Kerima Tariman
BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – The father of slain activist and poet turned Red fighter Kerima Tariman wept unabashedly on seeing her remains at the morgue of a funeral parlor in Manapla town, Negros Occidental.
Pablo Tariman said he could not contain his emotions after learning about the death of his 42-year-old daughter whom he had not seen for a long time.
“I stared at her not believing she was surrounded by dead people. Then I found myself crying. I think I literally howled with grief. I couldn’t believe she was gone,” he said in an interview on Tuesday.
Pablo then embraced Kerima and kissed her forehead.
The grieving father received Kerima’s remains. She was cremated on Tuesday afternoon, August 24.
Kerima was among those killed in a gunfight between the New People’s Army (NPA) and the 79th Infantry “Masaligan” Battalion in Hacienda Raymunda, Barangay Kapitan Ramon, Silay City in Negros Occidental last Friday, August 20.
Kerima was a former managing editor of the Philippine Collegian, the student publication of the University of the Philippines where she took up Philippine Studies and where she also met her husband. The couple has a son, now 18 years old and studying at UP.
A couple of years before graduation, Pablo said his daughter disappeared and was later found in the jungles of Isabela, figuring in an armed encounter between the NPA and the military in 2000.
Kerima, who the military said was the leader of the NPA Northern Negros Front, was detained in Ilagan, Isabela, for a case of illegal possession of firearms that was dismissed in 2001.
The 79th Infantry Battalion on Monday conducted a peace dialog and outreach activity for the residents affected by the encounter at Hacienda Raymunda.
The activity was held to increase awareness of residents on the communist terrorists’ modus operandi to agitate, organize and mobilize potential recruits, and to hear their issues and concerns for appropriate action, the Army said.
The Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) of the government was discussed along with the distribution of leaflets specifying the benefits of those who will return to the folds of the law.
Barangay Captain Ronie Aguirre of Kapitan Ramon said was grateful to the Philippine Army for halting the extortion and ruthlessness activities of the terrorist group in their community.
Lt. Col. J-jay Javines, 79th IB commanding officer, called on residents to remain vigilant and to report any presence of armed groups to the authorities to stop them from staging more terror in the community.
“This incident is a wake-up call to all Negrenses to shun whatever support you have to the CNTs (communist NPA terrorist). Do not be deceived by their twisted ideology. Let us join hands and continue our efforts to unmask the true character of the CNTs, prevent their recovery efforts, and finally put an end to local armed conflict,” he said.