A Blue Day for Red Fighters in Western Mindanao

"Alagaran ang Katawhan"  (Serve the People), read the words placed above the coffin of Mario Bagundol, 41, the legendary communist guerilla leader of Zamboanga Peninsula who died a day after an encounter with government troops in Barangay Datagan, Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte, early morning of Oct. 27.

BY MARS S. MARATA
Bulatlat

OZAMIS CITY- "Alagaran ang Katawhan"  (Serve the People), read the words placed above the coffin of Mario Bagundol, 41, the legendary communist guerilla leader of Zamboanga Peninsula who died a day after an encounter with government troops in Barangay Datagan, Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte, early morning of Oct. 27.

Below it were more words:"Ang mamatay nga nag-alagad sa madaugdaugon ug mapahimuslanon, mas gaan pa kay sa balahibo. Ang mamatay nga nag-alagad sa mga dinaugdaug ug pinahimuslan, mas bug-at pa kay sa bukid Malindang" (To work and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather. To work and die for the exploited and oppressed is weightier than Mt. Malindang).

Bagundol died Oct. 28 in a government hospital in Dipolog City in Zamboanga del Norte (417 kms south of Manila). Indeed, for the masses who attended his burial on Nov. 5 in his hometown in Plaridel in Misamis Occidental (some 700 kms from Manila), his death was weightier than Mt. Malindang, the tallest mountain of Zamboanga Peninsula.

More than a thousand people from all walks of life and various parts of the region came to show their grief over the death of Bagundol who was known to them in many names such as “Ka Orlan,” “Ka Jolly” or “Ka Dorek.”

Martyr

In a funeral mass held a few hours before the burial, Rev. Fr. Sonny Teleron of the Philippine Independent Church (PIC) and Pastor Belza of the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), likened the life of Bagundol to that of Jesus Christ who offered his life to save the oppressed Jews from the bondage of local exploiters in Palestine as well as from foreign domination of Imperial Rome.

Teleron said that Bagundol, like Christ, fought for the rights of the small farmers and workers against the exploitation of landlords and other local exploiting classes in the Philippines as well as the colonial intervention of foreign power like the United States.

Calling Bagundol a martyr, the priest said his life is worth emulating especially for the poor who are the direct victims of poverty and injustice in the country.

Teleron, who shed tears in the middle of his homily, said, "Nasayop ang kagamhanang US-Arroyo ug ang pasistang militar sa ilang pagtoo nga mohinay o kaha malumpag na ang rebolusyon dinhi sa Kasadpang Mindanao sa kamatayon ni Ka Orlan."

"Sa iyang kamatayon, mas daghan pang Ka Orlan ang mosampa sa Bagong Hukbong Bayan aron ipadayon ang pakigbisog ug lumpagon ang semi-pyudal ug semi-kolonyal nga katilingban nga maoy hinungdan sa tumang kalisud sa mayoriyang katawhan," Teleron added. (The U.S.-Arroyo regime and the fascist Philippine army erred in believing that the death of Bagundol would weaken the revolutionary movement in Western Mindanao. There will be many Ka Orlans who will join the New People's Army to end the exploitation of the masses caused by the semi-feudal, semi-colonial Philippine society.)

After the mass, Bagundol’s family led the crowd toward Claren Public Cemetery, a two-hour hike along the national highway.

Red Day

The people in Plaridel were so amazed to see the golden yellow wreath formed as hammer and sickle placed on the roof of the funeral parlor car. Leading the car were huge flags of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), New People's Army (NPA), and National Democratic Front (NDF), proudly waved by their bearers against the glowing morning sun of Nov. 5.

As the crowd passed by, onlookers readily grabbed the leaflets depicting the heroic life of Bagundol passed along by the team assigned to distribute them.

In between the militant songs, whose themes exhorted hope amidst death, the marching crowd readily responded to the agitation heard over the loud speakers installed on the roof of a motorcyle: Mabuhi si Ka Jolly ug tanang martir sa rebolusyong Pilipino! (Long live Ka Jolly and other martyrs of the Philippine revolution!)

Upon reaching the cemetery, Bagundol's coffin, wrapped in CPP’s flag, was slowly placed in a prepared concrete tomb by the grieving relatives. And as sobs of the relatives started to resound all over the cemetery, the crowd sang the "Internationale," the theme song of all communists the world over.

Red servant and leader

Bagundol was born on Nov. 30, 1963. A son of a farm-worker, Bagundol’s mother remembers him as "a very industrious son." He joined the NPA in 1982, serving first as a militia member then rising to the leadership as the regional commander of NPA-Western Mindanao.

He earned the admiration of his comrades because of his "love for manual work."

"Even when he was already a respected NPA leader, he remained as the old ‘Ka Jolly’ who gathered firewood, fetched water and cooked food for all," said Ismael Marte, spokesperson of the CPP-NPA in Western Mindanao.

Bagundol remained simple, leading comrades not by the power of his position but by the power of his exemplary deeds, Marte added. During ideological discussions, "he was usually silent but would always have a ballpen and notebook ready to record his revolutionary tasks," Marte added.

The masses of Mt. Malindang in Misamis Occidental and Zamboanga del Norte, Mts. Paraya and Pinokis, in Zamboanga del Sur and Mt. Matungkol in Zamboanga Sibuguey regard Ka Jolly with high respect, Marte further said. He was remembered as a medic, cultural artist, propagandist and as a Red fighter.

Bagundol was "uncle" to kids whom he circumcised, trimmed their hair with and bathed due to skin diseases. He was "kumpare"* to the farmers and the Lumads (Subanen) and "Bapa** Abdul" to the Moro masses, the spokesperson added.

Fallen

Bagundol succumbed to the bullet of his enemy on Oct. 28, day after a team of the NPA attacked a 14-man 44th IB PA detachment in Barangay (village) Datagan, Sindagan, Zamboanga del Norte. His death came after his team was about to retrieve firearms from the fallen government troops overpowered after the 30-minute gunbattle.

Unknown to them was a soldier hiding inside a foxhole who shot Bagundol. Another NPA called “Ka Marlo” came to reinforce Bagundol but was also hit. He died on the spot.

Four were killed and eight were seriously injured on the side of the government, according to the CPP-NPA.

After being given first aid by his retreating comrades, Bagundol was left with a peasant family who was instructed to bring him to the nearest hospital in Sindangan. Before he was transported to the hospital, military reinforcement came and brought him to Sindangan Emergency Hospital. But because of lack of facilities and medicine, hospital management decided to bring him to Dipolog City, capital of Zamboanga del Norte, two-hour ride from the town supposedly for adequate medical treatment.

Bagundol died as relatives and friends exerted effort to transfer him to a better-equipped hospital.

Col. Emmanuel Cayton, commanding officer of the 102nd Brigade based in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay said the death of Bagundol is a substantial gain of the entire armed forces' campaign against the communist movement operating in Western Mindanao.

Bagundol had a Php 500,000 (US$8929 at US$1=PhP56))-bounty on his head. Bulatlat

*a term used to address the godfather of one’s child; also used to address a good friend

** term used by Muslims to address a person with respect

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