Expecting the Other ‘Eruption’ in Tabaco
City
An eruption of a
different kind is happening in Tabaco City, and this has nothing to do
with the hot lava coming from Mayon Volcano, the Bicol region’s crown
jewel and located to its south.
BY DANILO ARAÑA ARAO
Bulatat
THREATENING TO ERUPT: The Mayon volcano, viewed from Tabaco City,
Albay |
TABACO CITY – Isn’t
it strange that this city appears to be detached from the social turmoil?
When I first visited
Tabaco City in Albay (Bicol region) in June 2004, I immediately noticed
that the only political posters and streamers are announcements of
activities of the local government and civic organizations. There were no
writings on the wall calling for the President’s ouster and other slogans
that are seditious from the government’s standpoint.
“We all just want a
quiet life here,” an in-law once told me later. This probably explains the
subtle encouragement from some of my in-laws for me to just stay there
after getting married in December 2004.
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Another well-meaning
in-law told me, “Manila is so chaotic. Here, there is no breakdown in
peace and order. Cost of living here is also much lower.”
Indeed, one
immediately notices that despite its being a city and the presence of
establishments, pollution is not a problem. There are no traffic lights
even on this city’s national roads and, ironically, motorists do not have
to deal with heavy traffic. Banks and other establishments do not need
fully-armed security guards. Market vendors sell their products,
especially fish, for much lower prices. For a million pesos, my wife even
told me that one can already build a mansion, very much unlike in Manila
where couples have to settle for a small house and lot, or even a
one-bedroom condominium unit, with that amount.
Ideal place
On the surface,
Tabaco is an ideal place to settle down. Not surprisingly, the thought
about transferring to Bicol crossed my mind, for how can one resist the
opportunity to “escape” the turmoil?
Subsequent visits to
this part of Albay, however, made me realize that one cannot really detach
himself or herself from what’s happening in the entire country especially
in Manila, the seat of political power. There may be a semblance of
temporary escape from the crisis besetting the country, but there is a way
for the social crisis to hound even those who want a quiet life.
From time to time, I
noticed the posting of calls from workers’ groups for a salary increase,
some of them conveniently torn down apparently by those who do not want
any message of dissent spread. On the wall of a busy establishment,
someone also painted over a call from the Communist Party of the
Philippines (CPP) and New People’s Army (NPA) to join the revolutionary
movement.
The “peace” in Tabaco
was all the more disturbed last March 29 when two unidentified men on
motorcycle killed Sotero Llamas in Barangay Fatima here. Llamas was
actively involved in the revolutionary movement but decided to live a
normal life, having a scrap metal business and cooperative in the city.
According to reports, he was shot twice in the head and once in the body
at 8:30 a.m., in full view of bystanders, one of whom was hit by a stray
bullet.
When Llamas’ sister
was interviewed on television immediately after the incident, she said
that Tabaco is a peaceful place and there should be no trouble here. She
expressed surprise about what happened to her brother who had already left
the revolutionary movement.
Open support
Obviously, Llamas’
fault in the eyes of those responsible for his death was his open support
for the Bayan Muna (People First) party-list group, tagged by the military
as among the CPP’s front organizations. Data from Bayan Muna party-list
showed that 116 of its members were killed from April 15, 2001 to July 31,
2006; Llamas was the 109th.
Within the first
seven months of the year, Llamas was the sixth Bayan Muna member from
Bicol to be killed. The others were Councilor Maximo Frivaldo, killed last
January 30 in Irosin, Sorsogon; Jayson Delen, last April 27 in Barangay
Gubat, Daet, Camarines Norte; Jimmy Mirafuente, also last April 27 in
Daraga, Albay; Jesus Bustinera, last April 28 in Barangay Caranday, Baao,
Camarines Sur; and Ronald Comerciase last April 29 in Iriga City, Albay.
At present, life is
back to normal as people go about their daily grind. Residents here do not
even worry about the alert levels being raised from time to time due to
Mayon Volcano’s eruption, not only because they have experienced the wrath
of the volcano several times in the past and survived but also because
Tabaco is not covered by the danger zone.
There is, however,
reason to worry about the future as the wave of political killings has
already reached this once peaceful city. Unlike the threat of a volcanic
eruption, there are no lines to be drawn as to where one could be safe.
Llamas’ murder in broad daylight shows that those responsible intend to
send a strong message that to live a “normal” life means being quiet all
the time.
In Bicolano, I
learned that totoo means right and wala means left. For
someone like me who is used to speaking Tagalog, I have become used to the
meaning of totoo as true and wala as nothing.
Apparently, those who
are responsible for the political killings may find it a strange
coincidence that it is exactly what they are doing to those suspected to
be left-leaning in Bicol and beyond – literally reduce them to nothing.
Indeed, an eruption
of a different kind is expected to happen in Tabaco City, as the peace is
disturbed and its tranquility is destroyed by those who only have murder
and mayhem in mind. Tabaco, just like any other place in the country, has
already been stripped bare of its serenity. Bulatlat
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