He stood tall among his peers; his sinewy muscles, bulging in the right places. He had a handsome face – dark fringed eyes, sensuous lips and a slightly crooked nose that complimented his other features to perfection. He was almost naked, except for the g string around his waist and his private parts.

They started beating the gongs and Benny led his barrio mates in the “taddok” (native dance). His g-string undulated with his every movement and the crowd cheered excitedly as his group of dancers circled the plaza. It was a joyous and festive, cultural dance. When it was done, there were rivulets of sweat on Benny’s face.

“I think you need this,” a voice from behind him intoned.

He turned and stared at the most beautiful woman he had ever set eyes on. For the first time in his life, he became speechless.

“C’mon, use it,” the woman smiled reassuringly, proffering the handkerchief in her hand.

He reached out for it and wiped his face with one swift motion. His racing heartbeat slowed down a bit. “ Thanks, I’m Benny Lomiwan, Miss…” he extended a hand.

“ Call me Julie, Julia Santos,” she grasped his hand firmly.

The contact sent shivers through his spine. “Good God,” he thought to himself, “this is not me – going all weak over a woman.”

“ Your group was good,” she was saying. “I am sure, you will win the grand prize.”

“ We danced to share our culture not for anything else,” he replied with a smile.

She flashed white even teeth at him. “ Well, nice meeting you Benny, see you around,” she said, and she was gone.

Whew! what was that? He shook his head in amazement. He had never imagined himself going gaga over a woman. It was a strange feeling and he was totally taken by surprise by the new emotion. He would have wanted to know more about her. He released a long drawn sigh to calm his nerves. Well, he had to forget about her, he had more pressing priorities to think about.
************
February came. It was the coldest month of the year. He was growing accustomed to the gelid, city air. He had anticipated that it would be cold, but not these bone-freezing temperatures. If he hadn’t known better, he would have thought he was abroad and not in a tropical country. He had layers of clothing on; but still, the cold air permeated his skin and gnawed at his bones.

The University’s first semester went according to his plans. He was able to maintain his academic scholarship well into the second semester. Fr. Belucci took charge of his board and lodging in the University’s dorm for boys. He also deposited in the bank a monthly allowance for him. He knew he was lucky to have a benefactor in the person of the priest and had expressed it openly the last time the old priest hugged him goodbye.

“ Get a good education and look after your own people,” the generous and benevolent priest had said. “That would be enough payment for me.”

And that was what he wanted to do that Saturday night. He had been secretly contacted to a meeting as a Youth Representative regarding the building of a dam in the Chico river, which may pollute its clear, pristine waters . It was a clandestine meeting as powerful political forces were bent on pushing through with it. The dam- supposedly- will provide electricity for the neighboring towns.

“ Are you Benny?” his train of thought was broken.

He eyed warily a burly man accosting him.

“Yes, “ he replied.

“Come, they’re waiting,” he said and started to lead him to a parked car.

He was about to demand an ID from the man, but thought, “What the heck, if it’s time for me to go, I’ll go, no matter what I do.” and he quickly followed him.

(to be continued)

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( If you still have not read chapter 1, do read it here.)

As soon as they arrived in Lubuagan, Guinnaban was baptized to Christianity by Fr. Belucci and named Benedict – after St. Benedict. To Guinnaban, the name symbolized hope and courage – and he liked the sound of it!

The abrupt change of environment though, had made him and his family uncomfortable. There were sad moments that they thought of going back to the simple life in the barrio. It was difficult for them to adjust to the ways of the progressively booming town. The good priest however, insisted that they stay on as he knew Benny was a brilliant boy who could pursue a much needed education for the sake of his people.

The following school year, Fr. Belucci enrolled him at the Parish secondary school.
On the very first day, Benny was already taunted by his classmates. “Hey, what’s your name?”

“Benedict” he would reply.

“Benedict? that’s a fancy name, huh? Far from your ugly, Kalinga name.” then the group would roar with laughter.

“ Let’s see if you can live up to it, “ laughing, they would leave him speechless at the center of the school’s quadrangle.

They frequently picked on him and made fun of him. “Here’s the native,” they taunted and ridiculed him.

On the 5th day of school, Francis the most intelligent of the class, challenged him to a spelling contest. Benedict was reluctant to participate, as he was brought up by his parents believing that a truly brave man did not have to prove himself.

But the whole class jeered at him:” C’mon, you – from Taloctoc, let’s see if you know something, ” and they refused to allow him to leave the room.

Thinking that it would do no harm to anyone, he accepted the challenge and stayed. They unceremoniously pushed him beside Francis; he could see the beads of sweat mushrooming in Francis’ excited face as he gleefully grinned at him.

Each of the students started yelling words for them to spell.

“pneumonia,” one shouted.

“Use the chalk dumbo! Write ” Francis snarled at him, “Let’s see if your teeny weeny brain recognizes words.”

” psychology”

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“gobbledygook”

“millennium”

“minuscule”

“sacrilegious”

There were two students assigned to both blackboards to check what they have written.

After each word, the uproar grew lesser and lesser as Benny had been able to spell the words correctly.

Unknown to them, since Benny’s first day with Fr. Belucci, he was allowed to use the old priests’ personal book collection. He devoured them like someone starving, and spent every free time savoring each page of the variety of books available for his perusal. He even started reading theology!

“And what is this all about?” a voice thundered from the doorway.

Everyone turned to meet Mrs. Garcia’s unsmiling face. “What are you up to, now Francis?” her piercing stare made Francis wince.

“Err… we were just having a spelling contest,” he was meek as a lamb in front of Mrs. Garcia.

The teacher took one long look at the board and said sternly, ” the two of you, come to my office, right now.” Her manner was succinct but there was a hint of pride in her tone.

Francis got most of the scolding as Mrs. Garcia was aware of his boisterous behavior at times.

“Let me finish what you started,” her voice was gentler now and there was a twinkle in her eye.

“Spell liaison” , she motioned to Francis.

Francis stood at attention and proudly blurted out, ” L – I – A – S – O – N” .

Mrs. Garcia – her face expressionless – nodded to Benny .

” L I A I S O N”, Benny enunciated each word deliberately.

The teacher happily tapped the shoulder of Francis, ” Now we have a new champion, Francis ,” she strode towards Benny and intoned excitedly, ” You are correct! I have high hopes we will win the championship this year. From now on, both of you should work together.”

As days laboriously passed , it was evident that academically, Benny performed better than Francis – to the other one’s obvious chagrin. In fact – he was the best in all categories – be it in Mathematics, English, Literature, or Music.

He had an eye and a heart for all extra-curricular and academic pursuits. He was the Grand Champion in the Math Quiz bee, the Spelling Bee and had won the Short Story Writing Contest sponsored by the English Society.

He then earned their respect and admiration. No one dared to taunt him anymore. Everyone wanted to be in his list of friends.

He graduated from St Theresa’s College as the Valedictorian of High School Class ‘ 76; with 6 medals: the gold, the leadership medal, the Insular Life gold, the Best in math, the Best in English, and was awarded “The Most Outstanding Graduate.”

(TO BE CONTINUED)

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By: Jena Isle

The mournful chant reverberated through the small four walls of the hut…” Aieeeee”.

Guinnaban – 9 at that time – was cowering in the eerie shadows. He was staring at the wrinkled woman wailing for the gaunt, pale corpse laid on the long table. The head of the corpse was at a grotesque angle, almost totally severed from his body.

“ Uma nangwa kansika anna?” ( Who have done this to you?) the woman wailed even louder.

“Aiieeeeee”….. everyone joined in and the hut became a cacophony of mournful cries.

The barrio captain motioned to the elders for a conference and they filed outside, their faces grim and murderous. Outside, a heated and frenzied debate took place.

Finally, the barrio captain raised his arm and shouted amidst the din, “ Intakkon no, umma uwayon yo, ittod tako kanida de kingwada.”( Then what are we waiting for? Let’s avenge his death.)

And so a full blown “tribal war” had began.

Guinnaban, grew amidst these bloody chaos caused by two warring tribes, who both fought for domination over the municipality. He accepted it as a way of life: the constant refuge in the deep forest even in the stillness of the night when the “enemy” had come to attack and the code of silence even when all he wanted was to protest at the top of his voice at the injustice of it all – these had become routine occurrences for him. And at age 10, he had stood as a sentinel on one of the night watches.

The “enemy” did not select their victims. Women and children were not spared by their avenging spears and bolos. Men had their heads always severed from their bodies, as a symbol of victory. The victor would bring home the grotesque, bloody head and would proudly display it like a trophy in their barrio. The warriors would dance gleefully around it till the wee hours of dawn. Head-hunting was normal and considered a warrior’s noble deed.

It is for this reason that women and children did not dare venture outside their barrio’s perimeter unless escorted by warriors.

He was 12, when a Belgian, missionary priest , Fr. Carl Belucci, visited their far flung barrio. Everyone was wary of him. What did this white haired man with a long aquiline nose want with them? He was not the enemy surely but might he be a spy? No one wanted to welcome Fr. Belucci and his companions to their nipa huts.

Guinnaban could not explain what prompted him to approach the priest, “ You are not here to help us, are you?” he queried, his big round eyes – probing and curious.

“I am here not only to help, “ the priest said in his soft, mellow voice.

Guinnaban believed him. At his age, he had a keen perception of people. He can perceive just by looking at people’s eyes, whether they were sincere or not; and he knew, the priest was his salvation.

From then on, Guinnaban served as the altar boy in each Holy Mass the priest celebrated. He began to listen to Fr. Belucci and learned that there is salvation for everyone, even for his enemies.

The elders however, were too far gone to forgive and forget whatever the sins of the past were, and continued with their thirst for vengeance. Some younger men, pleaded with the elders to forge a peace pact with the other tribe to end the senseless war.

They started proceedings but it seemed that their efforts were futile, there was still no vestige of reconciliation.

It was at this time that Fr. Belucci was called back to the parish church in town as it was becoming increasingly dangerous for him to stay on, in the barrio.

“Do you want to come with me?” Fr. Belucci asked Guinnaban, two days before his scheduled departure.

“You can continue serving as an altar boy and can go to school simultaneously.”

“But what about ina and ama?” Guinnaban wanted to go, but feared for the safety of his parents.

“They can come with you.” The old priest patted his head.

So on that gloomy, Monday morning, Guinnaban and his parents got what little was left of their belongings and joined Fr. Belucci in his 5 hr-trek to town.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

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Dusk was approaching and the evening lights were starting to appear like distant stars being uncovered slowly by hovering clouds. There was a slight drizzle – enough to dampen Benny’s clothes.

He was wearing a light blue polo shirt and a tie which complemented well with his dark blue slacks. He was on his way to the University. He had thought, it wasn’t going to rain so he did not bother to bring additional clothing.

The bright lights at the Professional School – which was the tallest building on that side of the street – came on.

On the right side of the imposing building, there was a sprinkling of various establishments- the Jollibee fast Food, the Glaxo Internet Cafe, the DJ drugstore and a series of small eateries where most students whiled their time away.

On the left side was the spacious parking lot for the University’s diverse clientele.
Benny had enrolled in an evening class in Law School because he worked as a paralegal “gofer” during the day.

The money the native folks had contributed had been deposited at the Land Bank and Benny refused to touch a single centavo.

It was not his ego which came into play in this one, it was his sense of responsibility; he wanted that the hard earned money of the old folk would be able to earn them interest.

To return the money would be considered a slap to the faces of the elders. He knew the old folks were happy to know that they took active part in his education, and they did.

Their concern was heart warming that it had fed the burning desire in his heart to pursue his studies. He had to make it on his own finances or he could never claim he had succeeded. Julia stayed mum on the topic after she realized nothing could persuade him to use the money.

Benny momentarily paused in his tracks as he remembered Julia- Ah- Julia! His adorable wife was still able to arouse him so intensely. With a one year old child, he had thought the passion would fade. On the contrary, they were more ardent in making love now more than ever: exploring new erotic zones and experimenting on unique wonderful ways of expressing their ardent love for each other.

Andre was one of the most wonderful things that happened to their lives – The boy displayed initiative and courage even at his very young age. Once he toppled precariously because he was trying to pick a cat out of a bicycle’s path.

Julia almost fainted when he saw the wheels of the bicycle almost on top of her son’s face. The person had stopped in time to save both boy and cat. He was a precocious, adventurous tot that surprised even him and Julia.

Benny smiled inwardly as he remembered how Andre had inherited his looks but had Julia’s round, dark brown eyes. He always looked forward to spending time with the two most precious persons in his life.

The evening shadows played on the contours of his face. He had noticeable lines now on his forehead and on the corners of his eyes. His wavy hair had grown longer and had curved inwardly towards his face. The fierce intensity in his eyes had now the knowing look of someone who had seen more than the ordinary at his age and time. His muscular and lean physique had not changed a bit in spite of the lessened physical activity- he no longer walked very long distances- but he jogs every morning before reporting to work.

Enrolling in the Juris Doctor Program had not been easy as there were several prerequisites he still had to finish, and finished he did. Now he had finally made it! It was the third day of classes and Benny found it to be taxing but challenging nevertheless.

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Research assignments were given everyday and he did not have ample time to do extensive research. He found Introduction to Law relatively easy with their happy-go-lucky Professor, Atty. Miranda.

In Criminal Law 1; however, they had an extremely strict disciplinarian – Atty. Lagum as their professor. He treated them like undergraduate students. Benny knew, Atty Lagum wanted to intimidate them, for what reason – he still could not fathom.

And Criminal Law 1 was his first subject that evening. The first assignment was on Evidence Gathering.

There was a string of questions to answer : “Who are the primary persons involved in the crime?” ” What were their specific roles in the crime?” ” Why did they act the way they did? etc, etc, ” It seems like he was in a psychology class and not in a law course.

But the professor insisted that as future lawyers, they had to be familiar with the machinations of the complex human mind.

(TO BE CONTINUED)
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You may want to read CHAPTER 11 first.

The mountains stood like mute witnesses to the drama that was about to unfold on its once pristine grounds. The mephitic stench of bloodbath that had occurred recurrently was now a necessity that they endure- a purge that has to happen to purify their mundane existence.

The three groups – Kumander Benny’s , General Aman’s and Ka Lito’s- were slowly converging at the designated place.

Ka Lito’s band of scalawags however, was a few yards ahead of the two and was intercepting both groups.

When they were more than a hundred yards away from General Aman’s army, Benny ordered a full stop.

The two leaders unarmed themselves and began to walk towards the center of the clearing, as their men watched anxiously; even the forest stood still in eerie silence.

Suddenly, a shot rang piercingly through the thin air . Then another… and then another. ..

Ka Anton, saw Kumander Benny go down in a heap on the first volley of gunfire. “It’s a trap. It’s a trap. Take cover!” he shouted and fired aimlessly into the company of soldiers.

He was about to crawl towards Benny, when he saw him waving his hand shouting, “Retreat, retreat.” Benny knew they were no match for the army’s mighty artillery.

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There was bedlam! The media covering the event were busy clicking their cameras unmindful of the danger of being wounded in the crossfire.

General Aman was shouting too
“Cease fire, cease fire!” His face was a mask of anger and anxiety.

A few staccato bullets were fired by the retreating NPA rebels but they were gone within minutes.

There were no casualties on the government side.

“Who fired those first shots ?” General Aman demanded indignantly.

“We didn’t, ” Captain Abasolo replied. “We had assumed , it was them.”

” You mean, they would shoot at their own Kumander? ” the General asked the question incredulously.

“We were shot at too, General. ” Lt. Carreon interjected. “Won’t we be going after them? It would be easy to follow them as their leader is wounded.”

” We are not savages, Lt. Carreon. I gave my word to Kumander Benny that I’ll personally make sure they’ll be safe and sound, and now he is wounded. Listen up,” General Aman was yelling. “No one is to fire another bullet from here onwards.”

He looked at his men soberly and added in a low, powerful voice , ” I want you to remember this, a war can be won, not only in the battlefield – it can also be won peacefully.”

“General Aman is right,” Captain Abasolo seconded, ” We have a bad reputation as an army of ruthless and heartless men. It’s time we start proving to them that there are still good men in the military.”

*********

Ka Lito and his men were watching General Aman’s army from a distance.

“How come they didn’t pursue them?” Ka Lito was frustrated and furious. “They should pursue them and pulverize their camp.”

“Let me shoot that imbecile general,” Ka Dencio was fuming too. He was an envious man, who thrived on intrigues and conflicts. He was immensely enjoying plotting the downfall of Benny – someone he considered a “lucky” bastard.

“Don’t ” Ka Lito restrained Ka Dencio’s hand. ” We’re no match for them, and they’ll come to know, we are the culprits. Let’s go, we have succeeded in our goal.”

“What goal Ka Lito?” the voice rang loud and clear . They all turned to face Ka Anton. ” I’m thankful now I was not able to teach you very well in marksmanship,” Ka Anton added.

Ka Lito tried to reach for his gun, “I wouldn’t dare, ” Ka Anton gave a quick flick of his fingers. Twelve men materialized from the thick foliage. “Disarm them.” he commanded.

Ka Lito’s group submitted without protest. Ka Lito grumbled and scowled but that was all he was able to do.

Ka Anton gave one last glance at General Aman’s retreating army, before he trudged behind the prisoners.

They came upon Benny being treated by Julia. Luckily , the bullet had just grazed his right arm. A second scar that would be a perfect match for the already existing old one.

How much wound can a man take? Ka Anton wanted to ask Benny but he said instead, “The soldiers aren’t pursuing us, Kumander” he assured Benny, ” but I found these traitors .”

“You call me a traitor, hmmp… look who’s talking…” Ka Lito was bursting with so much enmity.

“You’re the ones betraying the ideals of our organization by surrendering. I was aiming at your heart but you’re one lucky devil.” he pointed an accusing finger at Benny.

Benny said nothing but looked straight into him, ” They were the ones who fired the first shots…” he was nodding comprehendingly.

Ka Lito blinked and guiltily looked the other way.

“Let me do the honor of shooting this filthy scumbag,” Ka Anton raised his gun.

“No, ” Benny said calmly. ” They should be brought to General Aman and be held liable for the trouble they had caused.”

(TO BE CONTINUED)
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You may want to read CHAPTER 10 first.

“Anyone who does not want to surrender, may leave now,” Benny said as he scanned the unsmiling and anxious faces around him.

” Those who have decided to come with me, I assure you that I’ll do whatever that needs to be done to ensure your safety. We can’t stay here in the mountains forever. I know how you would want to go home to your families too.”

There was a general murmur of agreement. Not all had their families with them, especially those with very young children. The clean mountain air and natural environment would be an ideal place for growing children, but the constant movement of the rebel troops would be too much for them to handle.

” We don’t trust anyone but you Kumander. So if you say it would be fine, then we’ll be coming with you.” Ka Anton, Benny’s most trusted aide, expressed the sentiments of those who were present.

And so the group of more than a hundred men commenced their arduous trek downhill. General Aman was to meet them halfway.

Benny thought about the NPA’s higher echelon of officers. What would be the reaction of the Supreme Kumander? As of that moment, it had been kept a secret but it wouldn’t be long before they would come to know about it and there would be hell to pay. He shook his head to banish the morbid misgivings.

Benny was more concerned about Julia, his unborn child, and the lives and future of the men under his command. He felt he was personally responsible for each of them.

The agreement of Benny’s surrender to General Aman was made through Fr. Belucci and selected emissaries from Taloctoc.

Fr. Belucci personally requested for General Aman as he trusted him. He had known the man since he was a lanky kid in high school. Just like Benny, Henry Aman was honest, trustworthy and responsible.

The plan was that Benny and his unit would be escorted by General Aman’s army from the point of convergence to the military camp, where the rebels were to surrender their arms.

Benny requested that the local media be present to record the proceedings. He did not fancy hugging the limelight, but he knew that any vital, government player who may plan to sabotage the event would think twice, because of the presence of the media. Most traditional policitians were meticulous about their public image and they took great pains in maintaining their impeccable self esteem.

The media were allowed- now and then – to broadcast events which the government considered newsworthy. The surrender of Kumander Benny – one of the most respected and revered rebel leader – would be an astounding success for the government and would be a tremendous blow to the insurgency movement in the country.

Of course, inevitable questions would soon arise as to why Benny was surrendering when he was supposedly incarcerated already by the military.

Strategists in the government knew that the whole story of Benny’s escape would have to be revealed eventually, but only after his surrender.

That way the government still had the “victory”.

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******

A few miles away from Benny’s camp, Ka Lito with 5 other men were changing into army clothes.

“A job well done, Ka Dencio,” Ka Lito was smiling as he donned the pilfered military uniform.

“Look how this perfectly fits me,” and he guffawed with laughter. “I’m now a Major in the Army.”

“Major, Captain Cerrudo, reporting for duty, sir.” the smallest man said.

“You look like a chipmunk,” Ka Lito roared with laughter , and the other five followed suit.

“Let’s get back to business, ” Ka Lito assumed his serious air of arrogance.

“Are you sure of the route they’ll be taking?” he asked Ka Dencio.

“Yes, I got it from a reliable source, from the mouth of babes, comes forth the truth… ” Ka Dencio’s source was a naive, barrio kid whom he had sweet talked. Ka Dencio was an intelligent, misguided man who rejoiced in the misfortunes of other people. He had never met Kummander Benny up close, but he despised the popularity of the young man. Probabaly because, he should have been also a respected Kummander if he hadn’t been too self-absorbed with his own ulterior motives.

“We’ll have to ambush them before they reach Mangga, that way, they’ll think they have been betrayed by the army.”

Then they danced around in circles and stomped their feet with glee for their wicked machinations .

“I would like to see the expression on Benny’s smug face, after this. Remember, we must be swift. We will just create the smoke, then leave them fighting off the fire.”

*****

General Aman was giving instructions to his staff.

“Captain Abasolo, be in charge of the lead group, Lt. Carreon – the rear . At no time at all will you be using your guns. No one is to fire his gun until I personally order it. Is that clear?”

” Sir, yes sir,” the men chorused.

The two media personnel were assigned three escorts and were instructed to stay behind the lead soldiers.

And so they began their silent march into the deep, unwelcoming forest.

(TO BE CONTINUED)
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You may want to read CHAPTER 9 first.

Lt. Antonio was standing before a court martial. There were only 13 people in the room. The 11 were high ranking officials, while the two were guards.

This was an event that the government wanted to conceal from the media.

” After careful deliberations, this General Court-Martial unanimously declares and hereby adjudges the accused – Lt. Rodolfo G. Antonio Jr. – guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the charge covered by Article of War of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman. This General Court-Martial hereby imposes the following sentence upon the accused -Lt. Rodolfo Antonio Jr. – to be discharged from the military.”

Maj. Gen. Henry Gorospe, president of the 11-member military tribunal, folded the crisp paper and handed it to the Judge Advocate.

Lt. Antonio’s face was expressionless. There was a dreamy, peaceful look in his eyes.

Benny learned about this news through the underground’s grapevine. His escape and Lt. Antonio’s case had never found their way to the media’s headlines. Lots of people still believed that Benny was still in the hands of the military. This the government conveniently kept silent about – not denying nor confirming.

Benny wanted to rescue Lt. Antonio but he knew it was safer for him not to keep in touch. Carting him off to the mountains would not be a good idea also, because it would be extremely difficult for Lt. Antonio, as he had grown up in the city.

Benny had a fitful sleep that night, thinking of how he could help Lt. Anotnio. In the morning, he sent a letter through a courier expressing his heartfelt gratitude for all the things he had done for him and that if he so desired to join him in the mountains, he would gladly fetch him – no matter.

Lt. Anontio’s reply was brief. ” I’m just one person Ka Benny, don’t worry about me. I have other plans. Continue pursuing your dreams for your people.”

Benny however had doubts about the path that he was pursuing now.

The NPA’s leadership was slowly corroding because of misunderstandings between their own beliefs. The ideals and principles Benny once fought for were taking in a different, darker shade.

There were atrocities and senseless killings now done by the rebels themselves – not in Benny’s unit- but by rebels nevertheless and the higher ranking leaders opt not to notice them – just to maintain their rank and file.

More and more undisciplined rebels, turned violent at the mere hint of hesitation by the people to give “tax” (in kind or in cash), to support the rebels’ cause.

They started requesting foreign military aid too which Benny did not approve. This was an internal problem and asking for foreign intervention would endanger the country from opposing forces of powerful nations – the extreme right and the extreme left.

This made Benny started doubting the path that they were treading on. Was this the path to equality, freedom and justice that he so valiantly fought for from the start?

In his hearts of hearts , he knew the course they were following now was definitely not his dreams for his people.

There had been a peaceful call from the government for rebels to lay down their arms and return to the folds of society without any danger of prosecution. This was called the “General Amnesty”. “Surrender or Die” -the message of the government was loud and clear.

” What’s bothering you?” Julia caressed his nape.

Julia could still take his breath away, Benny thought, “It’s nothing” he replied, taking hold of her hands and holding them tight to his chest.

“I’ve got good news for you,” Julia said.

” Let’s hear this good news,” he tried to sound exultant.

“I’m pregnant, ” she intoned happily.

The world seemed to come to a standstill as the unexpected news slowly sinked into Benny’s consciousness. The extreme joy of the moment took his breath away and tears began to well up in his eyes. He had to inhale heavily to suck in air. He gave a long, loud whoop and carried Julia in his sinewy arms. He lifted her high up in the air and buried his face in her soft thighs. He was jubilant and overjoyed beyond words.

They were both laughing and caught up in the unadulterated happiness that they alone understood. Ina and Ama would be happy too, Benny thought.

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The following week, Benny received a letter from Fr. Belucci through one of their couriers.

My Dear Benny,

It is more peaceful now that Martial Law has finally stabilized. You’ve been doing a good job looking after your own people. The peace pact has been unbroken even after Julia’s father had passed away.

The peace pact that he established together with the other tribal elders is still respected by all tribes.

The government has also ceased pushing through with the dam project altogether, because of your bold stand. In fact, Major Abunda had been relieved from his post.

There’s no longer any need to stay in the mountains. Take advantage of this peace offering and come down. This way, you could help your people more.

I heard Julia is heavy with child. Your Ama, Ina and mother in law plead with you to come down. Do this because of your child.

God bless you my son,
Fr. Belucci

(TO BE CONTINUED)

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You may want to read CHAPTER 8 first

by smokejmt

Rested and invigorated, he reluctantly stood up and cast a last glance at the dissolving kaleidoscope of colors.

This was where he had always come when he wanted sometime to himself.

The rebel hideout was just a mile away.

His escape had been relatively easy because the military had underestimated his stamina.

The forest was silent except for the sounds of a nearby, bubbling stream, the gentle whisper of rustling leaves and the gaily chirping of birds.

“Tweet, tweet,” he stood sill and listened to the familiar sound. “Tweet, tweet”, it came again.

He imitated the sound … “tweet, tweet.”

Soon, two men materialized from the tall, verdant grass.

“We’ve been waiting for you, Kumander” the younger one said. “Welcome back.”

” Ka Anton, you’re looking good, ” Benny gave him a bear hug. “Ka Dan, …” and then he hugged the other man tightly, their eyes shimmering with unshed tears of joy. “Welcome back , Kumander, ” Ka Dan said.

So, they’re calling me Kumander now, Benny thought. Did they receive a message from the supreme Kumander for his promotion? He opted not to ask.

They were a few yards away, when they heard a commotion from the camp. Benny did not expect to be assailed by a problem so soon.

There in the middle of the clearing was a man who apparently wanted some attention. It was Ka Lito. Benny’s heartbeat stopped momentarily as he saw who Lito was pointing at. It was Julia!

” Do you want this woman to lead us? Where is your sense of pride? You agree to be ordered around by this woman, just because she happens to be the wife of Kummander Benny? ” Ka Lito was enjoying his performance to the hilt, even swaying to and fro on the balls of his feet.

Before Julia could reply, Benny sauntered to the middle of the clearing. When the people recognized him, everyone cheered. Julia ran towards him, her face brilliant with happiness.

“It’s Kumander Benny!” they shouted with joy.

Benny gave her a tight hug and gently pushed her aside. He asked in his low, commanding voice, “Now what is this all about Ka Lito?”

Julia spoke loudly but calmly for everyone to hear, “He had terrorized the old folks in Mandali and threatened them if they won’t give all their harvest.”

“Is that what you did, Ka Lito?” Benny’s voice was incredulous.

“Well, they did not want to give their share , so I had to scare them a bit,” he conceded.

” Didn’t we agree that intimidation and force should never be used when we asked for donations? ” Benny asked Ka Lito patiently.

“The old man suffered bruises by what he did,” another man shouted.

“Don’t you have any moral scruples, Ka Lito? Hurting a defenseless old man? . You know the rules, Ka Lito. If you can’t live by them then you have to leave the fold,” Benny ordered ominously. ” Right now!” There was no denying the intensity of Benny’s command.

Ka Lito hesitated for a moment, Benny can perceive the struggling emotions of the man, whether to accept the order or to defy it.

Ka Lito surreptitiously looked around him, paused and then said, ” Sure, I’ll go, I don’t fancy staying with a band of effeminate rebels pretending to be men.”

He walked a few steps forward and then stopped in his tracks.

For a moment Benny thought, he was going to draw his gun, but he didn’t .” Those who want to come with me and fight the war like real men, follow me,” he hollered.

No one followed Ka Lito as he cursed and swore to high heavens about what a bunch of cowards they were.

by carulmare

During that night in the rebel camp – away from both their native barrios (because of the increasing government insurgency campaign )- Benny and Julia were together again in body and soul – lost in their own paradise of ecstasy and bliss..

“Remind me tomorrow to make sure the old man is doing fine, ” Benny was saying to Julia referring to Ka Lito’s victim.

His succeeding words were lost as they groped hungrily for each other. Everything else was forgotten.

They slept in each other’s arms satiated and fulfilled – making up for the sleepless nights of their unavoidable separation.

Even the grief of Julia over her father’s death has taken the backseat.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

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Photos by: Starry Vincent

The patient in room 27, who was admitted for gastritis, was singing and a sizable crowd was gathering at her door. They were totally mesmerized by her golden voice. She was Nova Cardona, a budding and talented TV star.

“Hurry up,” Lt. Antonio whispered to Benny.

Benny was in the military uniform of a captain. He looked dashing but deathly pale. It had been a week in the hospital but he still felt nauseous and unsteady on his feet.

There were two guards who stood at his door but their back was turned as they too were enraptured by Nova’s voice; they hardly noticed the two coming out of the room.

“This way,” Lt. Antonio, opted for the stairs instead of the elevators. They ascended the stairs in swift, stealthy movements and reached the ground floor in no time at all.

“I’ll take it from here,” Benny looked straight at his new found friend. He had never been close to Lt. Antonio in the University. But he was admired by many students whom he barely knew and Rudy Antonio was one of them. “Thanks for the help Rudy, I owe you one.” Benny tightly gripped Lt. Antonio’s hand.

“I can’t leave you alone. You’re still not safe here. C’mon, we’re wasting time,” Lt. Antonio protested and sprinted towards the shadows of the next building.

They were on foot as the checkpoints were still in place and they knew they had to be out off the streets before midnight, because of the curfew hours.

The Doctor’s next round in the hospital would be after 6 hours and if they could make it to the army truck at the outskirts of the city, everything would be fine.

*****

It was 9 pm when the twinkling, bright lights had finally turned into pinpoints – indicating they were now at a safe distance from the city. Benny was ready to buckle. He was hyperventilating and his body felt clammy and worn out.

“Go,” Lt. Antonio motioned Benny inside the truck, as he jumped into the driver’s seat. ” Cover yourself with the blanket. If they inspect the truck and see you, act sleepy.”

But No one stopped them. They came nose to nose with army vehicles along the road and the usual honking of horns was all that happened.

There was a main checkpoint however, before they could reach the last town; Lt. Antonio was not bothered. They were relatively safe unless someone wanted to inspect the truck and recognize Benny.

It was after an hour that they came to the checkpoint. Benny had fallen into a dreamless sleep and was awakened by loud voices.

“Hello, sir,” the swarthy private bellowed. “May I know what we have here?”

” I’m in a hurry, private. Will visit a relative in the next town and will have to be back before dawn.”

” Sir, we have strict orders from General Layson himself, to inspect all vehicles passing through this checkpoint – even army vehicles,” the private was a good soldier.

The general’s order was called for because the next town was believed to be NPA infiltrated and objecting to the search would make the private more suspicious.

“Okay, but make it quick.” Lt. Antonio sat rigidly at the wheels, his hand on the butt of his gun. He was hardly breathing. He was hoping Benny would be able to act convincingly.

After some interminable minutes, the loud voice of the private echoed from the back of the truck, ” Have a pleasant trip , sir,” he said and the signal was given to the other guard at the gate to allow the truck to pass through.

Lt. Antonio breathed a sigh of relief. But how come the private didn’t find Benny?

He cruised a little farther away and finally stopped. When he checked on him, his niggling premonition was true- Benny was gone!

*******

Benny was already a hundred yards away from the checkpoint. The nap had rested him and he was moving faster now. He was used to walking long distances as in the nature of their condition, they rarely used vehicles for fear of detection.

He was lucky the bullet didn’t hit any of his vital organs. The blood loss however may have cost him his life if he had not been transfused immediately with blood .

Lt. Antonio had planned his escape. They had to do it while he was still in the hospital as the top brass was demanding that he be transported ASAP to headquarters when he was well enough to walk.

Lt. Antonio could have requested that he be placed in his custody and a lot of officers would trust his judgement but they both did not want to take chances. Some scalawags in the military might want to “salvage” him. (Salvage” was a popular term during that era, in which people were summarily executed in the guise of self defense or because they allegedly attempted to escape.)

Even, Nova Cardona was such a great help. He had gained new friends from his short stay in the hospital. Rudy had always believed he was the good guy even when he learned of his recruitment to the NPA. And Nova, in spite of her growing popularity, had a childlike insouciance that made her a pleasant companion in the few days that they had their morning sun in the hospital’s large garden, where they came to know each other.

He had not seen Julia for over a week and he missed her terribly but to allow her to visit was very risky as she was on the rebel’s list too. He also learned from Rudy that his father -in -law died of myocardial infarction, right after he was captured. He felt extremely sad for not being able to attend his wake.

These were the thoughts that accompanied him as he finally ascended the familiar terrain. This is the NPA’s stronghold and he was relatively safe. The moon was afloat and the illumination that it provided was sufficient for his accustomed feet. But he knew that the military were slowly inching their way onwards and they have to counteract this recent development.

He reached the peak just as dawn was breaking.

Sitting now at the small clearing and watching the interplay of colors, he was thinking what a lucky man he was, still alive and breathing.

The sun finally broke free from the restraining clouds that had earlier hampered its ascendance.

It now shone on him with such brilliance that gave him a certain assurance that eveything would eventually fall into place.
*****

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(TO BE CONTINUED)