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And another thing, (in the NPA) you should not kill.
Because they say that our military are murderers.
For the longest time that the Philippine Air Force is in Batangas,
is there such one community massacred?
None. If the Batangas province had not experienced (NPA) purges -
just like what you saw earlier about Kat-Kat,
for Kat-Kat was also an NPA;
meanwhile, in the Quezon Province, for more than 200 people
we captured from 1982 to 1984, those were all innocent.
They are the same people, like you, to whom where we eat at their homes,
the very same people where we spent the night for a rest,
and the very people we organized (all captured)
after being suspected (as infiltrators).
The revolutionary movement repaid nothing
but death sentence to these people.
In a pit dug on the ground, 5 bodies piled up.
There was one village chief, 70 years old, all-day beaten.
When night came, they gave him a bath - the old man died.
People are hanged too. People are tied up both feet dangling,
you twist the rope several times, then release it.
It will spin so fast in the opposite direction.
Then, when the prisoner lost consciousness,
he will be dumped immediately to the hole on the ground.
In just one hole, the NPA can piled up to 5 bodies of victims.
No brothers, no sons, no fathers because in the revolutionary movement
there is no God!
Your son is allowed to kill his very father, and
the father is allowed to kill his very son.
I've seen someone who killed his father, but
I never saw a father who killed his son.
Because the Communist Party (of the Philippines), in the CPP-NPA,
believes to no God!
Because one who is God-fearing is afraid to kill his fellow man.
Given that kind of situation, the CPP-NPA enticed our family with
such beautiful promises even before I joined them full-time.
They used to say that there will be equality and our lives will prosper.
That's when we begin to contemplate and to surrender.
"We were only poor, dear mother". I was not able to go
to school because of dire poverty.
My father was just a tenant of a vast land he did not own.
When the NPA came, they said that if the revolution became triumphant,
the land my father is tilling will become his.
My father used to say, "My children, I can't send you all to school."
But after the NPA came he started to say,
"It is better for all of us to join the NPA, this is the solution to our poverty!"
That was correct, we joined the revolution.
We were given (land) reform. We were able to get the land
my father was tilling. But, do you know how much land was given to us?
The land given to my father was only 1 square meter,
just enough space for him to be buried (on his death).
It is so painful, isn't it? For the mothers here,
it is so hard to lose the head of the family.
It is so hard to lose your father, a father who only
wished for a better future for his children.
All fathers hope all his children to send to school amidst poverty.
But because of the decision of my father (to join the NPA),
that was the reason of his early death.
During the time when I was an NPA, I tried to be strong.
I swore (allegiance) to the Party, that life and death
I offer to the Party if necessary.
Even after my father's death, I remained in the revolutionary movement.
I met my husband there. And bore my first child.
But when you gave birth (in the hills), you are obliged
to leave your pitiful child to others.
So if you got killed (in an encounter), your poor child
will never see his parents.
That's why my husband said back then,
"It is better for us to reform", and both of us
surrendered and returned to the folds of the law.
We showed the military and the government
that from the bottom of our hearts, we sincerely want to reform.
What I did is to talk in front of many people
to show the people the mistake I'd done (in the past).
But the Party is cruel, my friends.
The Party loves you, as long as they can take something from you;
they love you, as long as they can eat from your tables;
but when the time comes that you start to say "No!" to their advances and teachings,
they spare no one, and their verdict - is your death!
So, what had they done?
It was year 1994, when they killed my husband.
My 5-year old son was hit by their bullets.
He was hit in the left leg, the bones shattered.
My son asked, "Mama, when you were NPA, do you shoot children too?"
I said, "No! I never shoot children, my son! Maybe... it's just an accident..."
I was not killed (by the NPA)
because I was 8 months pregnant of my youngest.
Devastating, isn't it? It is so painful to lose a father.
It is so painful to lose a parent.
It is so painful to lose your husband.
But what's most painful is, that our children got involved,
they who are so innocent in this world.
In this regard, do you know that the consequence
of me speaking up before you -
is also my life!
But, I'll be happy to die (for a cause).
What is most important is that I asked for your forgiveness.
I was able to tell the Filipino people my weakness
and what my mistakes were.
And I was able to prove to our government and the military
that I sincerely reformed myself from the bottom of my heart.
In this opportunity, I don't force you to believe me.
Because you don't know me (personally), and
I'm also not (a resident) from here.
But, regarding what is all happening around us,
let us be critical; let us learn to stand up (to what we believe)
so that you don't have to suffer what we'd gone through.
I hope that this short meeting
will leave a meaningful example to you -
so that you can decide for yourselves
what is right and what is wrong.
That is all. Thank you and good day my friends.