Chapter 27 - Conscription

Chapter 27
Conscription

     “War should all be fought in all fronts. That’s what we’ve been doing all through those  years in this endless war.  Working with the people the best of our  ability in the community in their socio-economic life building those farm to market roads securing  peace and order, this indeed has been our avowed mission too.”

            “Like any ordinary citizen in other words. But that’s not enough. Whether we like it or not we should show our force in times of war or we would be annihilated too ourselves by the enemies.”

            “We sent volunteers in Vietnam, remember PHILCAG? Though majority of our men were not directly involved in war zones, we had at least made our presence felt there. It was not easy though seeing war at its barest. But that proves to one and all that we have to collectively  fight the commies to end this scourge of the earth. Why can’t they work and not use people to pursue their end?”

             “It was rather weird seeing thousands of Americans and communist killed but that’s all in war. You either win some or lose some.  After all, death is  considered bridesmaid to any soldier.“

            “Quiet surprisingly you could hardly imagine the very slim built of Phom Phen, fighting against the Americans making them look  like stupid.”

            “That’s the problem we have with war of the flea. It’s practically war of the nerve as you seek to have an upper hand with commies who are better practitioner of the trade than we are in the  jungle.”

            “The American soldiers could alright wrecked havoc during day time but normally the communists could make it even and better  in the evening when unexpectedly they strike and ultimately overwhelmed the resting Americans in their bunker for good. They would simulate same acts in the field forest and wherever places the Vietcong’s could strike.”

            “Meanwhile, Phom Phen secured in his War Room in the cave maintains calling the shots there. And as later vindicated, the foreign invaders were humiliated. I mean considering the proportions 40,000 died out of 80,000 or something to 30,000 out of 60,000 Phom Phen conscripted, US gets the severest blow. Not only that they also lost face at home.”

            “I’m not personally surprised if the Americans would be defeated in the end. Imagine fighting two battles – in war zones and at home. Tell me what the chances of winning in that situation? Nil almost.”

            “Alright you might kill all the commies but winning the battle in your home is hard. You can’t win war you know without any moral persuasion. Believe me. That’s what US learns with their experience in Vietnam,” Major de la Rosa further stressed talk feeling confident that he has give his men benefits of their doubts.

            “Let’s go back where we are – to the Philippines -. So far so good. But we’re still far in completing our homework. This might be our last enemies. And this makes this war tough and dirty. It’s just like fighting against your shadow you know. It’s really hard to imagine. And what if you’re fighting against your own brother, father and or relatives of the same blood, race and nation. Indeed, one could hardly imagine that we find ourselves in this predicament.”

            “But what could we do. The Constitution so stipulates that we have to protect our peoples’ lives. This war our forefather fought since Lapulapu when Magellan planted his cross in Mactan till they fought against the Americans, Japs and all that so far would go unabated until peace in our lives reign supreme. For are not called crusaders of peace ourselves, living in peace with ourselves, our fellowmen and God. Unfortunately, others would like courting disasters. That our country would not allow to happen.”

            “Okay I repeat, sheer force is needed when reason feels. Never mind, how fast the commies multiplies as they normally brainwashed civilians into joining their movement. The faster the better. If need be, to fulfill. We can do no less. Our country is all what we’ve got. Definitely we can’t afford to have it taken from us by the assuming commies. Even then there’s no guarantee they would ever survive if they won this war. They might for a short period but not for too long because by then another group would challenge their legitimacy.”

            “You can’t stay long you know sitting on a power taken by bayonets aptly expressed later by Yeltzin after breaking the backbone of Communism in Russia. True. But that’s practically the other dimension of war that is, if ever they have the will and the means in destroying democracy. Nobody thinks it so. You yourself don’t think so. And I don’t think so,” Major de la Rosa thought secured on his synthesis of his struggle against the commies.

            “Having said that setting the tone of probably the biggest share we could offer to democracy, we hope that we could capture Esperanza without firing a single shoot. But that is easier said than done. Never mind we have to kill as many as we could. Let’s just charge them as an excess of this big military event. We can’t just get rid you know with excesses.”

            “It’s the price we have to pay and to accept in defending democracy. If they would recapitulate, then we should cease firing if not, then better not be the casualties yourself. Let us try the very best to survive to be living witness of our successful defense of the country. If our forefathers were able to suppressed rebellion then we should follow suit. We have to continually fly the flag of democracy you know forever and ever.”

            “Amen,” an officer seconded.

            “You’re right so really be it,” the Major complimented.

            Major de la Rosa went on to said briefing the terrain of the target, where to stage the air strike.

            “War should all be fought on all fronts. Sheer force is needed.  We should not sit on our laurels. We’ve got to move faster and faster. Never mind how fast the commies multiply. Let them multiply geometrically. The many our target the better,” Major Taklin de la Rosa emphasized before group of officers. He went on revealing why we could not commies relating the horror shrouding the movement – the senseless killing, the zombies, the killing fields and the mistrust feeding among them.

            “When mistrust creeps on then that’s near the collapse of the movement. How can you move when somebody is looking after your every step. Before we know it killing one another ensued. And that’s the story of almost all terrorist’s movement like the NPAs.”

            The junior officers were all attentive to the lecture of Maj. de la Rosa.

            “You’ve got to believe it. You might not have known it. But Pentagon released a paper among others listing the NPA as one of terrorist group along with highjackers, kidnap for ransom and several others.”

            “Does it not run counter to the very principle they’re fighting for?” a query from the participant.

            “You’re right but you should be practical. War involves money. How could you fight without ammunitions? How would you feed your battalion size without money? In other words, how you would survive. Precisely, we’ve got to drain the water out from the fish to make the catch easier.”

            Satisfaction was written all over the face of the inquisitive officer. But the lecturer went on with his bombshell.

            “So where does it leave us. Who is behind the movement? You know better than me. With the exception of Cuba where people through Castro and Che Guevarra successfully drove Batista out and establish themselves in power, all other countries I know of North Korea, Mainland China, Vietnam, Nicaragua and Philippines had been for one reason or another constant recipient of rainfall from big countries. Think of the training, their leader got from the Communist countries like China and Russia. Think of the big hardware we caught from them.”

            “Recall the MV Karagatan captured in the shore of Palanan, Isabela many years past. These are the reality we should accept,” he reiterated back the story of the past.

            “As I said let them multiply fast and let’s hope that they would not die their natural death. Incidentally, it would. Know what? What would you get out of rhetoric giving justice to where it’s due, poverty, graft and corruption, land reform and all that. What else if not barely the emotions attached to it and no substance?”

            “That what we should be all aware of. Intellectual dishonesty. Explaining the issues at length until they are explained away. This war is dirty but we should not fall into the trap of adding complexity to the problem. There’s the media who handles that and I hope they do their best reporting the atrocities committed by both parties. But again, we should not provoke if need be take any surviving casualties with you for treatment in the headquarter.”

            “Let us engage in war but let us be compassionate with life. Time would come they would soon realize that they are fighting a cause on the wrong side, the Major declared recalling the pain on some of his men experience from the hands of the NPAs when they were overran killing many of his men at will worst the survivors given coup ‘d  grace: survivors lined up shoot point blank, hacked dead, eyes gouged out from their sockets, beheaded, shoot in the head and all that barbaric form of killing. They are in his own words, worst defeat that ever happened to the armed forces of the Philippines. Precisely there’s a need of rethinking the strategies adopted in containing the pressure of the underground movement,” he emphasized. But he’s far from his stimulating lecture.

            “That’s what we got in war. Again, we win some and lose some. It’s just playing basketball we should not let laxity and complacency lord over us if we have to win. Remember we’ve got the moral integrity and persuasion in engaging this war. And no less than the great majority of the millions and millions of population is behind us rallying for peace and the end of this turmoil. When that I could not tell where there is division, we would always be on guard.”

            “What about ceasefire,” a participant interrupted.

            “Why not?”

            “Indeed why not,” further interjected.

            “See. By all means we’ve got to. To provide the necessary excuse for the commies to be with their families on holidays and Christmas. Temporary termination of atrocities they said.”

            “Our men also need the break you’re right. But I believe no amount of ceasefire could be the final catharsis to the disease spread by the commies one that could end the fighting once and for all.”

            “Remember they are ideologues graduate of hard knocks and paperbacks on communism. We can only win them into our side by destroying their ideology. But that’s very tall order and might not be addressed at all. You see a theory is good but unless it’s proven sound, we’ve got to change it with a better workable theory. Unfortunately, the commies don’t compromise their ideology.”

            “And that’s bullshit. There is no such thing as perfect society. You know that. Not even, Mainland China and Russia. It’s human nature to work hard to give himself additional reward. You can’t just condemn outright man to work hard to award himself with an incentive. No wonder that equality exists in any communist countries.”

            “Those who think in the contrary should examine better their minds. So where can we possibly win them back into our sides. In any square table. We’ve got to contest their ideas with better if not best ideas. Beyond that application of sheer force will do. And that’s our primary concern.”

            “So who said that we cannot kill an idea. They’re wrong. By all means. We could. Why not. With a better idea of course,” so said Major Taklin de la Rosa wanting that his participants would graduate under his talk with flying colors.

            This talk should indeed be in order as many senseless killings have been featured in almost all encounter. The farther they go the harder the challenge. If the commies would go on their own way provoking further atrocities, he’s more than willing to meet them. No guts, no glory. But he would readily add honor and country after service of course. If there’s a need to change this generation we have to, Communism is such dirty ideology. It doesn’t reconcile with God.

            ‘Who he said  who they are? More than God! True that Philippines being one of a Christian nation in Asia not necessarily a Catholic country in Asia has not been true to its name. But what could a Church do. It could not legislate a better world. It’s the work of everybody else not just the Church,” Taklin defended.

            “Above all else don’t forget history. He will be the final judge. When time of reckoning then comes, let it be on our side. That’s every Filipinos plea and hope for. Let’s just do our share we will win this war. No one can stop us. It’s a mandate we have to do and deliver. . . ,.” he ended.

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