The Philippines waste dispute started as an all too common act of negligent business. A Canadian recycling company, Chronic Plastics Inc. had shipped 103 shipping containers from Vancouver to the Philippines. The shipping containers were labelled as containing recyclable plastic. This was not the case, on inspection they were found to contain common household waste.
The company had declared the containers to contain recyclable plastic. Though, the Bureau of Customs found them to contain common household waste. Customs were notified by the Department of Natural Resources. The shipment violated the Administrative Order 2013-22.“No importation of heterogeneous and unsorted plastic materials shallbe allowed;” and “all plastics shall have no traces of toxic materials.”
Filipinos mobilized as the Philippines waste dispute gained public attention. Different advocacy groups were out in force, standing up against organizations dumping waste within Philippine territory.
Did Chronic Plastics dumping of waste violate the Basel Convention?
The Basel convention is in place to control the movement and disposal of hazardous waste across national boundaries throughout the world. The treaty stipulates that if the receiving company does not accept the material, the exporting company must take back the material. As the Philippines and Canada are signatories, this treaty comes into play.
The Basel Convention became necessary to curb the exploitation of lesser developed countries. First world countries were using these nations as dumping grounds for waste and hazardous material.
This was illustrated by a relationship between Italy and a small fishing village in Nigeria called Koko. In the 80s, Italy was only able to process a small portion of the toxic waste it was producing. Two Italian firms realized they could pay Koko residents to store the Italian waste on their properties for a small rental fee.
Nigerian students in Italy became aware of this scheme, and alerted authorities. This amongst other incidents of a similar lead to the formation of the Basel Convention.
Canada’s lack of engagement
At first, the Canadian government did not feel obliged to be involved with the issue. They maintained that the waste shipped by Chronic Plastics was not hazardous, therefore they did not need to facilitate its return.
By this stage of the dispute, 26 of the containers had been transported to Capas, Tarlac, a province found to the north of Manila. Though in 2016, there was a major development where a Philippine court ruled the garbage should be turned to Canada. By that time, Canada had enacted new environmental laws which require companies like Chronic Plastics to retrieve the disputed waste.
Trudeau and Duterte maintained a turbulent relationship after Trudeau confronted Duterte about human rights abuses.
The diplomatic face off between Trudeau and Duterte
During a 2017 summit, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the issue. He spoke of how Canadian law had prevented them from accepting the rubbish, though they were working on finding solutions for the issue. The two nations had yet to settle on who held financial responsibility, as the issue had arisen due to the actions of Chronic Plastics, a private entity.
But the Philippine Government was losing their patience. By that point in time, the cost of storing the waste had topped approximately 36 millions pesos. The relationship between Justin Trudeau, and Rodrigo Duterte was already under stress. Trudeau had been a vocal critic of Dutertes “War on drugs”. This had left many thousands of Filipino’s dead, with the victims being accused of being a part of the countries drug trade.
Duterte snapped at the Canadian government, claiming they were denigrating Filipinos. He stated that if the trash was not removed from the country within a week, he would declare war on Canada. The Canadian ambassador to the Philippines responded to the comment, again stating that the Canadian Government were in the process of resolving the issue.
The deadline was not met.
Duterte went on to set another, May 15, 2019. The secretary of foreign affairs, Teodoro Locsin Jr. joined in with the threats, stating “the President expects the garbage to be seaborne by May 15, that expectation will be met or else”.
Global Affairs Canada is the department of the Government of Canada that manages Canada’s diplomatic and consular relations. The department announced they had made a formal offer to retrieve the trash. They were in the process of working with the Philippines to work out the details of the project.
The Philippines shipped 69 containers of garbage back to Canada, signalling an end to the 6-year dispute.
A resolution to the Philippines-Canada waste dispute?
The Canadian began to make some moves towards resolving the issue. The French shipping company, Bollore Logistics Canada, was awarded the contract to ship out the waste from the Philippines before the end of June 2019.
On May 30, 2019, the waste dispute came to an end. At the Subic Bay Special Economic and Freeport Zone, the remaining 69 containers of trash were loaded onto the container ship MV Bavaria. The ship would be making a 20-day journey to the Canadian city of Vancouver via Taiwan, this would come at a cost of US$840,000
The containers were transferred to the Anna Maersk while in Taiwan, from there the containers of trash were to arrive in Canada by the end of June 2019. Environment and Climate Change Canada, the government department responsible for coordinating environmental policies, announced the trash would end up at the Vancouver waste to energy plant.
Duterte had gone as far as enacting a five-day ban on conducting business with Canadian officials, and enacting a travel ban to Canada. The Philippines Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea announced the lifting of these bans once the 69 containers of Chronic Plastics’ trash had arrived at the Roberts Bank Superport in Delta, British Columbia.
The Philippines dispute with Canada is one of many
In 2017 China banned the import of plastic waste, this was due to the trade war, though they also stated the majority of plastic was too dirty to recycle anyway. This ban caused the plastics to be diverted to South-East Asian nations. With over 50% of US plastic waste now ending up in Malaysia.
Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad quickly stood up against the issue. He called out the propensity for wealthier nations to send their waste to poorer countries. Malaysia became another nation to follow the trend of returning the trash back.
When you first encounter the Bojinka plot, it may feel as if you’re reading the synopsis of a 90s B-Grade action movie. The event takes place in an exotic location, with an assassination attempt planned for a high profile target in the bustling streets of Manila.
The Bojinka plot, planned by Ramzi Yousef and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, is composed of three parts. Beginning with the assassination of Pope John Paul II. They then planned to blow up 11 planes en route from Asia to the United States, which had the potential to kill thousands of passengers while also halting international air travel. They then planned to crash a plane into the headquarters of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Today, we will take a closer look at how a small lapse in judgement potentially saved thousands of lives. The event being so large and sinister in scale, it is said to have been the precursor to the 9/11 acts of terror.
Pope John Paul II was actually a secondary target of the conspirators. Bill CLinton was scheduled to stop over in Manila en route to Indonesia. Due to the degree of security surrounding the President, Youseff abandoned the idea.
To assassinate a Pope in Manila
The Bojinka plot was a complex plan that encompassed three key elements. The first to take place was an assassination attempt, the target being Pope John Paul II. It would take place during his visit to the Philippines for World Youth Day festivities in 1995.
Due to the ethnic, and cultural make up of the nation, the Pope’s visit to the Philippines was always going to be sensitive. The majority of the Philippines is a staunchly Catholic nation, but despite this, it is still home to a sizeable Muslim population. The country does have a long history of terrorism, which makes the visit seem like a potential flash point which may lead to a broader conflagration.
A suicide bomber dressed as a priest was to detonate a suicide vestment as Pope John Paul II drove by in his motorcade to the San Carlos Seminary in Makati. The assassin’s objective was to get as near to the Pope as possible before detonating the device.
The planned killing of Pope John Paul II was meant to draw attention away from the next step of the operation. Due to this, a lot was riding on this part of the plot coming to fruition. Before January 1995, Yousef went to the extent of training 20 guys to carry out this heinous deed.
Yousef had been receiving funding for these operations from numerous terrorist cells. Several of these men would receive the money through their partners, who were Manila locals. The money was sent through many small transactions to avoid raising suspicion.
During this time both Ramzi Yousef and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed had been testing airport security in the region to begin the next phase of their attack. The pair were searching for vulnerabilities by pushing the limit of what they could get past security check points.
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed actively assisted his nephew Ramzi Youseff in their exploitation of airport security. They eventually found vulnerabilities which lead to explosives being planted on the flight PAL 434.
The blueprint to 9/11: A plot to bring down an airliner
Abdul Hakim Murad and Ramzi Yousefm a fellow conspirator, were booked into room 603 of the Doña Josefa Apartments on December 8. Yousef mistakenly put his real name on the form during the check-in process, so the duo had to ask for new forms.
The manager of the apartments, Edith Guerrera, laughed and said that perhaps they were unsure of their names. This one is just one of the many incidents that caused the manager to become suspicious of the pair.
These apartments, in Malate, are 660 feet (0.2 km) from the Holy See’s Philippines diplomatic station and 1,600 feet (0.49 km) away from Manila Police, which is located across the street from the Apostolic Nunciature.
Room 603 has a window which faces down the road the Papal procession was supposed to follow. The pair managed to carry out some test bombings. Yousef carried out a test of his bomb in a Cebu City mall.
According to witnesses, the device detonated long after he placed it inside the generator room. It only did slight damage, but it demonstrated to Yousef that his bomb was capable of being deployed.
Yousef had also been responsible for a bomb detonating on Philippine Airlines flight 434, killing a Japanese passenger on board, and injuring others. These were dangerous men who had every intention of creating chaos with their plans.
Yousef and Murad would experiment with different chemical combinations in their flat using a cooking pot. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the compounds they used were liable to explode, fire, or create toxic vapours if misused.
The inevitable finally happened, the pair set fire to their apartment.
Aida Fariscal was told by officers that a fire in the area was just due to a couple of Pakistanis playing with fireworks. The Pope was soon to arrive in the city, so she was not ready to take any chances. Her inclination to follow her gut possibly saved thousands of lives as a result.
This incident occurred at about 10:40 p.m. on January 6, according to the police reports. The entire batch of chemicals the pair were working with ignited, with a subsequent fire spreading within the room.
The two men escaped along the corridor, but as they did so, smoke began to stream into the hall, raising the suspicions of the security guards on duty in the complex. One of the security guards, called Mariano, burst into the room to investigate, his eyes stinging from the smells.
When he went outside to try to apprehend the two guys, he discovered that the conspirators had vanished.
Meanwhile, a police station down the street, had received a call reporting a fire alarm and smoke coming from the top floor. The watch commander looked down the street to see if there was any sign of the blaze. Nothing looked out of place, but she still went ahead and sent an officer to investigate.
The officer returned to report the issue was simply a couple of Pakistanis playing with firecrackers. The commander didn’t buy it. The Pope was scheduled to visit Manila, so security was a high priority. Anything out of the ordinary needed attention, so the Commander went to investigate for herself.
On arrival to the Dona Josefa apartment building, the commander received an update from one of the doormen. He mentioned the occupants of the room containing the fire had fled the scene.
The commander went to observe the scene of the fire. The apartment was full of empty chemical containers, and different electrical components. It resembled the scenes of an action movie, the room was just too dangerous, so the group was ordered to return to the lobby.
Ramzi Youseff boarded PAL434, he assembled a bomb in the bathroom, and then placed it under his seat. Youseff then left the plane once it landed in Cebu. Later when the plane was en route to Tokyo, the bomb was detonated.
Bojinka Plot unravels: The downfall of Abdul Hakim Murad
Yousef realised he had forgotten to take his precious laptop from the building. This laptop contained all the plans and details for their Bojinka plot.
Meanwhile, the local police commander had been carrying out her inspection of the scene with her colleagues.
Yousef managed to persuade Murad to return to retrieve it, while he waited outside the apartment. Instead, Murad was arrested immediately on return to the apartment. He had been recognised as an occupant of the room by one of the doormen.
The entire burnt-out flat was scraped for evidence, including seizure of the laptop. The room was full of bomb making equipment along with an assortment of chemicals used in the process. On top of this there was a manual written in Arabic on how to make liquid bombs.
The Manila police, while analysing the seized laptop, discovered many of Yousefs shady manuals and files. Along with several of his identities and the dreaded Bojinka blueprint, which led to his arrest. The reason such an intelligent individual as Yousef would make the mistake of not appropriately encrypting his laptop remains a mystery – but there you have it: a sinister scheme found by chance.
The World Trade Center south tower burst into flames after being struck by hijacked United Airlines Flight 175 as the north tower burns following an earlier attack. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was a principal architect of the September 11 attacks, which followed his work on the Bojinka Plot.
Phase 2 – The bombing of multiple airliners
The pairs bombing campaign against the Pope had really been intended to conceal the second part of their mission. As a result of the information contained on the laptop seized in the Manila residence, this would never come to fruition.
There were at least five terrorists involved in the second phase of the attack, including Yousef, Murad, Shah, and two other unidentified individuals. They were to plant bombs on 11 United States-bound planes that made stopovers in various locations around East Asia and Southeast Asia.
Each flight would make a stopover where the terrorists would disembark, having already set the bombs during the subsequent flight. The planes would then blow up over the Pacific once the flight disembarks on the next leg of their journey.
If this plot had been successful, it would have resulted in the deaths of many thousand people and the cessation of air travel around the world.
If the scheme had been carried out, the United States authorities believed that 4,000 people would have died. Compare this to the 3,000 people killed in the United States during the September 11 attacks.
Ramzi Youseff was also involved in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. His intention was to destroy the foundation of one building, which would then cause it to knock down the second WTC building. All though this plan failed, the blast still killed 6 civilians and injured another 1,042.
Phase 3 – To fly a plane into the CIA Headquarters.
The third and last phase of the conspiracy was revealed by Abdul Hakim Murad when he was under investigation by the Philippine National Police. Phase 3 was an aerial attack.
Murad planned on either renting, purchasing, or hijacking a small aeroplane. The plane would be stuffed with bombs, of course. He would then crash it into the Central Intelligence Agency’s headquarters in the Langley district of Fairfax County, Virginia, killing everyone onboard. As a pilot, Murad had completed his training in North Carolina he was intent on becoming a suicide pilot.
According to journalists Marites Daguilan Vitug and Glenda M. Gloria, when Murad refused to speak during the interrogation, agents struck him with a chair and a club made of wood until he gave in.
They shoved water into his mouth using force while smashing out lit cigarettes on his testicles. Murad’s ribs had been thoroughly fractured and broken. The fact that he had lived astonished the agents. As reported by an investigator, he ultimately confessed after being threatened by a Mossad operative who pretended to be an Israeli intelligence agent and informed him of his imminent deportation to Israel.
In April 1995, the Philippines conveyed information about the Bojinka plan to the United States of America. A 23-day manhunt ended with Yousef’s capture in the Su-Casa guest house in Islamabad, Pakistan, on February 7, 1995.
Following a successful raid. In December 1995, Wali Khan Amin Shah, the financier of the operation, was apprehended in Malaysia. From there he was extradited to the United States.
As a result of their involvement in the scheme, all three conspirators were sentenced to life in prison. In addition to his life sentence for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, Yousef was sentenced to 240 years in prison for the attack.
It was decided that Yousef would be punished on January 8, 1998, and that Murad would be sentenced on May 16, 1998. Since August 1998, Shah has cooperated with the government on several projects, and was released in 2021. ALthough he was classed as a stateless person, so he has been indefintely detined while awaiting the deportation process..
When you review this plot, you can see that the world had a narrow escape. The planned events would have been the most devastating terrorist attack in history. Had the fire not broken out in the Manila apartment, and caught the attention of the watch commander Aida Fariscal, the plot would have gone ahead as planned.
The intuition of Aida lead to thousands of lives being saved, despite her heroic action she continued to live a humble life there in the capital of the Philippines.
The Chiong sisters case has been trending in the Philippines’ mainstream media for over 24 years. The case involves the murder of two sisters, which until now remains shrouded in mystery. Two years after the case was opened, seven young men were convicted of the crime.
Although, some things still do not add up.
Over the years, there has been substantial evidence suggesting these men were – or at least one – was not involved. On the other hand, the Chiong family still fights hard for the convicts to remain in prison.
So what happened to the Chiong sisters? Who were the people involved in the crime? Were the steps taken by the justice system justified?
Today, we will give you a brief overview of the Chiong sisters’ case and update you on the current situation. We will also discuss some controversies within the justice system and the families involved in the case.
Cebu City, a humble city found in the Visayas region of the Philippines, became the scene of a crime that would grip the nation
The story of the missing Chiong sisters: Marijoy and Jacqueline
It all started as an ordinary police report regarding Marijoy Chiong, who was 21 years old, and Jacqueline Chiong, who was 23. The Filipino-Chinese sisters were missing. Marijoy had arranged to meet Jacqueline after her shift at a local internet café, the pair were to then hang out at the Ayala Mall in Cebu City. The rest of the family were expecting them to be home by 10pm, but they never returned.
A campaign had begun to find the missing pair. Though, due to their age, the police did not at first take it seriously. It isn’t uncommon for people in their early twenties to be away from home for several days.
But, this case took a turn for the worse when a body was found
The police were contacted by Rudy Lasaga a local of Carcar City. He had found Marijoy’s body at the bottom of a ravine. The body was later taken for autopsy, only to find that Marijoy was gang-raped, and was believed to have still been alive before she was thrown to her death down into the ravine.
However, the body of Jacqueline was never found, even up until this date. The two sisters were last seen on the 16th of July 1997 which people believe is the same day that the sisters were murdered.
Sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong had their lives cut short. The sisters had planned to stay out at the mall one night but never returned. The incident has been shrouded in controversy ever since.
Suspects emerge
Despite little to no evidence, suspects for the case began to emerge.
This is where one of the key characters in the case comes into play, Pablo Labra II.
Although he was not the chief investigator for the case, he was tasked to look into the case. At the time, Libra was under intense scrutiny from the media and public to find who was responsible for the crime, so he began looking into police records.
Labra developed a list of suspects to be presented to the NBI. He eventually compiled a list of suspects, which he both presented to the NBI, and went onto investigate himself.
The prominent suspect, who gained the medias attention was Francisco Juan Larranaga who goes by the moniker “Paco”. He was known to police due to some fights, one in particular was reported to the police in 1995. This was recorded in a NBI database, which is what would eventually be used to find plausible suspects in the Chiong sisters case.
Paco also had a complaint against him which parallels the Chiong sisters case.
Rochelle Virtucio, a first year high school student of the University of San Carlos-Girls High School made a formal complaint regarding Paco to the school principal. As she was leaving the school with other classmates, a black Honda Civic pulled up beside the group. An individual identified as Paco got out of the car and attempted to kidnap Rochelle, though was unsuccessful.
Having a previous accusation of attempting to kidnap a young woman was not a good look in a case where he hass again been accused of kidnapping.
Francisco Juan “Paco” Larrañaga had forty-five witnesses including teachers and classmates testify that he was attending a culinary school in Manila during the time of the crime. This was dismissed due to the witnesses being perceived as friends of the accused.
Eventually seven young men were arrested and were set to face court as the accused of the kidnapping, rape, and disposal of Marijoy’s body.
Paco continued as the face of the accused. His mother was a part of the Osmena family, one of the elite families in Cebu. Although his family was not wealthy, being a part of the Osmena family, as well as his past convictions, made the public perceive him as a rich thug.
Despite the negative attention, Paco was still an asset to the defence. He had the strongest alibi of the group, the defence wanted to present this to illustrate the extent of flaws that can be founded within the case.
This foolproof plan did not work, we will explain why later in the article.
Paco, and the rest of the group were charged with murder. The court then changed the verdict to a death sentence by lethal injection on the 3rd of February 2004. However, the Philippine government abolished that law in 2006, and the lives of the seven guys were spared.
The Scions of Cebu begin their sentence.
Despite the contradicting stories, the group continued to claim they did not formerly know each other until they began their sentences.
Paco knew of Rowen Adlawan and Josman Aznar, but really had no connection to the pair. There were also the Uy brothers, James Andrew and James Anthony, then Ariel Balansag, Alberto ‘Pahak’ Caño and another local thug by the name of Davidson Rusia.
There had been an ongoing debate in court, newspapers, magazines, and the internet about whether the guys were innocent. Many believe that the justice system was unfair and corrupt, while others stood by the court’s decision that the guys should be imprisoned for life.
What do you believe?
Before you make your decision, let us first discuss the numerous inconsistencies surrounding the case.
Despite being a fformer gang member and convicted felon, Davidson Rusia was used as a state witness to testify against his fellow accused. The controversy continued when Davidson and Thelma Chiong began to see each other, even exchanging gifts despite Davidson making the claim of being involved with the abduction of her daughters.
The first major blow to the case came when one of the accused came forward and confessed to the crimes.
Davidson Rusia took the stand to outline the events leading to the death of the Chiong sisters. Rusia claimed that they snatched the sisters from outside the Ayala Center in Cebu. Forcing them into a car before driving away. He and the other six guys took the girls to a house, where they were raped. They then went and dumped the one body.
He spoke of how Jacqueline managed to break free from the group. But the men got back into the vehicle and begun following her, taunting her from inside the vehicle. The men eventually pulled her back inside, where Rowen beat her until she was unconscious. Later the group made their way back to Ayala Centre in Cebu where Rusia left the group, he claims because of this he did not know the where abouts of Jacqueline.
The Chiong Sister case has a strange turn of events
Rusia had accurately testified of where the body had been dumped, how the sisters had been restrained, and where the pair were abducted from. He also went as far as admitting he had joined in with the rape of the sisters, but did not take a part in the murder.
Despite his sickening recount of the events of that evening, the public still saw Rusia as a hero. He was even granted freedom while the rest of the six remained imprisoned.
Mrs. Chiong went as far as bringing gifts to Rusia after the testimony. Which seemed like a highly unusual gesture to some, as he had just admitted to being a part of the abduction, rape, and murder of her daughters.
Despite the unusual behaviour surrounding the case, many in the public maintained a positive view towards Rusia. Though, this was likely linked to many irrelevant factors. Rusia had lived in the United States, so he was very articulate, with a strong command of the English language. Many also found him attractive, which also began to sway public opinion.
Why did he come forward? Was it because the police offered him immunity, which allowed him to openly tell the story? Or was Rusia forced into his testimony due to some form of manipulation?
Many supporters of the convicted continued to point to inconsistencies in Rusia’s testimony. While Paco and Josman continued to maintain that they did not know Rusia prior to their conviction. It had come out that Rusia had a prior criminal conviction which should have eliminated him from being a witness in the case, but his testimony was upheld.
Rusia also admitted having been tortured by the police. Other detainees within the prison said they had witnessed his torture. But this still changed very little, as there were other witnesses who made statements backing parts of Rusia’s original testimony.
It was later revealed that all the witnesses used by the prosecution had been paid, which raises some very big question about the validity of the entire case.
Throughout the case, Francisco Juan “Paco” Larrañaga maintained his innocence. Despite this, and a plethora of evidence supporting his claim, he was still found guilty of the accusations.
Alternative theories continue to arise
The next theory will be based on the corrupt political landscape rife across Cebu at the time.
Dionisio Chiong was allegedly working for the controversial Cebu businessman Peter LIm, who has been repeatedly accused of being a prominent drug lord in the region.
Mr. Chiong had controlled many drug operations through Mr Lims trucking business, although Mr Chiong was fired from this position. Before the sisters went missing, Mr. Chiong was supposed to act as a witness in a drug case against his former employer. After the daughters went missing, he refused to witness against the unnamed drug lord. It was even alleged that the group of police who arrested Paco, were also employed by Peter Lim as bodyguards.
So, were Dionisio’s daughters’ lives used as a form of threat against him? Did this whole case stem from Peter Lim acting to maintain his freedom?
Some more extreme claims have been made that the sisters may still be alive. Social media detectives have allegedly found pictures of individuals who resemble the missing sisters, although these claims contain very little solid evidence.
The Judge presiding over the case, Martin Ocampo. He was found dead in the Waterfront Hotel, Lapu-Lapu. He was said to have been found with a suicide note saying he did not want to die of old age.
More holes found in the Chiong case
The family and lawyers of Paco could prove that he was in school taking a test on the 16th of July in Manilla. He didn’t travel back to Cebu until the 17th of July, arriving in the evening.
Some teachers and students were willing to take the stand as witnesses. There was even a picture of Paco with his friends going for drinks on the 16th of July, where his friend can confirm they stayed up the whole night drinking.
As mentioned earlier, the defence thought this was their key to freedom from the charges. Although, this confidence later proved to be futile.
In the Philippines, there is no jury. The judge decides the outcome of every case. Unfortunately, the strange behaviour continued with the Judge Martin Ocampo. This hindered this evidence, which favoured the case of the accused.
The Judge gave very little attention to case details, even dosing off at some points. He even went as answering question on behalf of Rusia when Rusia was being cross-examined. The judge, in this case, did not let the school witnesses take the stand, despite many of them being willing to testify in defence of Paco’s claims.
Mrs. Chiong also had power and awarded the policemen who sought justice for her daughter. Cheryl Jimenea, Mrs. Chiong’s sister, worked for, and was close to the president, Joseph Estrada. At this point, the President got involved and pushed for the case by adding more investigators.
More details of the key witness we spoke about earlier, Davidson Rusia began to emerge. This just added to the growing pile of shady behaviour surrounding the case.
Two years later, the judge issued the verdict that the seven boys were guilty and sentenced them to death. The six went to jail, but Rusia was set free.
Mrs. Chiong went ahead to fight for a death row seat, but it was not granted. The news reported that a hotel worker found the judge dead in his hotel room. The death was ruled a suicide. Years later, the justice system changed its verdict to sentence the boy to death row in February 2004. The Spanish government and the UN intervened after Paco’s family pleaded for their help.
The Philippine government abolished the death sentence in 2006. In October 2009, Paco was transferred to Spain to serve the rest of his sentence. He still applies for parole, but he will be 61 by the time he completes his sentence.
The other five were left to serve their sentences in the Philippines. Faeldon approved the parole of four of the guys, but he was later asked to step down by President Rodrigo Duterte. The Chiong family thanked the President, and the convicts were taken back to prison.
Now that you have the case summary, what are your views on the case? Do you think the guys were guilty, or did the justice system let them down?
It was the eve of March 17, 1957. An AC-47 Skytrain transport aircraft had just taken off from the island of Cebu in the Philippines. The aircraft, containing several high ranking officials began to encounter engine issues shortly after take off. Sadly these issues eventually leadthe aircraft eventually crashed back to the island, lhitting the slopes of Mount Manunggal.
Of the 26 occupants, 25 of them were killed. One of them being one of the most influential figures in the countries history – Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay Sr, or simply the President Ramon Magsaysay.
We will take a dive into the events and circumstances surrounding this event which shook the nation.
Magsaysay: A historical heavyweight
As a public figure, Magsaysay has reached an almost mythological level. He has become one of the countries key figures who played a part in the developement of the nation.
Magsaysay begun his political career in his home province of Zambales. Having been born in the Municipality of Iba on August 31, 1907. He was American-appointed military governor, filling the position in the wake of the Japanese occupation during World War II.
But his rise to prominence did not end there.
Magsaysay quickly gained a seat in the Philippines Congress, and later chaired the National Defence Committee. His progression continued by serving as the National Defense Secretary before being elected to the highest political office in the Philippines in November,1953. Then proceding to begin his four year term from December 30 of that year.
As President, Magsaysay served under the Nacionalista party. He was wildly popular at the time which lead manyto belive that he would go on to win re-election.
Magsaysay had one over his constituents. His popularity was linked to his sense of selflessness that was not common amongst the countries elites. He has a commitment to good leadership, as well as a willingness to engage with the people he was leading, to the point where he opened up Malacanang, welcoming common FIlipinos into the quarters.
Magsaysay also gained the attention of another prominent group in the country, the United States Armed Forces in the Far East. (USAFFE)
Magsaysay had an impressive resume when it came to his involvement with armed conflict in the country. During the countries invasion by the Japanese, Magsaysay had been a prominent guerilla leader. He was also a successful anti-communist crusader, working against the Huk peasant rebels in Central Luzon. Magsaysays outlook resonated with the Americans which made him very popular with the USAFFE.
Magsaysays final moments…
On March 16, 1957 President Magsaysay flew into Cebu City. He was there to carry out various speaking engagements and attend a series of events throughout the day.
He began with a talk at a convention of USAFFE veterans before moving on to the University of the Visayas. He then went on to attend the Southwestern College and University of San Carlos.. That evening he attended a party at the home of the Vebu City mayor Sergio Omena Jr.
After a long day of fullfilling his public duties, Magsaysay made his way to Lahug Airport, then boarding his plane shortly before midnight. He was sent off by a small group including the mayors father, and former President Sergio Osmena.
Aboard the official presidential plane – Mt. Pinatubo
The Plane the President boarded was named Mt. Pinatubo. At the time, this long inactive volcano was the tallest mountain in Magsaysay’s province of Zambales. The plane was a new purchase, and had logged no more than 100 hours of flight time.
The Douglas C-47A-75-DL, fitted with newly reconditioned twin engines was operated by the Philippine Air force. That night it was operated by a crew of five, who were all Philippine Air Force officers lead by Major Florencio Pobre.
At 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 17, the aircraft left from Lahug Airport to begin its 640 kilometer journey. The plane was heading for NIchols FIeld, a U.S. Military airfield situated to the south of Manila in the regions of Paranaque and Pasay
The evening was relatively quiet, the sky was covered with low unbroken cloud cover, lit by a bright moon. Witnesses in the area reported that the plane seemed to have not gained enough altitude as it approached the mountain ranges of Balamban.
Shortly after take-off the plane radioed the official residence of the President, Malacañang Palace. They arranged for the President to be picked up from Nichols Field at around 3:15 a.m. This was the last line of communication anyone received from the plane.
Disaster strikes
After take off, it was relatively quiet inside the plane. There was a little small talk, but because it was late at night, most on board were settling in to sleep throughout the journey. The journalist Nestor Mata spoke of the plane having a relatively smooth take off. Once the plane had settled He too had begun to fall asleep.
Suddenly the planes lights began to flash. There was an aggressive jolt, and the plane began to fall. It felt as if they were going down a bottomless pit. The plane came crashing back down towards the island of Cebu. Tragically all on board were killed besides Nestor Mata.
Back at Nichols Field concerns were raised once Magsaysay’s plane failed to arrive on schedule. The Magsaysay family including the First Lady Luz Magsaysay were informed that the plane had not arrived back in Manila earlier that morning.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines had begun as all-out air and sea search. These efforts were bolstered by assisstance from the United States Navy and Air Force. The search whise primarily focused around the oceans as the majorty of the flight path to Manila would have been over the ocean.
The search for Raymon Magsaysay and his team
Thenews of the Presidents plane not returning quickly spread throughout Manila. Most immediately assumed the worst, and began to mourn the passing of the President.
By mid-afternoon of March 17, an official in Cebu had some news on themissing craft. It had crashed on the slopes of Mount Manunggal in the municipality of Balamban, this was about 22 miles north west of Cebu City.
Residents within the area had heard the crash early that morning later discovering the burnt wreckage of the plane. One of those residents known as Francisco later gave an account of what happened. At the time he was 20 years old, he was up late that night with his father Marcelino as they were selling ampalya at the local market in the barangay Binaliw in Cebu City.
The pair had heard the crash, and immediately knew by the sound that something wasn’t right. FIve hours later, Marcelino went on to be the first to find the wreckage upon Mount Manunggal.
The aftermath
Amongst the rubble was the lone survivor – Nestor Mata. He had survived the impact, but he was still not in good shape, as he had been severly burnt after theimpact. His face was badly burnt, and the skin from his arms had been burnt away as well.
After the crash site had been discovered, military rescuers quickly made their way to the scene. The body of Magsaysay was identified by his brothe, Jesus, who had flown to the scene in a helicopterr. He was identified primarily due to the wrist watch he was wearing, though this was later confirmed by dental records.
Once the body had been identified, the formalities to swear in a successor immediately begun.
The Vice President, Carlos P. Garcia, had been attending a SEATO conference in Australia at the time. Once hearing of the tragedy he immediately made his way back to Manila, heading directly to the Malacanang Palace. There he met with the Chief Justice Ricardo Paras who swore him in as the 8th President of the Philippines.
The long survivor Nestor Mata went onto live until he was 92 years old. He passed away of April 12, 2018 after a 60 year career working as an editor and columnist for several publications. He often recalled of how that night they finished their tour throughout Cebu quite late, so the President had received several invitations to stay over night, One of these came from the Mayor himself, Sergio Osmena Jr. But, the President turned down the invitations, stating he an meeting early the next morning at Malacanang Palace.
In the wake of the crash some began to speculate that the crash had been caused by sabotage. Due to Magsaysay’s background, there were some who may have wanted him dead. He begun his rise to prominence as the Secretary of Defence during the Quirino administration. He led the fight against the communist inspired insurgency of the Hukbalahap movement. Though after the investigation no evidence was found to indicate any sabotage.
More clarification on the cause of the crash came on April 27, 1957. The chief of the Philippine constabulary, General Manuel F. Cabal testified before a Senate Committee. The cause was believed to have been linked to metal fatigue. A spindle inside the right engine carburator had snapped, This means they lost power to the engine causing the plane to lose altitude shortly after take off.
The reverberations from the death of the President was felt for a longtime after the incident. As election day came several months after the incident, every presidential and congressional candidate was trying to associate themselves with the late President.
The incumbent President Carlos P. Garcia began using the slogan “keep faith with Magsaysay!”. While the Liberal opposition began proclaiming that Magsaysay was one of theirs. Which had some truth, although he did later leave the party to later join the Nationalistas.
An estimated two million people attended Magsaysay’s burial on March 22, 1957 at the Manila North Cemetery, a statue was installed in Balamban, Cebu as a tribute to the late President.
Two battle-scarred gladiators enter the arena, surrounded by tens of thousands of bloodthirsty spectators anticipating a gory battle.
They were both past their prime. But, they either had to choose to go to war. or to step back from battle and be vilified by the public, who were hungry for the spectacle.
They both chose to fight… to fight to the end – even if it meant their life. They were exhausted, not in their peak form, but they must wage a bitter battle. For their pride and honour, and how people will remember them. as these two warriors were about to step into the greatest sporting spectacles of all time.
Who are these Warriors? Why did the world stop to watch these two men in the arena?
The Ali vs. Frazier Trilogy
To set the stage, it was October 1, 1975.
It was a battle between two iconic professional boxers of the time. Muhammad Ali and Smokin’ Joe Frazier. The two icons were set to face off in the oven-hot boxing ring, at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila. It was held nearly a half-century ago, but is still heralded as the most legendary boxing match in history.
It remains a coffee shop issue to this day and it retains the distinction of being one of the most talked about fights of the last 100 years. Fans still talk of what might have been if Fraziers trainer didn’t throw in the towel late in the 14th round. If only they had known Ali was also moments from surrender, boxing history could have been very different.
Either way the result went, the fight was a monstrosity that legally sanctioned professional boxing had permitted to take place. It was a comfronting display of brutality broadcast to the public.
Marcos brings the fight to the Philippines
t was a pivotal chance of a lifetime that was given them both, and they both could not let it pass. The pair had faced off in two previous tournaments, with both Ali and Frazier achieving a win. It was now time for their trilogy match to see who was the greatest.
It was also an opportunity for the dictator President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos. He wanted to show the world how great the Philippines. That we are capable of staging a great fight that will be shown to the world live! Marcos had just declared Martial Law on the islands and he wanted to show the world that all is well.
The country was struck by poverty and corruption. There was a constant push back against his grip on power from workers unions and communict groups. There was also a growing Muslim insurgency in the south who were gaining influence. Despite the chaos surrounding his Presidency, Marcos still need a way to signify he was in control.
Marcos had a lot to gain from this event. Motivating him to cover the events expences, as well as the extravagent fight purses for the fighters. The fight promoter Don King, known for his preference for advertising his fights in the same manner of a cricus promotion, of course heeded the call of the dictator to have the fight staged in Manila.
On that day, the heat was searing hot outside the Araneta Coliseum before both fighters entered their assigned preparation rooms. It was even hotter inside the boxing ring, packed with 36,000 fight fans despite the Coliseums 25,000 seat capacity. The air-conditioning system simply can’t keep up with the heat emanating from the jam-packed arena which was beyond capacity. It was broadcasted to 68 countries worldwide. The event begun 10 am in order that the prime time audience in the US and elsewhere in the western world will be maximized.
But by that point there were very few things which could stop this fight. The show must go on. Both fighters wanted to prove something. Both fighters had an outstanding career by that point. It had come to a point where Ali and Frazier were both seen as equals, so it was time to settle the score. But still, both fighters took home a healthy purse. Ali earned $4.5 million or 43 percent of the gross and Frazier got $2 million against 22 percent of the gross, whichever is higher.
The first bout, billed as The Fight of the Century, was held on March 8, 1971. It was a full and exhausting drama which consumed 15 complete rounds at the Madison Square Garden in New York City. This fight was surrounded by drama. coming from Ali’s refusal to take part in the Vietnam war, the fight for civil rights, and his relentless sledging directed at Frazier.
The controversy surrounding the fight meant that it caught people attention, and lots of it. By fight night, it became evident the event was going to live up to its name. There were more celebrities watching the battle in the Garden than your average Barbra Streisand concert.
Even Frank Sinatra obliged to take photographs for Life Magazine in order to have the privilege of watching the fight up close. Diana Ross, wanting a better view of the spectacle tried to insert herself in the press section. Security found out and had to return her to her original seat. Frazier won on unanimous decision from the judges, after he managed to take advantage of Ali’s fatigue and score a knockdown with a left hook to Ali’s jaw.
The saga continues: Super Fight II
The second bout, called Super Fight II, was waged nearly three years later. Held on January 28,1974, again at Madison Square Garden. There was no boxing title to gain, just pure pride and honor. During this round, Ali did what he did best, clinch. As during the bout Frazier found himself in the clinch of Ali an incredible 133 times. This annoying habit made Ali irritating to look at, but it paid off numerous times, giving him victory due maybe to his opponents’ annoyance or from pure exhaustion from the clinching.
This time, Ali won in 12 rounds by unanimous decision. It was a controversial one, but his frequent clinching and grabbing definitely did the trick.
Both Ali and Frazier could not walk away from their rivalry. The previously undefeated pair were now tied in a draw after their two fights. The boxers now wanted to determine who was the greatest. They were more driven than ever to crush each other in the third and final battle. And that Manila opportunity came crashing in to their front doors.
Ali himself was more boastful than ever because just one year before the Manila fight, he demolished George Foreman in Zaire, Africa. It was an achievement for Ali that made him emerge again in the eyes of the boxing community. But for Smokin’ Joe, all he wanted was to push Ali back into his cave and roll a boulder tover the entrance.
But Ali has a mocking answer to Frazier’s primal and primitive man fantasies. Before the Manila gig, he rhymed and chimed like a hip hop star: A killa and a thrilla and a chills, when I get that gorilla in Manila!
The sensational news loving public and Don King, the promoter were so amused by this insulting chant that King made it the advertising title of the third fight of the Ali-Frazier Trilogy – Thrilla in Manila. For all we know, Don King was reincarnated from a performing carnival gorilla.
Joe Frazier was bitter going into the fight. He resented that Ali never acknowledged him and appreciated his support when Ali was publicly ridiculed when he vehemently objected to the involvement of the US in the Vietnam War. At that time, the world regarded Ali as an outcast, a religious extremist who was both politically and morally poisonous, and a boxer who was not worth his salt anymore. Frazier was one of the few people who publicly supported Ali, and Ali never came out in the open or even called Frazier to show his gratitude.
Then came fight day. Ali showed up one hour early at the coliseum one hour early with his brother Rahaman. It was 9 in the morning and he wanted to show the world that he was up and ready to defend his title. Ali was not his smiling self because it was searing hot outside. But it was nothing compared to the oven toaster inside the boxing ring later.
And the fight was on. Momentum was never on one side for a long time. It swung back and forth. It was so violent and hard fought that at one point, even their blood spattered on Imelda Marcos, the wife of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. One brutal Smokin’ Joe punch threw Ali’s mouthpiece out spiraling into the fifth row, but Ali still stood upright.
Frazier was also able to deliver an effective right hook into Ali in the second round even though Ali was covering his face with his gloves. But by the fourth round, both stood shoulder to shoulder in the judges’ scorecards.
In the middle rounds, Ali was slowly catching up, his stamina did not seem to be waining. Ali is one of the few boxers known to endure a tirade of brutal blows in the ring, then still emerge victorious in the end.
Photographers surrounded the ring capturing every moment, as the drama played out. Sweat can be seen flying from Frazier as Ali connects with a flying right.
Ali again makes brutal contact with Frazier with an effective right punch to the top of his head in the 13th round. This time, Ali is gaining momentum. But on the insides both men know they are nearing their limits.
The critical 14th round finally begun. Ali’s doctor Ferdie Pacheco commented on how it was the closest he had seen two people near to death. Though the duo continued to fight each other for survival.
Then came the pause for the 15th round. In his corner, Frazier was having issues with blurry vision in his left eye. It had swollen shut and his face was drenched in blood. Frazier wanted to continue with the fight and was on his feet for the 15th round, but his trainer Eddie Futch could not let him go on. Futch shouted at the Filipino referee, Carlos Padilla, to stop the fight.
The third fight of the trilogywas handed to Ali. This was shrouded with controversy up to this day.
Not everyone believed that it was only Futch’s call to stop the fight that arrived at the ears of Padilla, the referee, and the judges. Ali himself wanted to quit the fight. An Ali cornerman alleges that he overheard Ali telling Angelo Dundee, his trainer, to “cut them gloves off!” But it was never authenticated.
But the truth is, sports photographers caught on camera Ali sprawled on the ground in his corner,. visibly unconscious, after the 14th round, after he fell off his chair.
But shortly after that, photographers also took shots of Ali in the middle of the ring. He was surrounded by his trainers, handlers and doctors after he was proclaimed the winner of the third and final fight of The Trilogy.
After this real-life drama, both Ali and Frazier were never their old formidable self in the ring. They both retired within a week of each other in 1981.
Ali was coming off two straight losses inflicted by Larry Holmes and Trevor Berbick. Frazier only fought twice after the Manila stint, stopped by George Foreman in 1976 and drew with the unknown Floyd Cummings over 10 rounds.
The Thrilla in Manila manslaughter did earn both legendary fighters the respect that they yearned for, but it made their health deteriorate and it eventually ended their ring careers.
In the middle of June 1991, Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines, was rocked by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo.
After 500 years of lying dormant, this sleeping giant began to show signs of stirring in April of that year, as it sent out large puffs of steam. Until a few years previously, nobody had even suspected it was still active. So when it finally – and spectacularly – erupted in 1991 it took everyone by surprise. Although earthquake monitoring in the region had, thankfully, alerted scientists to the possibility of volcanic activity.
The blast itself was recorded as the second largest of the 20th century, second only to the Novarupta in Alaska in 1912, ten times larger than Mount St Helen’s.
The End Of The World?
Over time, more than a million people had settled on the lush green slopes of Mount Pinatubo, with villages and settlements spread evenly across the area, including Clark Air Base, the largest US base in the Philippines. Once it had been realised that an eruption was imminent, danger zones were designated and those who were within 10 km of the volcano were advised to take action, with nearly 500,000 people evacuated.
Typhoon Yunya – which would have caused enough problems of its own – hit the island at the same time. The two combined events had a devastating effect, not only on the local area, but also around the planet. Those who lived on Luzon would have been forgiven for thinking that their world was coming to an end.
The eruptions started properly in the early hours of June 12, 1991, followed by more massive blasts lasting around thirty minutes that sent columns of ash 19 kilometres into the air. The resulting pyroclastic flow reached as far as four kilometres from the summit.
This, however, was merely an overture to what was to follow.
The next couple of days saw a series of smaller and larger blasts, lasting between three and fifteen minutes, with massive columns of ash attracting huge bolts of lightening due to the immense friction. Seismic activity all pointed towards a devastating crescendo.
At 13:42 local time, an eruption lasting three hours shook the island with multiple earthquakes as the top of Mount Pinatubo collapsed on itself, creating a caldera 2.5 km wide, lowering the summit by around 260 meters. The pyroclastic flow stretched out an extra two kilometres beyond the point it had reached a few days previously.
It was at this point that Typhoon Yunya hit the island, which, combined with the ash clouds, brought complete darkness to the island for about 36 hours. The ash column from Pinatubo at this time had reached as high as 34 km, and it is estimated that the cloud covered an area of about 125,000 square kilometres.
A haunting photo of a vehicle escaping the possibility of engulfment by the ash cloud created by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption.
The Aftermath
In spite of the relatively large island population, as well as the fact that Mount Pinutabo had only recently been discovered to be active, the death toll was surprisingly low. The successful evacuation procedure was undoubtedly responsible for saving thousands of lives.
The official death toll was listed as 847, and the majority of these were victims of the combined force of the typhoon rains mixing with the volcanic ash.
The resulting mixture fell on a wide area, blanketing whole towns and cities. An area of about 7,500 km was completely covered in a layer at least 1 cm thick. Up to 9 km away, houses were coated in a concrete-like mix of rain and ash. Houses unfortunate enough to have a long roof span were unable to take the weight. Victims of the collapsing roofs made up a significant proportion of the death toll.
Aside from the deadly pyroclastic flow that swept down the slopes at great speed, another type of event caused further damage to the local area.
Lahars are huge, fast-flowing walls of mud and debris that can cause massive amounts of destruction, choking river valleys and destroying infrastructure. The 1991 eruptions at Pinutabo deposited approximately 5 cubic kilometres of rock fragments and ash on the slopes. During the next four rainy seasons following the 1991 eruption, lahars became a real problem, causing widespread damage. The problem had been worsened by the fact that the slopes were now bare, completely stripped of the vegetation that had been destroyed by the ash and lava.
Reforestation projects were continually hampered by lahars, with over 14,000 hectares of seedlings or newly established forests being swamped by mud and debris.
Ash proved to be a problem, with more than 96,000 hectares of agricultural land severely affected. Around 800,000 head of livestock and poultry was lost, depriving thousands of farmers of their livelihoods. The cost to farming was estimated at the time to be around $52 million, rising to $107 million by the close of 1992.
Agriculture was by no means the only casualty. Infrastructure, communications, power, water, and transport all faced serious problems, with an estimated $142 million worth of damage. Over 8,000 houses were completely destroyed, with another 73,000 sustaining structural damage. Approximately 1.2 million people were made homeless. Bridges and roads were buried or wiped out entirely, and Manilla airport was closed.
At least sixteen aircraft suffered from the effects of ash, with countless others being damaged by sulfur deposits, causing millions of dollars worth of damage.
A DC10 plane fell towards its tail due to the weight of wet volcanic ash on the back of the place. Source – R L Rieger, U.S. Navy, Public Domain.
Global impact of Mount Pinatubo
The effects were not, however, limited to Luzon and the Philipines.
The volcano’s plume reached up into the stratosphere, where it left 15 million tons of sulfur dioxide. The effect of this was twofold, bringing both a drop in average global temperatures of up to 1 degree F (0.6 degrees C) for two years as well as a rise in the stratospheric temperature which may have contributed to severe storm systems over a period of three years.
Rainfall patterns over Asia were disrupted and ozone levels in the southern hemisphere were dramatically decreased It is safe to say that this eruption, though relatively few lives were lost, touched the whole world.
Talismans – what comes to mind when we think of these objects? Many people believe that these objects hold some sort of magical power, offering good luck and even protection to its possessor.
One group in the Philippines named the Haring Bakal or Iron King has taken the use of talismans or anting-anting to another level. The controversial group is known to rob graves to obtain human body parts which will be used as talismans to gain invisibility powers. But, we’ll get back to that later.
The foundations for the groups are said to have been established in Mindanao in the late 1800s by Dodong Aquilino Lagari Gulang although there are no strong records backing this claim. Though the group labelled both a cult and militia movement began to gain the most traction in the 1970s during the martial law era.
Operations of the Haring Bakal
The Haring Bakal are mostly known for several unusual practices within the organisation. It is common for members to claim they have the ability to ward off bullets and knives. These claims have actually helped increase membership, especially amongst police and military personnel whose lives are often under threat from these attacks.
For those of you who are keen to gain these bullet repelling powers, becoming a member isn’t as simple as you may think. First, to gain membership, you must receive a blessing. This blessing involves being hit by the blunt side of a bolo or sword in several parts of your body.
The number of strikes you receive determines your ranking within the Haring Bakal. Initially, members will receive 6 strikes, though to move up the hierarchy and gain more powers, members will need to receive more strikes across their body including the back and sides of the neck.
So, as you can see Haring Bakal is not an easy organisation to join. On top of the initiation ritual, the organisation still requires potential members to submit an NBI police, and barangay clearance, as well as an assessment of the potential member’s intentions.
This is because the organisation requires its members to follow a strict code of ethics. Members are required to protect and serve the community, not to cause harm. People found violating these principals are expelled from the group.
Many members expelled from the group have gone on to start their own groups still utilising the same principals of the Haring Bakal. There are now many different community crime-fighting groups throughout the Philippines which have defended from the Haring Bakal.
A typical blessing carried out for new members of the Haring Bakal. Source – Haring Bakal Org
The power of the talisman
The members of Haring bakal make use of various kind of talismans to achieve their powers. Some members will simply receive a prayer they can repeat daily, as well as pieces of clothing with sacred words or prayers of protection written on the clothing.
Another practice amongst the Haring Bakal which has garnered them some notoriety is their practice of robbing graves. That’s right, members will dig up graves to find body parts of the deceased which can be used as a talisman. The members will call out the name of the deceased during their prayers calling for their protection.
So, just how powerful are these talismans?
To display the power of these amulets in action we can look to the case of Rolando Sabayon. Sabayon went out one afternoon with some associates for a drinking session.
Over the course of the afternoon, Sabayon became intoxicated and began to brag about the powers he received from his amulet and his association with the Haring Bakal. Feeling confident, Sabayon went on to challenge everyone in the village to fight him.
Eventually, Sabayons associates left him, while Sabayon went to settle down and sleep in a shed nearby. Not long after an unidentified individual found Sabayon, cut his neck, and decapitated him.
This shows the true power of the amulet. True believers in its power gain the confidence to face their fears and speak out to potential threats. But the fact is, like Sabayon, the holders of the talismans are still as vulnerable as everybody else, and as we can see don’t give you the powers to ward off knives
Moro miltias often found themselves in conflict with the government backed founder of the Haring Bakal -Feliciano Luces.
So where did the Haring Bakal come from?
To learn about the foundations of the Haring Bakal we need to go back to the 1970s. During this time the late President Ferdinand Marcos was known to aid in the formation of civilian militias. This was especially rampant during the martial law era of the Philippines.
These civilian militias became quite prevalent in rural areas during the time, as they had been utilised to fight groups such as the Huks after the Philippines achieved independence.
They were utilised to fight against insurgency operations carried out by communist and Muslim rebels. Though, these militias were often used as an instrument to exercise power over the local civilian populations.
The story began with a man named Feliciano Luces, who went on to assume the name “Commander Toothpick”. Coming from Pikit near Cotabato in Mindanao, Luces built a reputation for being a ruthless fighter while in hand to hand combat against the Muslim insurgency in Mindanao.
Luces and his followers known as the Ilaga gained the backing of President Ferdinand Marcos, as they were useful for maintaining the Presidents desired status quo. They maintained their reputation by continuing to carry out daring exploits which were essentially massacres of the Moro rebels in Maguindanao and North Cotabato.
The link to the Haring Bakal
Commander toothpick was feared because it was claimed that he had been invincible to his enemies. Despite the amount of death caused by Luces and the Ilaga, the group acted with impunity due to their affiliation with President Marcos.
As complaints about his abuse of the Moro people began to mount, Luces continued to evade any conflict with the police, which continued to build the legend behind the commander.
To this day loyal followers try to obtain a piece of the late commander’s skeleton to be used as an amulet. The commanders grave has been moved repeatedly due to many burglary attempts, as followers try to share in the powers their progenitors of the group were perceived to possess.
An amazing discovery took place when Philippine researchers unearthed new fossil evidence of our ancestors. Similar early humans in the area have been dubbed the ‘Hobbits’ due to their smaller stature. This discovery is called Homo Luzonensis, as the discovery took place on the island of Luzon within one of the remarkable caves found there.
While just a handful of bones were discovered when digging, they were found 3 meters deep in a bone pit within the Callao cave. The evidence bought by the analysis of 13 new pieces of Philippine fossil remains is now linking this to the Homo erectus. Displayed fossils include teeth, hand and foot bones, as well as part of a femur. This new species scientists believe may have crossed the sea to the Island of Luzon.
Furthermore, they have determined that these bones are from a female that was just 3 feet tall. The researcher Florent Détroit believes this new species evolved as a result of a form of island dwarfism. Given that the discovery is fairly recent, the bones are estimated to be 50,000 years old. Much of the bone and tooth study has revealed shocking features about our ancestors.
A curved toe bone indicated that these smaller hobbit-like hominids could climb trees. Other evidence shows that teeth have traits that are very similar to humans. Though these teeth were much smaller, the roots found in the premolars had two or three roots. Much like modern humankind, their root system was highly developed. Researchers are still uncovering clues about their early life.
Who discovered Luzonensis?
While this discovery is beginning to reveal more about this pygmy-archaic human, it’s not the first of it’s kind. Two archaeologists back in 2007 were the very first to discover Luzonensis in the very same cave. The efforts of Armand Mijares and Philip J. Piper are to be credited in finding them buried over three metres underground.
These small dwarf hominids were estimated to have lived on the island in the Late Pleistocene period. This can be dated as far back to a geologic period 11,700 years ago. It’s further hypothesized that at that time, the sea levels were lower in the Philippine Islands. The ancestors of H. Luzonensis would have used a passage route called the Huxley line.
A map of the lines which separate those land areas which were not connected with each other at lower sea levels during the Ice Age. Which begs the question of how our early human ancestors crossed the Huxley line to enter what is now known as the Philippines. Source – Britannica
Also found within the cave were an extraordinary amount of bone fragments belonging to the Philippine deer. This further supports the evidence that deer bodies were dragged into the cave to be eaten. Ancient tool fragments show that bones of the deer were used as well. 90% of the bone fragments recovered from within the north Luzon cave were all deer.
That wasn’t the only discovery that the two archaeologists had found. It seems that the Philippine warty pig and a now-extinct bovid were also among the other bones discovered there. Still, the biggest news that rocked the Philippine scientific community hadn’t been revealed yet. Through the efforts of the French anthropologist Florent Détroit, it wasn’t until 2010 that these bones were linked to humans.
What is the oldest human fossil found in the Philippines?
There is one more discovery that does deserve to be noted since the early evolution of mankind dates back further. Discovered within the Tabon Caves by an American anthropologist on May 28, 1962, revealed the Tabon Man. This incredible find yielded skull fragments of a female and jawbone fragments from others.
These bone fragments are believed to be the oldest types of human remains that have been discovered in the Philippines. These have been dated as far back as 16,500 years ago! The Tabon caves located along the west coast of Palawan, also revealed later that this location served as an ancient factory. The evidence is shocking about what the researcher had found.
This stone-age factory as it appears had four separate working levels within the main chamber. The remains of waste core flakes littered on the floors revealed this evidence. Both finished and unfinished stone flake tools were also found within the cave. Three fire piles further showed that these early humans used charcoal to keep warm and have some light.
The Tabon bones were determined to be a pre-Mongoliod through the study of anthropologists. Although the jawbone fragments were identified later by two experts to be distinctly Australian in shape. This could suggest that the female skullcap that was found in 1962 is closer to the Tasmanian or Ainu people. Further shedding light on the evolution of the Philippine people.
Excavations of the Tabon Cave underway during the 1960s.
Ancient people also used boats?
It is also suggested by modern anthropologists that the migration waves occuring over 50,000 years ago were increasing. Among many theories presented, such as the ‘Out of Taiwan’ model that was first presented by Peter Bellwood. He suggests that the first Austronesians reached the Philippines around 2200 BC, coming from Taiwan.
Another theory gives a different twist. The modern ‘Out of Sundaland’ theory relies on the last ice age data that proposes that ancient people used routes. Specifically, areas including Sumatra, Borneo, Java, and the Malay Peninsula all had migrants who wandered through the Philippine Islands. And still, the issue is highly debated for lack of proof other than bones that have been found.
One solid link to the fossils that have been discussed, leading to the northern Luzon ancestry seems to be Negrito. This branch of Philippine ancestry fits in with the Australo-Melenesian groups that arrive in the Paleolithic period. For the most part, compared to modern humans in the Philippines today, the link is unmistakable. It further shows how evolution is truly adapting to the local habitat we live in.
What will they uncover next?
Eager archaeologists are still at work in the caves of Luzon and may have further human discoveries to announce. While these are smaller steps in mapping out the history of humans in the Philippines, it’s still big news. Now, let’s just see what comes out of the Luzon caves next?
To say the Philippines has been the host to several armed conflicts is a massive understatement. For as long as the nation has existed, it has been engaged in conflicts with various groups pushing their respective ideologies, while others essentially engage in the activities of bandits and terrorists.
There is not much information about such conflicts, especially among the international community. However, the Philippines’ Communist Rebellion could be considered as one of Asia’s longer insurgencies.
The insurgency started in 1969, with the creation of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). It is still active today and has organised various attacks throughout the country, leaving a trail of casualties along the way.
The movement, at times, has succeeded in weakening the Philippine government. Government forces have been unable to control some areas of the country in which the communist rebellion has become deeply ingrained.
Not only that, with more than 50 years of conflict, the government, and the succession of six presidents are still unable to come to peace terms with the rebels. With little information about this insurgency, the different roles and actors involved, it could be hard to get objective information on the subject.
To form an opinion and get some facts, it is essential to understand the aims and some key phases of this rebellion to construct a clear picture of today’s Philippines Government and its political situation.
To make things easier, here is an essential guide on everything you need to know about this long-lasting rebellion.
Prof. Jose Maria Sison delivers a lecture on the Philippine crisis and revolution at the Asian Studies Center of the University of the Philippines in 1986. Source – josemariasison.org
When did everything start? The role of Joma Sison in the NPA
In the late 1960s, the CPP decided to establish an armed wing to overthrow the government through guerilla warfare, to reach the goal of creating a new government with middle-class members at the top and no foreign intervention.
Jose Maria Sison, known as Joma Sison was the head of the armed insurgency and his writings are the most detailed in documenting the activity of guerrilla warfare. The New People’s Army rapidly grew during the first years of the revolution.
The country was, in fact, impoverished and led by many incapable leaders. That’s why many Filipinos welcomed warmly the ideals of the insurgency quite promptly. Many went on to join the army as volunteers.
The success of the NPA resulted in the fact that the CPP did analyze the circumstances of many of the Filipino people at the time and found the basic problems in bureaucrat capitalism, feudalism, and imperialism. By offering a different government and promising another type of government, the values and ideals of the CCP were particularly appealing to many.
The first act of insurgency took place in 1971 when NPA militants threw grenades during a Liberal Party Rally in the capital, Manila.
The act killed 9 people and injured 95 others. It was the beginning of a long struggle. Since then, the NPA has been involved in killings, kidnapping and various bombings throughout the country. It is estimated that the communist rebellion has caused the death of about 40,000 people, both fighters and civilians.
In 1972 the country was declared to be under Martial Law by President Ferdinand Marcos.
During those years, the NPA was opposing the regime and experienced its biggest expansions. It also received help from the Chinese government who provided support up until 1976, the NPA actually began distancing themselves from China after the country underwent market reforms, the NPA didn’t see the country as being true “Maoists”.
The rebellious were able to support their operations through extortion and funds from the collection of “revolutionary taxes” as well as many foreign support campaigns. The so-called revolutionary taxes refer to taxes paid by businesses that are forced by the rebels to pay to avoid being attacked.
It was in 1973 that the National Democratic Front of the Philippines was formed to serve the organisation and represent the communist groups in politics.
Today, the leader, poet, writer, and politician Joma Sison is on a voluntary exile in the Netherlands together with other senior figures who are directing the Communist party and its operations from abroad.
The idea of the CPP is to establish a new democratic state in the country that would be led by the local working class and freed from the US influence that is still present in the Philippines today’s politics. The group itself has been inspired by the armed struggle developed in China after the Maoist movement.
Mao Zedong with Henry Kissinger. The CPP–NPA–NDF is loyal to the teachings of Chairman Mao to the point of criticising the modern-day Chinese Communist party for straying from the Maoist ideology. Source – Wikipedia.org
The Splitting of the New People’s Army
It was during the 1980s when thousands of volunteers joined the rebellion. The repressive government of Marcos fell and was replaced by Cory Aquino’s administration.
However, during this period, the organisation split into two different factions by 1992: one led by Maoist principles and with Joma Sison as its leader, seeking a reconciliation with the system; while the other faction supported the need for larger military units and believed in continuing the armed struggle as the only means to gain power.
This weakened the guerilla group, that was hit by several battles, surrenders, and failed attacks. Slowly but effectively, the rebellious group regained its strength, with the emergence of the more “moderate” faction as the winning one.
Even though during the years, the government has tried to weaken and control the organisation, it has yet been able to destroy it. Today, the NPA is considered a terrorist organisation and a threat to the safety of the country.
Attempts to Crush The Rebellion
President Rodrigo Duterte has claimed that he will end the rebellion, no matter the means. Such a promise was made by numerous leaders of the country before him and never kept.
Gloria Arroyo promised to fight and to crush the group in 3 years, but at the end of her mandate, the guerilla fighters were far from being overthrown, and she ended up in jail with the accusation of stealing goods using force in time of civil disorder.
So far, the Communist Party of the Philippines has survived through one dictatorship and five presidents but has never politically controlled any region, province nor city. The rebellion’s base consists of remote forests and mountains scattered around the country.
Today the rebellion seems to show signs of decline, with a dramatic reduction in army members, from more than 20,000 to the current 4,000. However, it remains a serious threat to the country. Even if the situation is often neglected by the international community, the Filipino people are directly affected by the conflict.
The Island Of Samar
Since the start of the rebellion, the strongest base of the NPA wing is considered to be Samar, a small island hosting 2% of the total country’s population and 5% of Philippines’s territory. The majority of the attacks do take place on the island, which is a mountainous region, perfect for hiding and for organising the guerilla warfare.
Indeed, one of the most relevant factors that helped the spread of the rebellion was the landlessness.
As millions of Philippine farmers did not own their land. In Samar, less than 40 clans controlled half of the island’s land, and the working class in that area was more willing to accept the measures proposed by the NPA.
Additionally, the Island is historically very important to the cause as it was the one part of the country that most strongly opposed the American Commonwealth, the ruling of Spain and the occupation by Japan.
What About Peace?
The truth is that during the past 30 years, 6 Philippines presidents have attempted to negotiate for peace. With more than 40 rounds of talks, discussions about peace are still unclear, and no agreement has been able to keep the peace and to maintain a durable cease-fire.
President Duterte has tried to establish peace through a series of measures, from highly aggressive ones to peace negotiations and actions aimed at building trust. For example, he appointed some sympathisers of the rebellion to his cabinet and released some of the highest-ranking rebels imprisoned.
These actions resulted in the release of police officers hold as hostages by the rebels. However, nothing led to a general ceasefire yet. Peace negotiations ended in 2017, as the rebels accused Duterte to use the drug was as a pretext to imprison rebels and to “capriciously change his mind” too frequently on the issue of reaching a deal.
Duterte failed in releasing the political prisoners that were promised liberation which made the rebels withdraw from peace talks that were carried out in Norway in 2016 coming to a unilateral ceasefire.
Today, the situation of the NPA’s rebellion is uncertain. The National Democratic Front is expecting several concessions in exchange for a ceasefire, which the government does not seem ready to accept. As for today, it seems that an agreement for peace is far from being close to signing.
No matter where you stand, it is important to know the details of this long-lasting rebellion, which has been overlooked for too long by many. With so many years of guerilla fighting and so many people from the Philippines is directly or indirectly involved, the issue should be handled to ensure the country’s safety.
The Hukbalahap were a Filipino guerrilla group, fighting against the Philippine government and their Japanese oppressors of the time. The roots of the rebellion began in the year 1942, when Japanese troops first invaded the Philippines. The Huks had a continued presence during the reign of President Manuel Roxas. It finally came to an end in the year 1954 when President Ramon Magsaysay was the head of state and government.
During the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, the Hukbalahap came up with a formidable resistance army that was primarily composed of peasant farmers. Their primary objective being to fight against Japanese soldiers in Central Luzon. The insurgents made use of guerrilla warfare tactics to fight against Japanese forces in villages. The Huks greatly protected Central Luzon during that period of fighting; Huk justice was the supreme power.
The Hukbalahap Rebellion led to chaos and anarchy. The United States encouraged the government of the Philippines to disarm and also apprehend rebelling Huks on allegations of communism. Constant mistreatment and harassment against small-time activists became widespread as the Philippine Constabulary as well as the United States Army Forces in the Far East went after these peasant activists.
A significant number of civilians were either maimed or killed, and as a result, the Huks opted to move into mountainous regions and back to their guerrilla way of life.
Social change before the war
Towards the end of 19th Century and at the beginning of 20th Century, the market in the Philippines opened up to North Americans as a result of American’s victory against Spain and Philippines in the years 1898 and 1902 (in that order).
The grand arrival of foreigners from the United States was undoubtedly marked by the rapid spread of capitalism that had already been introduced by Spaniards. The result was significant increase in trade volumes between the two nations- US and Philippines. Owners of land opted to grow sugar cane, tobacco, and other cash crops instead of the conventional cereals- and they would subsequently export them to the United States.
Emergence of peasant organizations
A majority of poor people were turned into beggars, while many others started stealing from government warehouses because of two main reasons:
1. Many peasants had lost their jobs;
2. A majority of landowners had uprooted staple food crops and replaced them with cash crops.
During this difficult period, there was widespread despair in the area. Consequently, several peasant organizations came up in the early 1930s. They included: Samahang Magsasaka, KPMP (National- Council- of- Peasants- in the Philippines), Kabisang Tales and Sakdai, among others.
The primary objective was to help go back to the conventional tenancy system. However, they started using different techniques of protesting such as strikes, contesting for local leadership positions, filing of petitions against the president and other senior government officials and filing lawsuits against errant landlords as well.
Hukbalahap Rebellion – Japan
Towards the end of 1941, Japanese soldiers marched into Philippine territory. The latter sought help from the United States under the umbrella of United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) to help defend its territory, since its military capacity was inferior to that of the Japanese. In spite of limited capacity, peasants living in Central Luzon still managed to fight against the enemies.
Peasant organizations set up in the 1930s dictated the conditions for resistance. During the invasion by Japanese forces, the organizations transformed into a formidable underground political government- complete with a working military that consisted of more than 60 squadrons.
Hukbalahap Rebellion against the government of the Philippines
The Huks generally expected that life would return to the normal conditions that existed before the 2nd World War. However, that did not happen.
A majority of owners of large tracts of land collaborated with invaders during the infamous Japanese invasion. For that reason, they had already lost interest in the once popular tenancy farming. In addition to that, a good number of landowners had relocated to Manila while the war was still going on.
Economic instability was not the only challenge that Huks had to overcome. Soldiers attached to USAFFE, landlords as well as Philippine Constabulary repressed and became extremely hostile to the Huks, and these actions made their hardships even worse.
Independent Philippines
Another insurgency against the government of President Roxas was mounted by Huks just a few days after the grisly murder of Feleos, and soon after Philippine had gained independence.
Once again, the rebels moved into mountainous regions to preserve their lives and consequently adopted the name Hukbong- Magpapalaya- ng- Bayan. When loosely translated to English, the name means Liberation Army of the People. Hukbalahap Rebellion further worsened due to enhanced campaigns by the Philippine government.
In a concerted effort to stop the resurgence, President Roxas applied an elaborate Mailed FistPolicy, hoping that the objective would be achieved within two months. Philippine Constabulary also intensified operations against them. The president felt that the rebels had transformed into communists and therefore needed to be suppressed.
Alleged involvement of the Soviet Union
Stephen Morris- a professor at Harvard University- carried out a scientific study on the relationship that existed between the communist organization in the Philippines and the then powerful Soviet Union. He discovered that there was absolutely no evidence to prove that the SU ever supported Huk rebels by providing weapons. However, the professor found evidence that suggested the Soviet Union provided them with propaganda.
It is important to note that before the infamous Sino- Soviet separation, the United- Soviet- Socialist- Republic gave China liberty to support communists in East Asia. As a result, the USSR provided support to the Philippines communism- based political parties that practiced no violence.
Resolution of Hukbalahap Rebellion
Negotiations between the government and Huk rebels started in earnest, but they collapsed in mid-August 1948. Immediately after the collapse of the negotiations, insurgents led by the infamous Luis Taruc went back to the mountainous region of Sierra Madre to hide.
However, the uprising started losing steam in the middle of 20th Century. There are two major reasons that led to decline of Hukbalahap Rebellion:
First, the people had fought for several years and as a result, they had become tired. Many high-flying leaders of the Huk people could not fight well because of age-related complications, and many others had died. The army was in hot pursuit of Luis Taruc and other few rebel leaders who could still fight. Eventually, villagers became tired of providing support to the Huks.
The second reason is that President Quirino had moved the anti-Huk crusades from the interior and local Government department to the National Defense department. Under the leadership of the tenacious Ramon Magsaysay, inefficient officials were bundled out of the army, and corruption became minimal.
The rebellion was eventually crushed by Ramon Magsaysay through multiple military victories as well as reforms. The rebel leader, Luis Taruc, surrendered to authorities in May 1954 and accepted to serve a prison term of 15 years. Magsaysay later became the country’s president.
