CPLA officials call for unity

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Former Bucloc town mayor Mailed Molina, one of the founders of the Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA) which broke away with the mainstream New People’s Army in 1986, enjoins a few “warm bodies” to renew their ties and commitment towards autonomy in the highlands. 

“If we do not unite, the national government will continue neglecting us,” he told some 50 members of the Cordillera Bodong (peace pact) Administration, one of the transitory bodies created by then President Corazon Aquino under Executive Order 220 to lay the ground work for autonomy in the Cordillera region during Monday’s 24th year of the Aquino-Balweg “sipat” (peace pact) at Mt. Data in Bauko, Mountain Province ending rebel hostilities in the Cordillera.

Even with the seeming “coldness,” the “padornat” (indigenous ritual warming up peace accords between Cordillera tribes) wanted to fan the flames of the push for autonomy amid the controversies and losing steam after the failed plebiscites in 1990 and 1998.

This, even at the heels of an apparent power struggle among Cordillerans after criticisms hurled against the Regional Development Council (RDC) jumpstarting the campaign for a third attempt at autonomy. “If you still have some shame left, stop violating the law,” said Emilio Liwanen, leader of a new interim group called Interim Cordillera Interest Group (ICIG).

Liwanen cites a 2005 Supreme Court decision that ruled the transitory CAR bodies which have not been abolished, and that they should be the ones leading the campaign.

Lawyer Nestor Atitiw accuses the RDC of “prostituting” EO 30 of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when it decided to undertake the campaign without any authority. A formal letter was already forwarded to President Aquino asking for the revival of the deactivated CAR bodies and their allocations.

“Let us forget the divisions, and become united,” enjoined Molina cajoling autonomy advocates in the region to move forward, “for the sake of our region,” while expressing optimism that with President Aquino at the helm, “there is a bright light at the end of the tunnel.”