By Flon Faurillo / Bulatlat
In Central Luzon, the mad rush for cedulas (community tax certificates) has reached such absurd proportions that people have been known to forego even activities considered more urgent in normal times. This is driven by the campaign of the military in the region, under the command of Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, Jr., to weed out suspected “communist rebels” in the local villages. Residents are required to secure and present cedulas to prove that they are not members of the New People’s Army (NPA), the CPP’s armed wing. In the rush to get cedulas – and avoid being manhandled and abused by soldiers – Central Luzon residents have been going out of their way to secure a piece of paper that could mean life or death for them – an appalling spectacle.
Salungguhit literally means to underline; figuratively, to underscore or highlight
