PEACE BY PEACE
The past has a way of teaching us, although its lessons can sometimes be uncomfortable and strike a sensitive chord within us. But it is these lessons that offer us an opportunity for introspection; to go beyond the pain of remembering and gather wisdom from the lives of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of a just and lasting peace for our country.
It has been 47 years since the tragic Patikul massacre in Sulu, where Brigadier General Teodulfo Bautista and 34 soldiers perished as they carried out a peace mission. The shocking incident, which will forever be etched in our nation’s history, serves as a grim reminder of the impact of conflict and the heavy price we, as Filipinos, have to pay to forge peace.
The sacrifices made by the late BGen. Bautista and his men, however, has not been in vain. The Patikul and Sulu that we now see today is a prime example of how resilience, determination, and a steadfast commitment to peace can turn things around. The great men who laid down their lives for the sake of peace must be smiling from the heavens as we witness the amazing changes that are taking place in what was once known as a “no-man’s land.”
In commemorating that fateful day almost 50 years ago, Retired General Emmanuel Bautista, the son of the late BGen Bautista, highlighted the significance of the occasion, and that is, we must remember in order to move forward. He emphasized that the best way to honor the sacrifices of those who died for peace must go beyond remembrance. We can do this not only by celebrating their memory but also by preserving and building upon the hard-won gains of peace.
For decades, Sulu was known as a place where the rule of law seemed non-existent.
The province was a battleground where violence, fear, and disorder ruled. This is no longer the case.
The Sulu of today is seeing a remarkable transformation. Ten barangays in Patikul have been cleared of the Abu Sayyaf Group, as the people are reclaiming their lives and lands. Once a hotbed of insurgency, the province has been declared as “terrorist-free” after years of being tagged as the “wild, wild west” of Mindanao. Business activity is now on the rise, as local and foreign investors are now looking at the province with renewed interest.
This amazing turn around, however, did not happen overnight nor by accident. It is the result of years of close collaboration between the military, local governments units, and communities who were united by their common vision to create a better, and more peaceful and progressive future for their beloved province.
To be clear, what has happened in Sulu is not just the result of focused and strategic military operations. It happened because there was a dramatic shift in the mindset of the people of Sulu. This paradigm shift came from a realization that peace and development must go hand in hand. That they are two sides of the same coin and must be pursued simultaneously.
Patikul Mayor Kabir Hayudini noted that the peace his people now enjoy is deeply rooted in the sacrifices of men like BGen Bautista. It is a peace that was realized not just from a well-executed military strategy but from a collective desire to uplift the lives of the people of Sulu. This is a lesson that must be replicated across the country. It is that peace is not simply the absence of conflict; it is the foundation upon which development and progress is built.
The Sulu of today should serve as source of inspiration for other regions who are dealing with the threat of insurgency, conflict, and violence. The region’s transformation shows that peace can be achieved through persistence, collaboration, and a shared vision of the future. As Lt. Gen. William Gonzales of Western Mindanao Command underscored, we must celebrate the legacy of our fallen soldiers not just by remembering their sacrifices but by adopting the values they stood for—honor, courage, and selflessness.
Our journey to lasting peace remains a long and challenging one. To this day, it remains fragile and must be protected at all costs. We believe that it is not enough to declare an area as terrorist-free or to sign peace agreements. The hard-won gains of peace must be nurtured, built upon, and sustained through continuing dialogue among stakeholders, effective implementation of socioeconomic interventions, and a genuine commitment to addressing the root causes of conflict.
The administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has vowed to honor and fulfill all signed peace agreements and find a principled resolution to the decades-long communist insurgency. We, as a people, must rally behind the President’s vision and help in realizing its fruition because the future of our nation rests on it. We must be inspired by the lessons of Sulu and other former conflict-ridden areas whose people have chosen to walk the path of peace.
The story of Patikul is not just about the valiant soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice. More importantly, it is about what we can achieve as a people and nation when we come together for a common cause—a genuine and long-lasting peace. As we move forward, let us remember that the peace we aspire for is not just for us, the current generation, but for future generations. And it is through the sacrifices of our fallen soldiers that the peace we have dreamed of is now at hand.
(Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. is the presidential adviser on peace, reconciliation, and unity.)