Chapter I

CHAPTER ONE

Yakan (locally pronounced as Ee-yah-kan) are an old tribal people, legendarily known in the south of the Philippine Islands as a classic nomadic tribe. The Yakan used to be a proud people. They converted from their supposed paganism, to Islam, around the 10th - 12th centuries A.D. by conquering Tausugs (a neighboring tribe in Southwest Mindanao at the near tip of the Phillippine Archipelago) and other more advanced and powerful tribes of Southern Philippines that much earlier, embraced the Islamic faith.

Many uneducated Yakan say, there is a story about the curse of the Dagger of the Prophet Mohammed (SAW) that was said to have been lost in the hands of a Datu or Chieftain of the Yakan Tribe. The object was supposedly entrusted to the Datu for safekeeping by the Prophet’s fifth descendant —— who, among others, before his final sojourn to China, first took the opportunity to propagate the Prophet’s lineage and the faith of Islam in the South.

Due to the loss, it is said, even the Datus of the Yakans shall be looked upon with disfavor by Al’lah and will suffer impoverishment beyond their imagination. Because of their long-held belief in such myth, illiterate Yakans placed themselves in slave servitude to the other tribes for care and protection. In case poverty grips them, they will not suffer.

The story goes that generations and generations of unlettered Yakan followed this ritual, knocking upon the doors of their fellow Islamic faithfuls and seeking refuge from the unfolding of their cursed existence.

Some misguided Yakan tribesmen who were benefited with a modicum of education felt challenged and irreverently wanted the story turned upside down. They formed a cult — calling themselves the People of the Chosen Tribe — for indeed, did not the Prophet’s direct descendant provide them the occasion to safeguard one of the most holy relics of the Faith?

They formed a small band that went around, telling their friends and kin what it would be like to change the way the Yakan tribe should behave as a community. They would meet favor with radical missionaries from Pakistan who roamed Southern Philippines, trying to propagate Islam who introduced themselves as the JAMA’AT TABLIQUE.

This encounter with the Tablique, encouraged them further. They engaged in debates, discussions and other fora, rallying the people to the concept of social and image change or as they called it in Arabic, faurat. They will conduct themselves in a manner that befits the new Yakans. There shall be a revolution. They will blame the kafir as The Noble Qur’an Al Kareem calls the unbelievers for all the misery that have befallen their tribe. They who have oppressed them and made them stoop down to the lowest level. And the tribe shall go to war against them.

At the time, the tide turned against the Russian armed forces that occupied Kabul and many other parts of the “mountain” nation. Soon they were ordered by the Soviet Union to go back home.

Yakan – together with a considerably large number of non-Muslims volunteered to become mujahideen and fought side by side with the Afghan rebels. They have come home. Accompanying them home, were their non-Muslim brothers-in-arms —— former guerilla soldiers of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ military arm, the New People’s Army —— but who were now without a revolutionary organization to go home to. Their leader back in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Wadn Hassan and the organization they used to serve, however bit the hand that used to feed them. He now had a new faith. He had become vehemently anti-American. Many of the Yakan and their companions had thought Wadn Hassan was in the right path.

Upon their return, a good number of them, the Yakan and the non-Muslims in small groups sought the mountains. Mostly they came down from their mountain lairs only for a specific purpose: They search and purchase firearms. They had enormous savings from their compensation for fighting other people’s wars in U.S. dollars as mujahideens; they purchased weapons mostly saying, only for use in self-defense. The you-know-how-it-is-here-in-Mindanao attitude and the possession of firearms as a status symbol actually got them a number of big, powerful guns. In a few parts south of the Philippine Islands, that is even an understatement.

The former mujahideens continued the same kind of existence they had in the Afghan mountains and in the rugged terrains of upper Pakistan regions. The non-Muslims now had different names; they had evidently converted into Islam because of their need to be hired as Muslim fighters. In public however, they were never seen to be spiritually inclined, neither religious; they simply displayed the mien of Filipino overseas workers who travelled abroad to earn money for a living — and spent their money or the usual fare and had a little good time upon returning home.

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At the Aguinaldo Golf Clubhouse, Lt. Col. Eugene David, was celebrating his birthday alone early as he turns forty today. Among those he spent most of the time with now, no one showed ny signs that they knew about his birthday. Eugene didn't care about it himself at this time since he was deeply troubled by his circumstances.

Joselito, the longest-serving waiter at the Clubhouse's restaurant, surprised him by remembering today's significance: "Happy Birthday Col. David, Sir!"

"My goodness, Lits, stop talking bad words!" and they laughed out loud for no one in particular since the restaurant didn't have any patrons at the time. It was barely 10:00 AM and Eugene had already finished a flight over a few holes in the Camp Emilio Aguinaldo Golf Club's fairway greens. Earlier in the same morning, he had practiced his swing hard on the driving range. He thought he was having a grand time. He woke up to a very pleasant weather, the sun seemed to smile at him and despite some disturbing nasty business from the past, he was feeling very ebullient and eager to enjoy what this today would bring.

He settled on a chair Joselito indicated for him near the entrance to the pantry. The always cheerful waiter immediately gave him two newspapers stamped with COMPLIMENTARY COPY EAGC. After he scanned the headlines, he called an orderly to fetch a brown leather bag that his Aunt Crissie sent to him from the States. His aunt lived in Florida with her husband who retired from the U.S. Navy a year earlier. Uncle Wainwright was now into the computers business and on the side, he consulted with companies like Raytheon, McDonnell Douglas and other aviation companies.

Taking the bag from the orderly, Eugene handed a fifty peso tip and took out a portable laptop computer. This computer he took from his aunt's gift leather bag from last Christmas was not from his uncle though. He bought it himself out of a loan from the Armed Forces and Police Savings and Loan Association and suffered large deductions on his pay for many months. While killing time, he booted the machine and surfed a site where the day's news headlines from the biggest international dailies and broadcasting companies were shown.

While he did think about leaving the Service sometimes because of the exceedingly low pay, he was prevented from filing for "RC/RCS" (resigned commission/revert-to-civilian-status) orders by moonlighting as a technical writer and part owner in a friend's very lucrative consultancy outfit servicing foreign investment banking companies. Occasionally, his friend would personally give him a hefty check. It didn't fail to stop him from contemplating his long-due escape from the Army.

Aside from graduating from the US Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, Eugene had a Master's degree in Business Administration from Ateneo de Manila University, citations as exemplary student and another Master's diploma from the London School of Economics, a Certificate in Development Management from the Asian Institute of Management, among many other qualifications that could even make regular Filipino banker's credentials pale in comparison.

Still and all, he had a string of certificates of completion and citations as top performer in courses on special operations from various military educational institutions like the Army Training Command, Philippine Army, Armed Forces of the Philippines (ATC, PA AFP); the airborne special course at the US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) in Fort Benning, Georgia; the special forces underwater operations course at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (JFK SWCS) at Fort Bragg, NC, USA; defense economic resources and logistics management at the Defense Systems Management Center, Defense Logistics Agency, Department of Defense (DSMC, DLA DoD) at Fort Belvoir, Virginia as well as a slew of other specialization seminars and workshops.

Eugene still paid the bill and left his much delayed meal uneaten. Maria was head first class section crew for the Saudi Air. She asked him to join pay her a visit at the Manila Hotel and join her for dinner; she had just come home from another long flight.

Eugene and Maria were childhood friends and at one time were lovers. They stayed friends after their break up and never stopped seeing each other — enjoying one another’s company. Maria asked him to order coffee first at the Café Sampaguita of the hotel. Not having read the news for the day yet when he was interrupted by Maria's invitation, Eugene did not bother to take some of the complimentary papers from the rack as the waiter was taking his order. He simply took the brown leather bag he brought with him and brought out his portable computer and opened the cache containing the sites he had surfed earlier back at the Aguinaldo Golf Club's restaurant.

The headlines from one or two days ago, were still the fare of the day.

181 DEAD IN MINDANAO; TERRORISTS SUSPECTED
Delon Yang
The Taiwan Express


POSSIBLE MINDANAO TERRORIST ATTACK KILLED 181
Vivian Smith
International Herald Tribune

RUTHLESS MINDANAO MASSACRE; 181 DEAD
Keith Guillerman
London Standard



TERRORISTS KILL 181 IN SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES
Gary Suzumo
Okinawa Shimbun



SUSPECTED TERRORISTS KILL 181 IN MINDANAO
by Celina Santos
CMN International



181 DEAD IN SOUTH PHILIPPINES MASSACRE
by Tarjan Singh
India Daily Observer



TERRORISTS STRIKE AGAIN IN MINDANAO
by Lorraine Esteves
Madrid Diario Espejo

Slouching in his chair, his hand felt his stomach turning sour at the banner stories from the various dailies. From his side vision, he watched five little children romping in the guests' swimming pool of Manila Hotel. They were happily laughing and shouting. He resented his sudden leaden feeling. It appears to be a wonderful day and it was his birthday after all. But he couldn't help feeling sullen at all. Yesterday he got a call from Ramon, one of his very best friends in the military. Ramon was with the Philippine Air Force and a certified lunatic. But while Ramon had a terrible temper, Eugene put up with him everytime. Flyboy Ram was somewhere in the Basilan Island group and told him about the disfigured bodies they found in an island called Saluag.

Ram said that he was heading the security contingent and a whole army of Australian and Filipino volunteers were at the site.

“Why Aussies?”

“Because they happened to be in an International Red Cross Workshop at Mandarin Hotel when the word got out. And the several Aussie embassies in Manila, Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia were also in teleconference at the time with their foreign minister and they suspected some of their nationals were included among those who were found dead at the island. That’s why.” Ramon reported.

“Why so many people?” Eugene asked his friend.

“I really don’t know yet. We’ll try to find out as much as we can and I’ll be back for resupply in a few days.”

“Meet me when you’re in town then,” Eugene said, aching to know more about what happened so far from where he was comfortably placed.

“I suppose that would be doing the impossible. This thing’s a mess. Lot of stuff to take care of. But I'll definitely call you. Mr. Terrorism Expert, Specialist, Teacher and Master. I bet you can help me big in this one. Start calling your long line of adorers and admirers in the Logistics office.” They both laughed at that, just.

“Okay then,” Eugene said then punched the red colored off key. He smiled at Ramon's effort to seek his help without saying it in so many words. His friend never hid the fact that he had too much pride in him and that his temper was the worst part of him. But Eugene thought, that was one of Ram's traits that made him very endearing, because he was conscious of it and carried it without making it a hang-up of his personality. Ramon was very keen about it and while he was always quick to take offense he was also fast on the repartee.

Somehow he felt blood from his system drained. He probably needed breakfast, he thought to himself. And lunch, since it was now way past morning.

As he did, he looked at Maria slide into the seat in front of him giving him a start when she slapped his free hand on the table.

“Birthday boy! You look freaked out! Hah! I can’t believe steady and stable Eugene is suddenly out of his element! What’s the matter with you?”

He simply smiled and half-rose to kiss Maria who offered her right cheek.

They held hands for seconds and sat back down.

“So what’s new with you dear?"

Eugene told her the story of how he had nothing better to do when she called. That Ram -- who was their mutual friend -- was in Mindanao, in an island called Saluag. That he and his benefactor and mentor Major General Gerveron, had burned their bridges. He said he had no command at the moment just because. He kept making gestures when he bantered about light subjects in between and Maria laughed at him.

At Maria's prodding, Eugene got food for both of them from the buffet section and picked on his plate as Maria fielded him with a lot of questions.

Maria didn't seem to want having lunch. She would however make a sign for one vodka and tonic, within just minutes of the other. She forked a bit of the fruit, cheese, some vegetables that she dipped in cream from the plate Eugene got for her from the buffet. Then she felt her face began to blush. Eugene observed here pale colored cheeks grow rosy. He also saw that her lips had somewhat expanded. Must be my imagination, he thought.

Maria felt tipsy, but tried to keep her head straight. She realized she'd been licking her lips more often. Time to go to my room, she told herself. "Will you want to keep me company?" She asked silently, but the she didn't hear the words.

“You’re trying very hard not to let your depression affect me. That’s what I like about you, Euge. Of course, among many other things. You're good in the sack, and that's not why I broke up with you. You know. Thank you, but I am terribly sorry things turned sour between you and the Giant.”

Maria could be very frank. Eugene felt his face blushing when he noticed people at the hotel restaurant glance in their direction.

Maria laughed again, the sound of her laughter even louder. “I guess its time to tell my story too, Euge. I'd like you to take me up on an offer to spend a week, no! A month, on vacation. I promise I'm paying for both of us. I'll foot all the bill.”

“Wha...?” Eugene was flabbergasted. Now nearly everyone was looking and staring, the glances no longer just enough.

“Stop! Don't say anything. You don't have an assignment, you're on floating status. Well, that makes two of us.” Then her voice dropped to a whisper, as if she was revealing the century's secret. “I'm leaving Saudia. There's a whole lot of trouble in Saudia, and even the one in the papers is a part of that.”

Eugene's mouth went agape and he could not speak for a whole minute. Now that was hard. Maria loved her job, as far as he knew. She considered flying an obsession and now this. Then Maria slumped in her seat sighing. She thought the pitch was regrettable. She should've softened Eugene first. But then Eugene reached out and caught her little finger and said yes without thinking. Maria's smile went up to her ears, as if she hadn't acted like she lost all her money in a card game a moment ago. Then they both started laughing hard.

The hotel guests hadn't stopped looking at them now. But they were exchanging glances. From their faces the waiters could almost discern that the patrons were communicating as if telling each other "What a lucky man that one is! What a truly lucky man!" And even the waiters agreed to their eye speak. Eugene caught two of them exchanging thumbs up signs with the guests.

After doing what he did, agreeing to go with Maria, Eugene thought he didn't hurt anyhow at all. This relationship never suffered him on anything at all when they were on. It was a beautiful relationship that only their distance kept apart and made them lonely, yearning to move forward. To what and where, no one really knew. So why not, again? Shortly after Maria signaled for the check and charged the meals and coffee to her room bill, they went up to her room.

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