Free Rebels of Mindanao by Tom Anthony Page A

was flattered. Mahir thought of her as Lateef’s right-hand man.

8
STAGCOM
    I n her hotel room in downtown Davao City, Elaiza awoke after a good night’s sleep. She had been put up at U.S. government expense, and had enjoyed the evening before, dining alone in the hotel restaurant. Now she was having coffee and croissants by her open window overlooking the park. She enjoyed living upscale in the city where she had once studied, living not so well then.
    Major Hayes, her boss, had called just before nine AM and instructed her, “Meet me at the consulate at 1100 hours. General Hargens is back from his U.S. trip and has assigned me to be the handler for a guy he hired to help us here; I hear he’s done something like this before. He’s an older guy, knows Hargens from way back. I don’t know yet what all Hargens will lay on us.” He explained that the JUSMAG (another one of the government’s endless proliferating acronyms) would be debating in Manila at that very moment how to implement whatever Hargens had ordered and then signed off, “I’m on my way to pick the guy up at the airport.”
    â€œMeet you at the consulate,” she answered, and then had time to finish her breakfast in leisure. She was already in her new tight miniskirt and a pink-collared black top with a small design on the breast that looked like a paperclip. The Penshoppe logo meant something around this town. She knew she looked good.
    Thornton’s plane was late arriving in Davao City, as usual for the domestic airline. When he strode into the luggage area, he saw Major Hayes standing tall in uniform with hair cut short enough for white scalp to shine through. “Thanks for being here to pick me up. That wasn’t necessary.”
    â€œNo problem, we know you must be tired after your all-nighter in the embassy.”
    â€œI slept on the plane.”
    â€œOK. I need to get you to the consulate ASAP, but thought we could make good use of our time and talk along the way.”
    In the crowded airport terminal, Hayes’ cleated dress shoes clicked along the airport corridor. Thornton asked, “So, what’s new since yesterday?”
    â€œGeneral Hargens has a surprise for you. Did he tell you about our new technology?”
    â€œYes, he mentioned it, no details. Said I should get with you.”
    â€œOK. Good.” They left the terminal and got into his official, but unmarked, car and left the airport.
    Thornton turned to Hayes. “How long have you been in country?”
    â€œThree-year tour, half up. You? You retired army?” Hayes was not all that curious, but wanted to be polite.
    This officer had a plush assignment, and even got full overseas pay for it, Thornton thought. If he could have gotten this kind of cushy job, he might have stayed in the army for a career. “Yes, and no, did my time in the army, but only nine years, resigned, no retirement package,” Thornton said, “still doing my time in business.”
    â€œYou know about politics here. There’s a whole chain of officials between the national congress, which approves the money, and the guys on the ground who do the work.” Hayes continued his briefing as they rode. “Each level needs their participation percentage.”
    â€œParticipation percentage?” Thornton had heard the expression, but wanted to get Hayes’s version.
    â€œYes, say there’s a government project that gets funded. This is a cash economy, so a lot of cash is moved around physically. As it moves from Manila out to the country, some gets retained at each level, a percentage kept for personal use.”
    â€œMakes life here interesting.” Thornton encouraged Hayes to continue.
    â€œI wish we could just go in there and do the job,” Hayes said.
    â€œUsing our own assets would make it a whole lot easier for all of us, and them too, I know, but it’s not allowed. The Philippine government