eptember 13, 1986 in Mount Data Hotel in Bauko, Mountain Province: President Cory Aquino has just handed a bible to rebel priest Fr. Conrado Balweg as a token of peace after signing the 1986 "Sipat" (Ceasefire) between the Government and Fr. Balweg's Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA).
As a return gesture, Fr. Balweg and Cordillera Bodong Association (CBA) Leader Mario Yag-ao handed over a native spear and wooden shield to Defense Secretary Fidel V Ramos.
There was muffled murmuring among the tightly-selected small crowd in attendance. In fact, almost none of the Cordilleran participants clapped, despite the best efforts of the Malacañan press officers to coax applause. It was a nightmare for the Palace p-r people--even President Cory looked around wondering about the cold response.
After a few tense moments, Ka Ambo (Fr. Balweg's field "call sign") tried to explain to Cory: "It seems appropriate that since we offered a spear and a shield as a sign that we are trusting you, your side must also offer a weapon of war to show that you trust us."
Seriously?
Of course--putting a gun in the hand of a rebel standing just beside the President, what a brilliant idea.
Cory looked at Defense Secretary Fidel V. Ramos, "Eddie?"
"Baby Armalite!" Ramos answered instantly, "the AFP shall give an M-16 rifle as our token of good faith!"
Colonel Voltaire Gazmin, head of the Presidential Security Group, nearly fainted. Ramos turned around, yanked one of his own close-in personal bodyguards, and disarmed the poor fellow of his M-16 rifle. Ramos had time to drop the magazine and empty the chamber before handing the M-16 to Fr. Balweg without a bit of hesitation. It looked to me like Fr. Balweg was even more shocked than Cory was.
It was all unplanned. But it was brilliant spontaneity that would have taken Malacañan's political protocol officers weeks to debate whether or not to do.
But Ramos did his calculations on the spot and made a firm decision that he boldy stood by. It sent a clear and unequivocal message: the Government was serious about ending armed insugency in the Cordilleras. The day wasn't just going to be one of those meaningless public relations photo-ops.
But it was ALSO that, of course.
I was taking notes on my reporter's notebook from the back row. My editor Peppot Ilagan (who, at 5'4" was even an inch shorter than me), flipped out his Canon Sureshot autofocus camera--I am sure the most unsophisticated camera in the building--jumped up and took one shot.
It became that iconic photo of the September "Sipat" with Cory, Ramos, Balweg and Yag-ao in one frame--that Reuters, UPI and Agence France Presse bought and syndicated to all international newsmagazines.
Just before we left the hotel, Ramos who knew almost half of the Baguio media by FIRST NAME, said, "Peppot, of course you will give me a copy of that photograph you took, won't you?"
Peppot said, "I'll think about it."*
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