ILAGAN, Isabela- In terms of Faith; there is no delineation for the Church and State according newly installed Rev. Fr. Edmundo Castaneda as head of the Saint Ferdinand Parish in the poblacion of the Capital of Ilagan.
Fr. Castaneda commented on the conduct of public service emphasizing on the honesty and service oriented delivery of basic services to the people by officials regardless of their religious belief and creed.
Barely a week since assigned here, the new Parish Priest said he does not mind if the feast of Ilagan's Patron Saint- King Ferdinand of Castille has been overshadowed by the ongoing conduct of the secular “Mam-mangui” (Corn) Festivities of the Municipal Government initiated by Mayor Josemarie Diaz.
ILAGAN PATRON SAINT, KING FERDINAND OF CASTILLES
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THE PARISH CHURCH OF SAINT FERDINAND
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Casteneda said he understands the changes in time having his Parish limited to the realm of the poblacion and immediate vicinities since the Cathedral has been moved to Gamu town.
Castaneda said Ilagan Parishoners are still active and are responding to Church activities specially those in line with the feast day of the Patron to include the regular novena prayers held in the Church in veneration of the saint.
BLACK CLOUDS HOVERING ILAGAN: "WRAT OF THE GODS?"
At the town hall along Rizal St. at the Poblacion; Municipal and Barangay officials have been making their festival creation as merry as ever even as the tail of the leaving typhoon Chedeng apparently spoiled slated activities in line of the “Mam-Magui” hype. The Municipal Information Office relayed in a morning radio broadcast of the possible scrapping of some festival activities organized by Mayor Diaz to include the catching fray of Ilaguenos of greased pigs and chickens for their “pulutan” in the streets of the town earlier closed by the Police for the event.
At the evening of May 27; the town proper remained apparently an abandoned settlement had not for a free concert held at the Community center where bulk of residents in the poblacion jampacked the forsaken and dilapidated public hall if only to catch a feel that the capital is celebrating its fiesta.
The concert had left the carnival set up at the town's south end a run for its existence that night since the the people's lack of interest to flock the place has been coupled by the muddy grounds brought by continuous rains and lack of attractions to persuade promenaders.
DEAD TOWN PROPER: IS THERE A FIESTA???
Castaneda said it is not fair to equate the drab fiesta of Ilagan to the wrath of the Gods having been neglected by the festival hypes conducted by local officials. First; he said the “Mam-Mangui” is an exclusive celebration of the local government and secondly; the Church feels more comfortable celebrating the religious feast day free from political influence.
In fact; Castaneda said said local officials admitted they could not participate in sponsoring the Feast Day Mass of St. Ferdinand on May 30 and even sought the possibility of moving the celebration to the 29th. The Local Government's reason: officials will be busy conducting the Parade event on the very date of the feast day.
However; Castaneda slated an LGU sponsored mass in the Patron's honor on the 29th but the real feast day mass still goes on at the 30th.
Raymund Catindig
CAMP ADDURU, TUGUEGARAO CITY- The mood was busy.. the top man of the helm of the Philippine National Police, Director General Raul Bacalzo; was due here then last Monday to commend his boys reportedly for a “Job Well Done” neutralizing their rebel foe Jose Asco a.k.a Kumander Baylon in an engagement days earlier in Baragay Lakambini, town of Tuao. Four alleged rebels were killed with Asco.A POLICE OPERATIVE INVENTORIES THE AMMOS AND OTHER ARMAMENTS PRIOR TO POLICE DIRECTOR GENERAL RAUL BACALZO'S ARRIVAL AT CAMP MARCELO ADDURU, TUGUEGARAO CITY
Asco's band of 30 rag tag partisans armed with shaky and aging automatic rifles became a pain in the ass of the Police and Military for their cat-and-dog conduct of pursuit in western Cagayan particularly in Rizal, Tuao, Lasam and Sto. Nino since November 2010.
What gave the government the ire to annihilate Asco and his group was their responsibility in the ambush-slay of five Policemen last February in Rizal town that killed its Chief of Police- Sr. Insp. Antonino Rueco. Rueco's wife Mary Ann- a policewoman also died in the assault.
A LIPSTICK, FEMININE WASH, FACE POWDER AND OTHER FEMALE ITEMS WERE AMONG THOSE RECOVERED FROM THE REBELS.. ONE OF THOSE REPORTED DEAD IS A FEMALE AND HER BODY IS STILL SPRAWLED AT THE MORTUARY.
Although without not much narrative information; my mind is wandering afar how the two wounded Policemen figured in the reported “firefight” in Barangay Lakambini are getting “kudos” from their boss who was on his way to this camp via airplane. In an account by one policeman; the two ran for safety hitting one of them at the leg, and the other grazed by a bullet on the face.
FOOD SUPPLIES OF CANNED GOODS SUCH AS SARDINES AND A SACK OF RICE ARE AMONG THE ITEMS THE REBELS CARRY WITH THEM WHENEVER THEY GO. THEY GET HUNGRY TOO LIKE THE AVERAGE FILIPINO MASSESS.
During my heydays coverage with the military; I remember the process of conferring commendation among soldiers for their heroic deeds entails a narration of their feat and how they were able to deserve such citation for valor.
Anyway, after taking photographs of supposed armaments and personal effects recovered from the rebels from the encounter site; I decided to drop to the Regional Office of the Commission on Human Rights to verify the alleged Children casualties in Barangay Lakambini. Reportedly; the children were used by the rebels as Human Shields from the pursuing Policemen.
THE HAMMER AND SICKLE SYMBOL OF COMMUNISM; THE CHR VIEWED HOWEVER THAT THE ATTROCITIES IN RIZAL IS PURELY "A FAMILY AFFAIR."
CHR Chief Investigator Perlita Agana said the family name Asco really does ring the bell in the war-torn Rizal. Though the slain rebel commander hails from that place; two other family members were figured in two cases of Human Rights violation cases filed with Agana's office. The Ascos alluded were members of the Police force and were complained for armed harassment by their neighbors, townmates and even relatives.
According to Agana; the armed conflict in Rizal and its immediate neighboring towns known as the “Zinundungan Valey area” can be cited as a “Family affair.” Most armed related cases she said, involved blood relatives.
While there are prominent New People's Army personalities hail from the said place; the same realm has likewise produced avid military and police supporters.
CELLPHONES RECOVERED IN THE ENCOUNTER SCENE. A BIG HELP FOR THE REBELS MOBILIZATION REPLACING THEIR TRADITIONAL EMPLOYMENT TO PEOPLE RUNNING AS THEIR "PASA-BILIS"
Agana admitted people in the area are more antagonized against the military than police authorities.
She said the Rizal townsfolk still bear their indignation against the military whom they suspect executing and burying Nelson Ascena, the Sangguniang Kabataan Chairman of Barangay San Juan years back. A case was filed by the CHR against one “Lt. Pascua”, the latter was THER'ES PLAYING CARDS AS PASS TIME, ALSO RECOVERED FROM REBEL POSSESSION WERE PERSONAL EFFECT, BENDED SPOON.. BUT NO CONDOMS. THEY PROBABLY DON'T SUPPORT PRESIDENT AQUINO'S RH BILL
said to have been relieved to his mother unit at Camp Aguinaldo in Metro Manila while the case is moving on its turtle phase.
The atrocities in Rizal and its neighboring realm is more of a family affair said the CHR investigator. Kumander Baylon's men involved in Ambushing Rueco's party where from Rizal.. so as those policemen killed in the assault were from the same town.
Well, Bacalzo was said to be arriving at this camp by noon time to Publicly announce his commendation for his boys for their accomplishment in neutralizing Asco and his group- “a job well done.”
“No thanks” I just told myself. I have to catch the next bus back to Isabela. I'm not that stupid heralding the General's hurray for a feat involving Filipinos killing fellow Filipinos.
