On Gen. Douglas MacArthur's return

I'd like to congratulate my good friend Consul John Domingo and Mila Espina for the well scripted program on the independence anniversary of the United States last July 4 at Marco Polo Hotel.

One of the most memorable events of my political career was the rare honor to welcome and present a memorial scroll to Gen. MacArthur at Plaza Independencia when he visited Cebu City in connection with his Sentimental Journey. The general was so pleased over that spontaneous show of our gratitude and affection that he hugged and kissed the young ladies who gave him bouquets.

When World War II broke out in Dec. 1941, I was barely 19 years old and one of the seven distinguished graduates of the Advance ROTC among the colleges in Cebu. But because of my age I did not get commissioned as 2nd lieutenant of the Phil. Army like my comrades. Worse it happened to me a few months later when Lt. Col. Cabatingan informed me that the papers for my commission were lost when the ship M.V. Cebu that carried their communiqué to Manila was sunk by the Japanese Navy.

That was a bleak period in our country's history. We became more desperate especially with the fall of Bataan and Corregidor. We thought all was lost, but then we were heartened upon hearing the news that before he escaped to Australia, Gen. MacArthur vowed to our people that "I shall return."

That promise became the beacon and inspiration to our beleaguered Filipino soldiers so that guerillas mushroomed everywhere. I joined the resistance movement with the Bohol Area Command operating in Cebu under Capt. Casiano Cabagnot. We engaged in propaganda, sabotage and fifth column activities underground. Unfortunately for me, on the night of August 5, 1994, I was seized from my residence at early dawn by some Japanese soldiers led by a fellow I knew, Edrong Cabusas, one of the undercover men.

I was immediately taken to the Kempetai, now Cebu Normal University, which was the headquarters or Japanese garrison. A month later I was transferred with other military prisoners to the Cebu Provincial Jail, now Cebu Museum.

I kept praying for our release and the fulfillment of Gen. MacArthur's promise to return and liberate us. I was dismayed however to learn that some allied officers of the USAFFE wanted to go straight to Japan and by-pass the Philippines. But Gen. MacArthur's plan prevailed and he kept his promise.

That blessed day came when the triumphant general waded along the shores of Tacloban with our beloved Pres. Sergio Osmeña Sr. and Gen. Carlos Romulo "who was said to have bravely fought the backlash of MacArthur."

This indeed is the fulfillment of Gen. MacArthur's promise to return and liberate our country. It is therefore fit and proper that we should remember Gen. MacArthur during his anniversary of US Independence because he was also instrumental in the restoration of our own independence. And I dare say that we ought to celebrate our independence on July 4, together with USA because the short-lived independence proclaimed by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo on June 12, 1898 was preempted by the Treaty of Paris when Spain ceded the Philippines to the US  for 20 million pesos and we became a colony of the US thereafter until we were fully granted our independence on July 4, 1946. It is that independence which was restored by Gen. MacArthur.

Our great liberator was quoted in his farewell speech to the US Military Academy saying that "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away." This may be true, but for us Filipinos the name of Gen. Douglas MacArthur and his glorious deeds will never fade away.

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Resumption of  GPH-NDFP peace  talks sought 

"The peace talks have been stalled since 2011," said Bp. Deogracias Iñiguez.  "We challenge both the GPH and the NDFP panels to muster the political will to resolve the current impediments to the continuation of the talks."

"All of those whom we have approached to support the call for the resumption of the GPH-NDFP peace talks readily agreed to be included as convenor, or at the minimum, to sign the unity statement we have drafted," said Bp. Elmer Bolocon of the Ecumenical Bishops' Forum.

"With more than 50 convenors representing peace advocates, church people, sectoral and people's organizations, and even some government officials, we have launched our campaign Kapayapaan, in a big way today July 15, 2014 at the Claret AV room, Mahinhin Street, U.P. Village, Diliman, Quezon City," said Bp. Bolocon.

"In looking at the state of the nation, we could not gloss over the reality that a civil war is currently raging in the country," Angelito Manalili, convenor of Kapayapaan and former dean of the UP-College of Social Work and Community Development said.

"It does not really matter who we believe - the AFP who is claiming that it is winning the war against the CPP-NPA-NDFP or the CPP-NPA who says that its forces are growing and are present in majority of the provinces in the country - the fact of the matter is that the civil war has been going on for decades already; it has been affecting the country; and it appears that it would be here to stay for as long as the roots of the armed conflict have not been addressed," said Manalili.

"This civil war is rooted in poverty, landlessness, joblessness, lack of social justice," said Manalili. "So if we want just peace, these problems must be addressed by the peace talks between the GPH and the NDFP."

"My son Jonas has devoted his life to better the conditions of farmers through his advocacy for genuine agrarian reform, harnessing the collective strength of farmers, and enabling them to increase their productivity," said Edita Burgos, mother of missing activist Jonas and wife of press freedom icon, the late Joe Burgos.

"For this, he was taken from us by the military and has been missing since.  I think the peace talks could achieve a lot in addressing the plight of the farmers.  Also as we in Desaparecidos pursue our search for our missing loved ones and seek justice, we also believe that the resumption of peace talks between the GPH and the NDFP would help us in our efforts.  Isn't the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law about justice?" Edith Burgos added.

"We believe that the implementation of the CARHRIHL and the reconvening of the Joint Monitoring Committee would aid us in our search for our kin," Edita Burgos said.

"We have to push for the resumption of the GPH-NDFP peace talks now.  The window of opportunity is fast closing.  In my experience of serving three presidents, I have observed that at the last year of an administration, nothing much could be done anymore.  There is truth in the term 'lame duck president', said Rep. Silvestre Bello, former chief of the negotiating panel of the government, then called the Government of the Republic of the Philippines.

"We must urgently push for the resumption of the peace talks.  Both the GPH and NDFP panels could start by honoring the previously signed agreements.  A lot of efforts were put into the crafting of those agreements.  The Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees alone took more than 100 drafts before being signed by both sides," said Rep. Bello.

Karapatan