Longing for Peace: A message of the KARSA during the peace week celebration

This is the full text of the message of the Kalinga-Apayao Religious Sector Association (KARSA) during the conclusion of the "Peace Week" celebration last December 7, 2012 at the Kalinga Sports Center. 

 LONGING FOR PEACE

Two years ago, our very own beloved governor, Jocel C. Baac, said in his Christmas Message to the people of Kalinga, “PEACE IS HERE TO STAY, IF WE LIVE CHRISTMAS DAY FOREVER."

There is no mistake that living out the spirit and imperatives of Christmas is the bedrock of a meaningful and genuine peace, not only among Kalingas but among all people. This is posited within the view that one of the reasons why there is no peace in the world is because we people fail to really understand what peace is all about and its requirements. We fail to discern the truth that peace is of God, and therefore we should seek it from God's own standpoint. Any attempt to seek peace from our own personal standpoint and interpretation can in fact reap more negative dividends than positive ones. In a nutshell, this is what that famous Christmas message tells us, GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST AND PEACE GOODWILL TO MEN. Meaning, we can only know and understand the meaning of peace when we are at peace with God. For peace is not only about serenity, calmness or the absence of conflict among people, clan, tribe and even nations. It is SHALLOM. And SHALLOM is that Hebrew term for peace that is characterized by a state of wholeness or well being which is the fruit of proper relationship with God, with self and other human beings. Peace therefore begins with a proper relationship with God, that teaches us to have inner peace with ourselves which shall also be the measure of our peace with others and even our environment. Never can we talk about peace on earth goodwill to men, unless we talk about our peace with our God and ourselves. The end result of this SHALLOM in our individual and social life is prosperity, contentment and security. And in the words of Isaiah such a condition is founded on truth and justice, "everywhere in the land, righteousness and justice will be done. Because everyone will do what is right, there will be peace and security forever." (Isa. 32:16-17)

It is God's sovereign will that human beings shall live in harmony with each other in peaceful habitations. Therefore, while it is true that conflict is natural among human beings, being part of their fallen nature, violence and war as means of settling conflicts are scandals to the sovereign will of the God of Peace. Thus, one of the concrete requirements of peace is the absence of violence and war as means of settling conflicts. And so speaking within the backdrop of the realities of violence and war in the world, the Prophets Isaiah and Micah were as fierce in declaring that in the fullness of time a PRINCE OF PEACE will come and, "he will teach us what he wants us to do...he will settle disputes among great nations. They will hammer their swords into plows and their spears to pruning knives. And nations will learn war no more." (Isa. 2 & Micah 4)

There is no question, that indeed, God abhors violence. However, violence is real in our world today because it is the end result of human corruption. Nonetheless, it shall be stressed that the human hunger and thirst for peace is unquenchable because by nature we are created by a God of Peace that we should be in harmony and at peace with each other. Hence, since time immemorial human beings had been in constant search for peace and had in fact built institutions of peace such as peace covenants, alliances and treaties with hopes that such institutions would bring about meaningful peace. To Kalingas, our cultural tradition of BODONG as an institution of peace is a living testament to the natural human quest for meaningful peace and our abhorrence of violence.

How can we image an ideal society that bears and enjoys SHALLOM? Isaiah pictures to us an ideal society that enjoys SHALLOM, saying, "He will rule his people with justice and integrity. Wolves and sheep will live together in peace and Leopards will lie down with young goats. Calves and lions will feed together, and little children will take care of them, cows and bears will eat together, and their calves and cubs will lie down in peace. Lions will eat straw as cattle do. Even a baby will not be harmed if it plays near a poisonous snake. On Zion, God's holy hill there will be nothing harmful or evil. The land will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the seas are full of waters." (Isa. 11:5-9)

We shall note that in this ideal society that justice and peace are inseparable. Peace is always the result of justice, hence, the saying, "there is no peace without justice." In concrete terms, a peaceful society is anchored on a relationship of CO-EXISTENCE: Where no one prejudiced, underprivileged, exploited and oppressed on account of their powerless, race, color, creed and status in life because justice is made supreme. Is it possible for the rich and influential to co-exist with the poor and powerless as Lions and calves do, or wolves and sheep do?

Indeed, this image of an ideal society of SHALLOM shakes the very foundation of a society that is exclusive, unjust, prejudicial and violent. Coincidentally, it is from this perspective of CO-EXISTENCE based on justice that the United Nations defines peace as, "a state of harmony and communion where people eat, speak, play, dance, live and work together. If this natural state is disturbed, be it by arguments, outside influence and/or manipulations, greed or fear -violence and wars can be the results."

And so, what is our longing for peace in Kalinga? What kind of a society that we should build for ourselves and our children? None can be more valuable in the heart of every Kalinga than to see a Kalinga that is freed from any form of violence. How nice and wonderful really it is that we can see our children play with each other as brothers and sisters in spite of our vast differences in culture, tradition, political convictions and even creed. How nice it would be if we could sleep soundly at night, walk the streets unafraid, trustful that our lands are safe from squatters. How really nice would it be if there are no hired killers and masterminds of killings, and that tribal wars are now things of the past. How nice really could it be, if there are no people amongst us who think that they are above the law or are the law themselves. And yes, how nice would it be if justice is made to blossom and "flow like a stream, and righteousness like a living river." (Amos 5:24).

3 soldiers killed in Kalinga ambush identified

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Police on Friday said the three soldiers who were killed in a rebel ambush in the hinterlands of Kalinga province last Wednesday have been identified.

A report by the Kalinga police to Camp Dangwa, headquarters of the regional police force in La Trinidad, identified the victims as SSgt. Ci-o, Sgt. Galimba and Pfc. Toribio, all of the Philippine Army’s 21st Infantry Battalion.

The three were killed during a clash with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels at about 4 p.m. last Wednesday at the remote sitio of Lagwak in barangay Limos in Pinukpuk town.

Chief Inspector Joe Baday, chief of police in Pinukpuk, reported that the soldiers were on their way to Pinukpuk from barangay Poswoy in neighboring Balbalan town when they were ambushed. Baday’s report did not name the army soldier who was wounded.

It was unclear if the NPAs who staged the ambush are the same group that bombed a Globe telecommunications tower in barangay Pakawit, also in Pinukpuk, last July 27.

Police said the rebel who was hacked to death by a villager during the cellsite bombing was from barangay Balantoy in Balbalan, which is close to Poswoy village.

The Wednesday ambush came amid President Arroyo’s two-day furlough in Apayao province and Tuguegarao City where she was presented with developmental action plans for Cagayan Valley formulated by the participants to the first-ever local peace and security assembly.

In the meeting, Mrs. Arroyo called on local, military and police officials in the region to “crush the rebels once and for all because they are trying to impede the growth of our country." - GMANews.TV

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"Local reds should do some soul searching" - Yano

Tabuk City, Kalinga - Philippine Army Commanding General Alexander Yano has called on the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) to lay down their arms and join the free market of ideas because if their ideology is superior, they will be victorious in the end.

Yano who was at the 501st Infantry Brigade camp in Calanan, this city, December 14 as part of his Christmas rounds of the troops told local newsmen that the CPP-NPA should take their anniversary on December 26 as a time to do a deep soul searching and accept that their ideology is unacceptable to Filipinos.

Yano claimed that after more than three decades, the CPP-NPA has not made any positive contribution to society but on the contrary, has brought hardships to the country.

Yano said that it is rather ironic that while other countries have repudiated the ideology because they have found that it does not work, the CPP-NPA keeps on trying to establish it in this country.

Yano, however, said there is nothing wrong about local reds espousing their ideology for so long as, they do not use force and arms to force it into Filipinos.

In reaction to the comment of a local media-man that the Armed Forces of the Philippines is fighting the NPA the wrong way because "the only way to win against the guerilla is to out-guerilla him,'' Yano said it is a simplistic view of the "problem because insurgency is multifaceted and complex and the military aspect is just a small part of it.

"This is not just an AFP and PNP problem because it involves social, political, economic and psychological aspects. Even if we address the armed NPA if the other components are not addressed by other agencies, we will not be able to win. The approach should be wholistic," Yano said.

Yano said that even if the AFP annihilates the NPA if other sectors of society including the media think that insurgency is purely a military matter and "we cannot put out act together, we can never win the war."

In his pep talk to the troops, Yano emphasized that the 80,000-strong Philippine Army is a team and its mission is to defeat the CPP-NPA and other threats to the security of the nation.

Saying that in the Army every member counts, he exhorted the soldiers to shake off the culture of mediocrity and do their best in whatever role they are given because the failure of a part in the Army will affect the functioning of the entire complex machine. **By Estanislao Albano Jr., ZZW Dec. 23, 2007

Two government troopers killed in an ambush

Tabuk City, Kalinga - Two government troopers were killed and five of their comrades were wounded when they walked into an ambush set up by the New People's Army (NPA) at sitio Butol, Apatan, Pinukpuk, this province, morning of November 15, according to reports. The victims were identified as Corporal Glenn Cadilinia and CAFGU Macario Mangwag and those injured as 2Lt. Allen Rey Sadio and CAFGUs Rolando Dres, Venancio Lumawig, Rolando Andrade and Benny Bonggawon.

The government troopers numbering around 20 were coming from an operation in Ab-abaan, Balbalan, this province, early morning of November 15 when they were ambushed at Butol by the insurgents numbering more or less 40.

The source said the government troopers fought back and the firefight lasted from 7 to 11 AM.

There were no reported casualties on the side of the rebels. **Estanislao Albatto, Jr., ZZW, Nov. 18, 2007