Free Rebels of Mindanao by Tom Anthony

entry. The single room was square, long enough for two men to stretchout along a line on each side. Pigs, chickens and possibly usable trash were kept below the living area. The second floor had no walls, rather only a waist-high barricade to keep people from falling out while they slept, and a roof of woven grass. This is where Lateef and Mahir came to discuss their objectives and to make plans.
    Lateef asked, “What are your instructions about giving me the money?”
    â€œI must deliver it to Kumander Ali.”
    â€œWe need some cash now,” Lateef told Mahir, and went to open a bag.
    â€œWait. Sheik Kemal instructed me that Kumander Ali was to decide how and when to use this. He can’t make another shipment before the target date,” Mahir said.
    â€œAli sent me as his agent to get you. You must help our cause now. Then we will deliver these bags to Ali together,” Lateef told him.
    Mahir was not certain what to do. He realized Lateef could take the bags anyway if he chose to, so he replied, “You can have it, but I will need Ali’s confirmation to the sheik, then my job is done.”
    â€œYou are on jihad! Your job is not done until we have defeated the enemy.”
    â€œMy job was to deliver these bags to Ali. I am not involved in other matters.”
    â€œYou must be involved. We will need to pay for supplies to accomplish our first mission. Then we can move on to meet Kumander Ali. It is the only way you can get to him.”
    Mahir saw he had no real option, since he was alone in Lateef’s armed camp. “Take what cash you need. You will have to answer to Ali yourself,” Mahir told Lateef. “But I want a signal from Sheik Kemal.”
    â€œVery well. I will handle those matters. We should also spend some of this money to keep our pursuers busy here while we move to attack Davao City.”
    It was common practice for the Abu Sayaf to pay their pursuers, the poorly paid and loosely organized Philippine Army soldiers, to stage an attack with an arranged outcome and a fake objective. They would attack, pretend defeat, and leave behind guns, ammo and supplies, picking up a cash bundle left for them in the combat area. The next day the two enemy forces would again assume their antagonistic roles, bothsides better off for the exchange, both paid by foreigners, with everyone making it through another day alive and fed. Thus the communist rebellion had reached its thirty-sixth year and would so continue if not for sudden global interests demanding a religious and political resolution, a visible victory rather than the informal live-and-let-live stalemate.
    Lateef opened the bag. He was surprised at the sheer volume of the bills and took out one banded stack. Speaking English, their common language, gave Lateef an idea. Here was a man he could trust, who was beginning to trust him. He was a man who did not care about the money itself, but rather his duty.
    â€œWe will need you to be our communicator,” Lateef told him. “Some of our people speak a few of the dialects, and some only speak their own tribal dialect. English is the common tie among our leaders and of course for negotiating with Manila. You will be a big help to Kumander Ali after we link up. After our victories you can lead the negotiations with them.”
    Mahir accepted his new role, and it put him in a position from which to keep watch on the money until his final reward was in his bank account. “I’ll stay with you at least until you have joined with Ali and the tribes in the north.” That was the most he wanted to commit.
    â€œThen, at that time,” Lateef told Mahir in accepting his offer, “Ali will signal Damascus to release the second half of your payment.”
    Lateef called in Ugly Maria, and she squatted down with them and the other mujahadeen. Lateef explained, “Ugly Maria will go with us on patrol. She does things others do not like to do.” Maria