BAGUIO CITY -- The militia organized by slain rebel priest Conrado Balweg is reactivating its soldiers in the Cordillera -- not to fight a new battle, but to wage a grassroots campaign to revive autonomy for the region.

Former Abra Mayor Mailed Molina, head of the Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA), said he reactivated seven zone commands based in all six Cordillera provinces.

About 3,000 of these militiamen would be sent out to knock on doors and sell the idea of Cordillera autonomy to households in interior towns that are barely accessible.

Molina celebrated the 22nd foundation anniversary of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) with a cañao (ritual feast) that was held at the old Cordillera Regional Assembly hill here.

Some CPLA members also participated in a formal CAR anniversary program that was held at the Baguio Convention Center.

Peace pact

In 1987, Balweg and the CPLA signed the peace pact that paved the way for former President Corazon Aquino to create the CAR through Executive Order 220.

The drive for Cordillera autonomy was waged on two fronts: Balweg’s guerrilla war against martial law and the autonomy crusade waged by militant leftists in Baguio universities.

Juan Ngalob, Cordillera director of the National Economic and Development Authority, said the aspirations were partially fulfilled by CAR during the government celebration.

“But do we just coast along like we did for the last 22 years or do we pole vault into a new CAR?” Ngalob asked.

Two laws creating a Cordillera Autonomous Region have been rejected in two plebiscites, but Ngalob has asked the region to pursue a third autonomy law.

Cordillera officials also scheduled a meeting with officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to share views on autonomy.

The 1987 Constitution grants autonomy only to CAR and ARMM.

Ngalob said the latest autonomy campaign was meant to help improve the Cordillera economy.

The average gross regional development product of the Cordillera has been stagnant at 5 percent from 1987 to 2006. It improved to 7.4 percent in 2007.

Even that improvement is not considered balanced growth because Baguio City is credited with three quarters of these regional profits.

Poverty is also the reason the CPLA decided it has to play an active role in a third autonomy campaign, said Molina.

He said two zone commands were based in Kalinga, where the militia has been trying to draw government support to build a livelihood community for its members.

“Many of our original members of 5,000 have become inactive to earn a better living. Many of our weapons have been put up for loans so we can eat,” he said. Vincent Cabreza, Inquirer Northern Luzon