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Jabidah!SpecialForcesofEvil?bySenatorBenignoS.AquinoJr.
PostedonMarch28,1968(http://www.gov.ph/1968/03/28/jabidahspecialforcesofevilbysenatorbenignosaquinojr/)

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Jabidah!
SpecialForces
ofEvil?
by
SenatorBenignoS.AquinoJr.
[DeliveredattheLegislativeBuilding,Manila,onMarch28,1968]
JABIDAH!
WhoisJabidah?
WhatisJabidah?
Jabidah,Mr.President,isthenameofaravishing,stunningandbeautifulwomaninMuslimloreandlegend.
AsMuslimlegendhasit,JabidahturnedacountlessnumberofMuslimmen.
As itturns out now, however,her name might wellhave been Helen Helen whose matchlessbeauty launched a thousandships and laid thegreat Greek
statestosiegeandwaste.
Foras thingsare,as Ifound theminmy flyingspotinvestigation ofthe muddledCorregidorAffair atitsroot, intheSulu isles,Jabidah isthecodename fora
sinisterdesignofPresidentFerdinandE.Marcos.
Itisthecodenameforasupposedlysupersecret,twingoaledoperationofPresidentMarcostowipeouttheoppositionliterally,ifneedbein1969andto
setthiscountryonahighforeignadventure.
Itisthecodename,Mr.President,forMr.MarcosspecialoperationtoinsurehiscontinuityinpowerandachieveterritorialGAINS .
Itisanoperationsowrappedinfantasyandinfancythatpardonthepun,Mr.Presidentitisnotatallfunny.
ItisanoperationwithallthetrappingsofaJamesBOND fiction,includingthebeautifulwomenandcoldbloodedkillings,andofaLawrenceofArabiamilitary
romanticism, including the great adversities and vileperfidies, that it jumps out as too fantastic, too unreal and toomakebelieve, except the facts I and the
figures,thepersonages,areallthere.

Andwhatisthetruth?
ButbeforeIunfoldherethesorryandsordidtalebehindtheCorregidorAffair,Mr.President,permitmetoexplainwhyIcheckedoutofmyscheduledprivileged
speechlastThursdayafternoon,theafternoonafterthesocalledCorregidormassacressmashedoutinthebannerheadlinesofthemetropolitandailies.
Icheckedoutforthreereasons:
Firstly,afterinterviewingtheselfassertedmassacresurvivor,JibinArula,doubtnaggedmethattherehadindeedbeenamassacre,manymoremassacres.
Secondly,Ihadtocheckouttheinternationalrepercussions.,
Thirdly,Iwantedtocheckandverifythestorywhereitstarted,atitsroots.
I deny, I deplore,and I condemn the talk beingpeddled by the AGENTS and the imagebuilders of the President that I had checked out of my scheduled
privilegedspeechaftergettingintoanarrangementofreciprocalaccommodationwithMr.Marcos.
Thisisalie,asbaldandasblatantastheirdenialofpresidentialwiretappingandbugginginthelastelections.Andtheyknowit.
FantasticTruth
Andnow,whatisthetruth?
Thestoryweavesitself,ataleofkineticromance,spycamps,subversionandinfiltration,andaspecialstrikeforcelicensedtokill,allinthestylesandsymbolsof
thelateIanFleming.
ThestorycametomesixweeksagowhensomeMuslimleadersinformedmeofclandestineRECRUITMENTS andtrainingsgoingonintheSuluarchipelago.
Andtheyposedanumberofquestionstome:
WhyareourboysbeingRECRUITED ?
Whyaretheyleavingtheirhomes?
WhatistheirmissioninthePresidentsservice?
IsPresidentMarcosorganizinghisownprivatearmytostrikeandseizethecountryifhesenses,ashemightbesensing,hewilllosethe69polls?
These,andotherrelatedquestions,poppedupinourskullsessions.
Idismissed itthen,however. Thepatternitformed wastoofictionlike, tooJamesBondish. Itappearedto me,asI havesaid,toomuch woveninthe plotsof
Fleming.
ThebossofJamesBOND ,bytheway,isacertainM.IamsureFlemingsMdoesnotstandforMarcos.
Then,somefourweeksago,aformerheadofthecountrysintelligenceserviceinformedmeofaplothatchedbyPresidentMarcoshimself.Itwas,asIwastold,
aplotsobold,sodaringandsoadventurousthat,insum,itboileddowntoacalculatedgamble.
Itwas,asitstruckme,agamblethatwouldviolatetheConstitutionandobtainjustificationintheflushofitstriumphanditssuccess.
Again,Irefusedtogiveitcredence.Itsoundedsobizarre,sofantastic,soimaginative,Itoldmyself.Anditcouldnotbe.
Surely,Itoldmyself,amanwho hadrepeatedlyprofessedhimselfasamancommittedtocivilizednormsandsworn toupholdthelaw,likePresidentMarcos,
couldnothavehatchedsuchaplot.
But soon after,I was interviewed bya famed international Journalist,a newspaperman with whomI had chewed thefat in complete undressbefore.And he
calledmyattentiontowhatheheldtobealarmingcoincidencethatbuiltinhisanalyticalmindawebofhighoctaneadventure.
Withallthis,Istartedpiecingthebitstogether.Istarteddiggingup.
Iwasonthevergeofblowingthelidofftheplot,assomecolumnistscorrectlyreported,Mr.President,whentheCorregidorAffairexploded.

The tale, as it wove itself, had a girl, a girl named Sophia.And there was, as characterization DEMANDED in fiction, a man, a man of some good looks,
cunning,daring,ambitionand,ofcourse,astrongsenseofromance,acertainMajorAbdullatifMartelino.
Forplotandsetting,therewerethesecretRECRUITMENT ,secretorientation,secrettrainingandsecretmissionthingssupposedlyknownonlytoahandful
ofmeninthehighestauthority.
Thegirl,bytheway,wasbeautiful,asbeautifulasthecampwasugly.
Andtheywereallcharacters,settingandplothushhush,topsecret.Orsupposedtobe.
TheSlipShowed
Asitwas,however,Ifoundouttheywerefarfromatightlyguardedsecret,asfarfromhiddenunderthecloakaswastheirdagger.Andiftheywereasecretat
all,theywereanOPEN secretintheSuluislands.
Infact,asthenewsmenwhojoinedmeandIfoundout,theyweretalkedaboutasfreelybythepeopleontheislandsasweresmugglingandtheothernefarious
operationsinthesouthernbackdoor.
Itall started,ourfindingswent, inSeptember,justbefore thelastelections,when MajorAbdullatifMartelino,otherwise knownasMajorEddie Martelinoofthe
PhilippineAirForce,arrivedinJolo,blendedintotheMuslimcommunityandstartedRECRUITING thecreamoftheMuslimyouth.
For yourbackground, Major Martelino isthe head ofthe Defense Departments CivilAffairs OFFICE and a living legend ofsorts. He is a man as much
knownforhisromanticescapadesasforhistremendouspoliticalstayingpower,thingssomemayevenenvyhim.
HisunchronicledlifesstoryshowsheWORKED forPresidentCarlosP.Garcia,thensurfacedasanundercoverAGENT ofPresident DiosdadoMacapagal
afterMr.Garcialostthepresidencyin1961.Andsohestayedinthegracesofpower.
He was a top man of Defense Secretary Macario Peralta, supplying the Liberals with supposedly damaging items against then presidential challenger
FerdinandE.MarcosasMr.MarcosandMr.Macapagalbattledforthepeopleswillandvotesinthe1965elections.Whenitwasallover,withMr.Marcosthe
victorandMr.Macapagaltoppled,MajorMartelinosurfacedasMr.Marcostoppoliticaldoubleagent.
Andsohehasstayed,holdingthesamepostheheldunderPresidentMacapagalinthedefenseESTABLISHMENT .
HisnamehasbeenlinkedtomanyamajorscandalpersonalityfromCavitessmugglinglordstotheOctopusofCotabato.This,however,hasfailedtodohim
damage.
HowhegothimselftoheadtheMarcosspecialforces,itseems,springsfromhissupposedforte:heissupposedlygoodindevelopingtheminoritygroups,like
theIlongotsandtheDumagats.
For reasonswhich healone knows,Major EddieMartelino renouncedhis Catholicfaith, embracedthe Muslimreligion andtook onthe nameMajorAbdullatif
Martelino.Soonafter,however,hewooedandmarriedthebeautifulSophia.
Allthis,ofcourse,scandalizedtheChristianleadersinJolo.Andtheydenounceddiscreetly,tobesurewithlayleadersinManila.
Theyhadaworsescandaltoreport,however,aftertheygotwordthatMajorMartelinohadfledwiththewifeofaPhilippineNavyman,alsoaSimunulbeauty.
HappilyforMajorAbdullatif,allthereportsfailedtomakeanimpressiononManilaspermissivesociety.Someeventhoughtitwascute.
All this, Mr. President, you may say, comes up to a mans romantic adventures over which we, in this chamber, ought not to waste valuable time. I submit,
however,theymustnowberaisednottovilifytheman,butbecausetheCorregidorAffairandallitsconsequencesweavearoundMajorAbdullatifMartelino.
OurMan,Abdul
Forwhattranspired,priortotheCorregidorfiasco,are:
MajorMartelinowentintomassiveRECRUITMENT ofTausugyoungmen,ages18to30,inJolo,inSiasi,inTandubas,inSangaSanga,inBongao,inBato
BatoandinSimunulislandsoftheSuluarchipelagoinSeptember,October,NovemberandDecember1967.
MajorMartelinoRECRUITED thosewithaworkingknowledgeoftheTausugdialect,withexperienceinsmugglingandkumpitsailing,withfamiliarityofthe
neighboringislands,withpleasingpersonality,andpreferablywithhighschoolorcollegeeducation.Inotherwords,thecreamoftheTausugyoungmen.

MajorMartelino,ascomeonandinducement,promisedtheTausugyoungmentheywouldbeintegratedintothearmedforcesasparatroopers,astheelite
nucleusofanewstrikeforceunderthepersonalcommandanddirectionofPresidentMarcos,afterasixmonthcrashtraining.
Major Martelino, as a ploy to get the Tausug elders behind him, promised to distribute land to the faithful once his special secret mission had been
accomplishedandhehadproclaimedhimselfSultanoftheliberatedterritory.
MajorMartelinosetupasecrettrainingcamponSimunulisland,lateranotheroneonCorregidor.TheSimunulcamp,asIsaidearlier,henamedafterhiswife
Sophia.
Asneak inspectionImade onSimunul,Mr. President,showedthe campdeserted,save forafew enlistedmenand somebasicequipment. Simunulsspecial
forcesgroup,Iwastold,hadbeenshippedoutaboardaPhilippineNavyLSM,theRPSOrientalMindorodestinationunknown,missionundisclosed.
Inmyfirst privilegedspeechdeliveredinthis augustchamberlastFebruary,Mr. President,Iadvertedtothe sinistermotivesbehindthecivic actioncentersof
PresidentMarcos.
Isaidthen:
Anobsessiontocreateimpactisbehindthepresidentialprojecttocreatearmedforcescivicactioncentersineveryprovince.Onecannotavoidsuspectingthe
AFPcivicactioncentersaregearedtobrainwashthebarrioleadersintoblindacceptanceandpropagationofthesocalledMarcosgovernmentachievements.
Rapportbetweencentralauthorityisamust,Iaffirm.ButIoppose,asIamsureyou,Mr.President,willoppose,convertingthebarriounitsofourgovernment
intotoolsandinstrumentsofcentralauthority.
Idohope,sincerely,thatIamwrong,thattheChiefExecutiveismindedwithaspirationsmoreloftythanmerelyensuringhiscontinuityinpower.ButIfearthe
objectbehindthedesignisfarfromselfless.
Ishallbegladtobeprovedtobefearingoutofnothingmorethanfear,butmyfearbuildsbeforemyeyesadisquietingevolutionofourbarriocouncilsfrom
thedemocraticsimplestunitsofgovernmenttheywereintendedbylawtobe,intocogsofaunipersonalpoliticalmachine.
AsIseeit,inthecivicactioncentersrunbythemilitary,ourbarriocaptainsandcouncilmenwillbeherdedandtoldinendlessmonologuesofthegreatnessof
theGreatAchiever.Propagandabrochures depictinghislifeandlaborswillfloodthecenters intons,alldesignedtoconditionthemass mindandbuildupthe
MarcosCult.
Itwill nottaketoo muchimagination toseehow thesecenterswill operate.All barrioleaderswill beinvitedto attendseminars inthesecivic actioncenters,
theretobefednotonlyfoodforthebodybutalsoforthemindandthespirit.Theywillbetoldthereofthegreatnessfalse,true,orhalftrueandhalffalseof
theGreatProvider.
Tocompletethe picture,imagineallthesecivicaction centersconnectedbyribbonsofcommunications andcontrolledbyanoperationscenter in,say,Camp
Aguinaldo.Hereisthebeginningofmassivethoughtcontrol,alldoneinthenameofdemocracy.
Inallthese,IamremindedofhowgovernmentsandcountriesweresubvertedandtakenoverbythosewiththewillandtheresolveinEasternEurope,inLatin
America,eveninourownAsia.Always,itwasdoneverycovertly,verysubtly.
Again,Isay,IhopeIfearwrongly.
Mr.President,myworstfearsarebeingborneoutbyfacts.
On SimunulIsland, I saw therecruiting base fora special forces unitcalled Jabidah andtheir camp, CampSophia, named after thebeautiful 18yearold
MuslimmaidentakenforawifebythecommandingofficeroftheJabidahs,MajorAbdullatifMartelino.CampSophiawastherecruitingstationfortheJabidahs.
The Jabidahs are composed of some of the best young men of the Sulu islands. Young men with a good background in smuggling and knowledge of a
neighboringcountryweregivenpriorityinenlistment.
The camp was located inside a coconut plantation off the beaten track, fenced in by some six strands of barbed wire. Watchtowers were built all along the
perimeterline.
Ibroughtwithme,Mr.President, picturesshowingthecampandallthethingsthatwent withit.Iwillreferbacktothesepicturesas soonasIgetthroughthe
details.
Theboysweretrappedbyabizarreplanandanevenmorebizarremission.

Givenunorthodoxuniformsandbrandnewcarbinesandthompsonsubmachineguns,therecruitsweretoldthattheywouldformthenucleusofaspecialforce,
anelitegroupwithintheArmedForcesofthePhilippinesthatwouldspearheadamissiontoendallmissions.
Signlanguagewasthemediumofcommunications,sinisterlookingpatchesandringswithencrustedskullandcrossbonesweretheirdistinguishingmarks,the
marksoftheirespritdecorps.
ThisisthebadgeoftheJabidahs.(SenatorAquinodigsintohiscoatpocket,showsamilitarybadge).Itisyellowinbackground,withablackskull,withadripof
bloodontheskullsforehead,andwithblackcrossbones.
BonVoyageToWhere?
Thisistheirotherbadge.(Heshowsanotherbadge).ItshowsacrescentmoonandastarandithasanArabicword.TheArabicwordsays,SelamatJalan,
orBonVoyage.Iwonderwheretheseboldpeoplearegoing?
ThisistheRangerpatch(heshowsthepatch)wediscoveredontheisland.Andthis,Mr.President,istheirring(heshowsaring).Itisasolidringwithaskull
engravedwiththecrossbones.
These, Mr. President, are the distinguishing marks of the Jabidahs in and off uniform. In other words, they were given all the unorthodox uniforms, all the
languagesofsigns,alltheemblemsandtherings,allthatgoesintoespritdecorps,allthemarksoftheGestapoandtheSSofHitler.
Andtherecruitswentthroughallthephasesoftheirrigidandrigoroustrainingschedulesbecausetheyhadbeenledtobelievetheyhadacauseworthdyingfor.
Theentireoperationhadacover,ofcourse.AllofficersweresupposedlyCivilAffairsOfficersandtheboysweresupposedlybeingtrainedtomanthevarious
civicactioncenterstobeestablishedbyPresidentMarcosineveryprovincialcapitalofthecountry.
Theboysweretaughthowtosurviveinthejungleswithoutfoodandclothing.Theycalledthissurvivaltraining.
Theyweretaughthowtokillinthemostbizarreway.Ineffect,theywentthroughthetrainingofFlemingsJamesBond.Andaftertheirtraining,theyweretojoin
anelitepresidential
force,apresidentialforcelicensedtokill.
Secrecywassupposedtobethehallmarkoftheorganization.AndregularPCtroopersassignedinSuluweretoldtokeepofftheJabidaharea.
Butthisturnedouttobeamockery.
EveryoneintheSuluislesknewexactlywhatwasgoingoninsideCampSophia.MajorMartelino,aftertwodrinks,spokefreelyofhisgrandplantoliberatean
areawithhisJabidahs.Andhealwaysboastedthefaithfulwouldberewardedwithfreeland.
TheJabidahswerelinkeddirectlywithMalacaangandtheInfrastructureOperationCenteratCampAguinaldo.
Alookatthesophisticatedgadgetsin theradioroomofCampSophiarevealedthat,asidefromtheregularradio unitsofthemilitaryestablishmentthatlinked
laterallywithothermilitaryunits,CampSophiawassuppliedwithacostlytransceiversetaCollinssinglesideband,betterknowntoradiohamoperatorsasa
KMW2.Thisisoneofthemoreexpensivetransceiversetsavailableinthemarket,witharangethatcancoverhalftheglobe,givenagoodantenna.
Northvs.South
Thecampwasmadeofmakeshifttwigsandthebunksweremadeofipilipiltosimulatelivingconditionsinthejungle.Therecruitsweredividedintotwogroups
calledtheSubanganandtheSadlupangroups.(TheseareTausugwordsfornorthandsouth.)
RecruitmentbeganinSeptemberandendedsometimeinthemiddleofDecemberlastyear.
ThenonDecember30,therecruits,numberingsome135,weretoldtoboardaPhilippineNavyvessel,theRP68,orRPSMindoro,andwereferriedtotheir
newcamponCorregidorisland.TheJabidahslandedonCorregidoronJanuary3.
Shortly before the Jabidahs landed on Corregidor, a toplevel team of defense officials led by then Defense Undersecretary Manuel Syquio and Brig. Gen.
RomeoEspino,commanderofthePhilippineArmy,inspectedthecampsite.TheoldCorregidorhospitalwascordonedoffanddeclaredarestrictedarea.
TheJabidahsweretostayinsidethebombedouthospitalfortheremainderoftheirtraining.
SomeofthelaterecruitswereairliftedfromSangaSangatoNicholsAirBaseandlatertransferredtoCorregidor.

TheearlydaysoftherecruitsonCorregidorprovedthrilling.
The boysreported totheir parentsback inSulu and Ihave manyletters toprove this thattheir trainingwas asexciting asit wasexacting. Butthey all
lookedforwardtothedaywhentheywouldbeinductedasregularPhilippineArmytroopers.
Jungletrainingofthespecialforcescontinued.
TherecruitsweremarchedintotheCorregidorjunglesforweeksonsurvivaltraining.Theboystookeveryphaseoftherigorousworkwithaplomb.
Butthen,towardsthefourthweekofFebruary,theMuslimboysstartedbecomingrestless.
SincetheirarrivalonCorregidor,theyhadnotbeenpaidtheirallowancesofP50amonth.Someofthemarriedrecruitswantedtosendmoneytotheirfolksin
Sulu.
So onFebruary 25or 26, therecruits, mostlyfrom the TawiTawiarea, signeda petition addressedto PresidentMarcos demanding theirdelayed payof two
monthsandanimprovementintheirliving quarters,foodandclothing.Theycoupledthispetitionwithaprayerthat thePresidentvisitthem,inasmuchasthey
weresupposedtobehisownpersonalspecialforces.
MajorM,NotMr.M
InsteadofMr.Marcos,MajorAbdullatifMartelinoshowedupsometimeonFebruary27.Hetoldtheboysthattheirpaywasforthcomingandthatiftheywouldnot
bepaid,theycouldresignandthegovernmentwouldsendthembackhome.
Then,onMarch3or4,MajorMartelinocalledforthefourMuslimleadersofthepetitionandheallegedlytoldthemthattheycouldgohomeaheadoftheother
boyswhohadpetitionedPresidentMarcos.
ThefourleaderswerebroughttoManilaandneverreturnedtoCorregidor.
Theboysbecamerestive.Theywantedtoknowwhathadhappenedtotheirfourleaders.Buttheyweresimplytoldthattheirleadershadgonehomeahead.
Suspicionthatthefourhadbeenliquidatedstartedtoseepin,thengainedmomentum.
The petitioning recruits, now numbering 58, were confined to quarters and told to await transportation back to Sulu. As of March 1, all the petitioners were
consideredresignedfromtheSpecialForces.
So,outof135whocamefromSimunul,62signedthepetition.Ofthe62,atotalof58remainedincampasofMarch1andtheywereconsideredresigned.
Then on March 16, some 24 recruits were told that a Philippine Navy boat was docking early that morning to ferry them back to Sulu. They gathered their
personal belongings and shortly before dawn they were brought to the island pier. They boarded the RP68, the same vessel that had brought them from
SimunulearlierinJanuary.
Theremainingrecruits,however,startedtoworryaboutthefateoftheircomrades.Theydoubtedtheassurancesoftheirofficersthattheotherboyshadgone
home.
Andwithsomereason,itseems.
For,first,theirfourleadershaddisappeared.Theyhadnotcomeback.Andtherecruitsworriedaboutthesefour,theirfourleaders.
Then24oftheirownbrothersweretakenout.Again,thesedidnotreturn.Again,theremainingrecruitsworried.Theyworriedsomemore.
Somefearedtheirpetitioningcompanionshadbeenmassacred.
Then,onMarch18,another12recruitsweretoldtoprepareforhome.At2a.m.onMarch18,thesecondbatchof12recruitsleftthecampsiteandwasnever
heardfrom.
Sonowwehave24recruitsleavingonMarch18,anothergroupleavingonMarch16orMarch17.
At4a.m.thatsameday,another batchof12recruitswastransportedtotheCorregidorairstrip,purportedlyforevacuation toSulu.Thisbatch,too,wasnever
heardof,neverheardfrom.
JibinArula,inhisswornstatement,saidthatuponreachingtheairstriptheyweretoldtogetofftheirweaponscarrier.Theyweretoldtoformaline.

Theywerenowincivilianclothesandunarmed,whiletheirescortscarriedArmalites,automaticcarbines,andotherSpecialForcesweapons.
Withallthestoredupsuspicioninhismind,JibinArulamusthavethoughtthathistimetobekilledhadcome.
Wecanonlyconjectureatthispointwhathappened.
Arulamusthavemadeadashforhislife,thinkingthattheyhadbeenbroughttotheairstripfortheslaughter.
Toldtohaltbyhisescorts,hekeptrunning.
Hisescortsshothiminthelegtoforcehimtostop.
Hekeptgoingandtherestishisstory.
Butwhathappenedtohiselevencompanions?
Weretheyreallymassacred?
Somesaythatwhenthefiringstartedwith JibinArula,hiscompanionsducked.SothatArulawascorrectwhenhesaidthat hesawhiscompanionsfalltothe
ground.
Butweretheyshot?Ordidtheyduckbecauseofthefiring?
Thearmysaysthattheelevenarealive.Assoonasthearmyauthoritiesproducetheotherelevenrecruits,thesorrymessofCorregidorshouldfinditsend.
However,iftheArmycannotproducethesemen,thequestionwillpress:Whathappenedtothem?They,thearmyauthorities,willhavetostandtheaccusation
ofmurderandmaybeevenmassslaughter.
Meanwhile,inJoloyesterday,Imetthefirstbatchof24recruitsaboardRP68.Thisgroupwasearlierreportedmissingor,evenworse,believedmassacred.
WilliamPatarasa,16yearsold,oneoftheleadersofthepetitioners,ineffectcorroboratedallthepointsraisedbyJibinArula.Buthedeniedknowledgeofany
massacre.
Like Jibin Arula, up to yesterday he claimed he had no knowledge of what had happened to their four leaders called by Major Martelino last March 3. He
confirmed,though,mesuspicionamongthepetitionersthatthefourhadbeenliquidatedbyMajorMartelinosboys.
Oneoftheleadershassincepresentedhimselftoarmyauthorities.
Thismorning,theManilaTimes,initsbannerheadline,quotedmeassayingthatIbelievedtherewasnomassmassacreonCorregidorisland.
AndIsubmititwasnotahastyconclusion,butoneborneoutbycarefuldeductions.Whatbroughtmetothisconclusion:
1.Massacremeans,tomymind,thewantonkillingofmenmaybepremeditated,butdefinitelycommittedaccordingtoapreviousplan.Isubmitthattherewas
noplantokilltheMuslimrecruits.
2.Whatwouldhavebeenthemotiveforthemassacre?Somequartershaveadvancedthetheorythatthetraineeswereliquidatedinordertosilencethem.But
then,24boyshavealreadyshownupinJolosafeandhealthy.Torelease24menwhocanspillthebeansandliquidatetheremaining24tosealtheirlipswould
defylogic.
3.JibinArulahas beentellingthe truthall along.However, hisfears,which inhis placemaybe consideredvalid, maynot besupportedby therecent turnof
events.Twentyfourrecruitshaveturnedup.
CruxoftheStory
IwenttoSuluwithaswornstatementofJibinArula.IcheckedouteverythingJibinArulahadtoldmethedescriptionofthecamp,thenamesoftheboys
andeverythingthatJibinArulahadtoldmecheckedout.
It mustbe emphasizedhere thatJibinArulanever saidthat thefour weremurdered.Allhe saidwas thatthey weretaken byMajor Martelinoand theynever
returned.JibinArulasaidthat24werecalledandtheseneverreturned.Hesaidthat12werecalledandthese,too,neverreturned.Hesaidtheywerelinedupon
theairstripandthentheyweremoweddown.

Hereisthecruxofthestory.Weretheymoweddown?OrwasthefiringmadewhenJibinArula,thinkinghewasgoingtobekilled,dashedforhislife?
This,Ibelieve,oughttobethecenteroftheinvestigation.
And if theArmy can produce theeleven people with JibinArula unharmed and alive, then theArmy would escape theburden of being made to account for
massacre.
Whenthe armedforcesproduces theeleven companionsofArula andtheother twelverecruits thatleftat 2a.m.,March 18,I amsurethe wholemassacre
storycanfinditslogicalend.
Butthestorydoesnotendhere.
Isubmitthatitisonlyherethatthestorybegins.
PresidentMarcosmustrendertothenationabetterexplanationwhytheorganizationhastoremainsecretanditsobjectivestobeknownonlytohimselfanda
handfulofhisconfidants.
Thiswecannotandmustnotallowtopass.
AndMonkees,Too
Somequestionspress,infact:
AretheJabidahsreallyintendedforcivicactionwork?TheyareundertheCivilAffairsOfficeanddirectlyundertheSecretaryofNationalDefense.
If they are to perform civic action work, why should they be trained like James Bond? Why should they be taught the art of silent killing, the techniques of
insurgency,infiltrationandsabotage?
WhyweretheyneverlistedontheregularrosteroftheArmedForcesofthePhilippines?
Theywereneverinducted withtheregularforces.Theirrate ofpayviolatesallestablishedmilitary rules.AllformsintheJabidah camparemeremimeograph
sheets.
Howcomesomeexconvictswereincludedamongtheirinstructors?
Therewereamongthem,amongtheJabidahs,manyexHuks,otherwiseknownasMonkeesinmypartofthecountryandoperatinginCentralLuzon.Some
unexplainedkillingshavebeentakingplaceregularlyinPampangaandTarlacandthecivilianauthoritiesintheareaattributethesekillingsnottotheHuksbutto
agroupofmencalledMonkees,reportedlymembersofanirregularforceofthePhilippineConstabulary.
HowmanyMonkeeshavebeentrainedbytheseCivilAffairsofficers?
AnIlocanoexconvictwasamongtheinstructors.WhywasthismanallowedtojointheJabidahs?
IftheTausugswererecruitedforpurposesotherthancivicaction,thenforwhat?
Where didthe fundsfor theJabidahs comefrom?Andwho financedMajorAbdullatifMartelino inhis romanticescapades? Hereportedly builta houseworth
P10,000.00(stilltobefinished)forbeautifulSophiaonSimunul.
DidthearmysanctionhisbehaviourwhichmayaptlybedescribedasconductunbecominganofficerandagentlemaninthenameoftheJabidahproject?In
effect,washeallowedtoviolatethelawsofthecountrywiththeknowledgeandconsentofMr.M?
Whatfutureisinstoreforthecivicactioncenters?Isthisthenormofconducttobefollowedbyourbarrioofficialsundercivicaction?
WillbarrioofficialseverbeabletostandupagainsttheseJabidahs,theseexpertsinthesilentwars,theseshocktroopsofMr.M?
Now,aboutthesocalledCorregidormassacre,Mr.President.Iwould,ifthereweretruth,beamongthefirsttoriseandarticulatetheindignationandrevulsionof
anationsickenedandshockedbysuchdeliberate,purposefulandwantonkillingofhelplessandhaplessmen.
AndIwould,iftherehadbeentruth,beamongthosetovoicemyownnausea,myangerandmydisgust.

Iam afraidthat manyof ushad beentoo quickto anger,too quickto deploreand denounce.For thetruth, asI foundit inSulu, is:the probabilityof amass
massacreisdim.
Icouldmakebigpoliticalcapitaloutofallofthis.Icouldpillory,nailonthepubliccrossanddamnPresidentMarcoandthemenwhoservedunderhiminthis
operation.Icouldrousethepeopleagainstthem,allofthem.
But,Mr.President,Isay:Letuspinblameonlywheretheblameis.And,bymyfindings,awantonmassacreisnotamongthethingsthatwemusthangonMr.
MarcosconscienceandMr.Marcossoul.
Forthefactis:Theremusthavebeenortherecouldhavebeenkillings.Maybe,Iwillevensubmit,someofthecompanionsofArulacouldhavebeenshot.Only
afairinvestigationwillbringoutthefacts.
Butofthe assertedmassmassacreof60, wecannowsafelysay thatthefigurehasbeenreduced by24,whohave shownupinJoloby 25,addingJibin
Arulaby26,addingtheleaderwhohasshownup:by29,addingthethreewhoreportedlyhavereported.
Sothat,now,wearelookingfor31men31menoftheJabidahswhohaveresigned.
Therehavebeensomekillings,yes.Butthesearekillingsthatcomeundertheheadingofmurder.And,forthis,theguiltymustbehauledbeforeourjusticeand
madetoaccountandtopay.
Mr.President,yesterdayIwasinSimunul,inSangaSanga,inBongaoandinSiasi,andIwasmetbycryingandgrievingmothers.Sweetheartsandwivescame
to me, asking me if I knew if indeed their brothers, husbands and loved ones had been massacred on Corregidor as reported. I had no answer, Mr.
President.
ImerelytoldthemthatPresidentMarcoshadtoldmethatsomeoftheboyshadbeensenthome.Andso,Itoldthemfurther,Ihadcometotheirislandtofindout
iftheirmenfolkhadindeedreturned.
ThereisunrestamongtheTausugsinSulu,Mr.President.Theywanttofindouttofindoutwhathadgonewrongwiththeirmen,whathadbecomeoftheir
men.TheywanttoknowwhethertheirmenhadreallybeenmassacredonCorregidor.
Ibelieveajust,aquickinvestigationbythisChamberwithinthenext48hourswillatleastalleviatethemasssufferingnowgrippingourpeopleinSulu.This,we
mustdo.
Andlestwewhipupthisnationintoafitofdisgustandhate,letussetthefactsstraightquickly.Andletusletthechipsfallwheretheymust.
But,Mr.President,Mr.Marcosisfarfromlilywhiteinallthis.
PloysandPlots
WhatIhavegatheredimpelsmetoriseanddenouncehim,tocallhimtoaccountlesthebefurtheremboldenedintothinkingthecountrysleepsandslumbers
whileheplots,schemes,andconspires.
Andso,Mr.President, IchargePresidentMarcoswithbuilding asecretstrikeforceunderhispersonal commandtoformtheshock troopsofhischerished
garrisonstate.
IchargePresidentMarcoswithpickingmenofdubiousbackgrounds,menwithcriminalrecordseven,andthesocalledMonkees,thekillerexHuks,toformthe
coreofthisforcetoinsuretheywilldoashebidsandwipeouttheopposition,ifneeded.
Icharge PresidentMarcos withfailure toinstill secrecyandcynical useof theintelligence fundsforthis sinisteroperation to advancehimself, forpersonal
gainsinviolationoftheConstitution.
IchargePresidentMarcoswithfailuretoinstillsecrecyanddisciplineinthearmedforces,failureamountingtocriminalneglect.
IchargePresidentMarcoswithfailuretoinfuseourarmedforcestraineeswithproperorientation,afailurethatshoweditselfinthecrackupandbreakdownof
theCorregidortrainees,whichthegeneralstaffitselfadmitted.
Whyweretheynotsubjectedtopsychologicaltraining?Intheregulararmiesoftheworld,SpecialForcesmenarepickedfromtheregularforces.Andtheypick
menwhohaveproventhemselvesincombat.

Butthesemen,themenofCampSophiaandCorregidor,wererawrecruits.Theywereyoungboys.TheywereboysoutofthehighschoolsandcollegesofSulu.
AndtheywereimmediatelypressedintotheSpecialForces.And,therefore,undertherigorsoftraining,theycouldasassertedhavecrackedup.
IchargePresidentMarcos,too,withfailuretoseetoitthatthedefensefundsareproperlyused.Inotherwords,heisguiltyofdefensefundsmisuse.
And I also charge President Marcos with careless recruitment in the TawiTawi islands group, a carelessness that opened us to infiltration by the counter
insurgencyforcesofaneighboringcountry.
And as a result of all the bunglings and muffings that have attendedthis socalled CorregidorAffair, President Marcos is as guilty as his Jabidah officers of
jeopardizinganddamagingPhilippineforeignrelations,whichmaytakealongtimeinhealing.

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