Bernabe Buscayno was one of eight children born to impoverished tenant farmers under a local landlord named Jose Ramos in Sitio Mangga, Talimundoc, Capas, Tarlac.[2][3] In the late 1960s, after Buscayno's mother died of tuberculosis and his seven-year-old sister died of meningitis, his father, unable to support his remaining children, put them up for adoption. Ramos, the landlord, became the patron to the Buscayno family and "when Bernabe was old enough to begin his schooling, he and his brother Jose were sent to the landowner’s house in Quezon City." Buscayno finished grade school at Burgos Elementary School and high school at Roosevelt High School in Cubao, before moving to Angeles, Pampanga, to live with their aunt. He became a canecutter, earning 18 pesos for a six-day week. At his age, he led a small uprising to force the landowner to increase their wages. Another farmer, a former member of the Huks, recruited him into the Communist Party of the Philippines at age 17,[4] where he was given the code name "Dante".[5]
Revolutionary career
At age 21, Kumander Dante was already a full-time revolutionary. At 23, he became district commander in the outfit of Faustino del Mundo, and was also called "Kumander Sumulong" after the Sumulong outfit. Eventually dissatisfied with the latter,[5]Kumander Dante recruited some fighters and joined forces with Jose Maria Sison, who founded the Communist Party of the Philippines on December 26, 1968. Buscayno's group officially became the New People's Army (NPA) on March 29, 1969.[6]
From a group composed of about 35 members with only 10 rifles among them, the NPA grew up to about 26,000 members in its peak in the 1980s and spread throughout the Philippines (at present, the NPA has about 6,000-10,000 members and associates as estimated by the CIA), challenging the Marcos regime during the Martial Law years.[4] Buscayno was finally captured in September 1976 at age 32 during what was called "Operation Scorpio". He had been a revolutionary for about 16 years.[7]
On November 25, 1977, Military Commission No. 2 found him along with his two co-accused, Ninoy Aquino and Lt. Victor Corpus, guilty of subversion, murder, and illegal possession of firearms, and sentenced them to death by firing squad. Marcos later commuted their sentence[8] due to international pressure over his government's human rights track record.[9] Throughout the trial, Aquino had said that the military tribunal had no authority over their cases.[10]
Post-revolutionary years
After the EDSA Revolution, almost ten years after Buscayno's arrest, President Corazon Aquino ordered the release of hundreds of political detainees. Buscayno was one of those released. A year later, Buscayno, together with a few other Left leaders, formed the Partido ng Bayan (PnB). Buscayno ran for senator but did not win. In that same year, 1987, he survived an attempt on his life. He escaped getting hit by bullets when two men shot at his car, but got hit by shrapnel from a grenade. Two of his companions died while the other two were wounded; Buscayno himself still has three pieces of shrapnel in his back. Buscayno left Manila and went home to Capas, Tarlac, where he turned to farming, setting up the People's Livelihood Foundation-Tarlac Integrated Livelihood Cooperative (PILF-TILCO) in 1988. The cooperative was intended to help end the poverty of the peasants. However, Mount Pinatubo erupted in 1991, severely ruining vast tracts of land in Luzon including Tarlac, and contributing to the demise of the cooperative in 1994.[4]
On February 6, 1998, Buscayno's 30-year-old son Reynaldo accidentally shot himself while playing with his gun during a drinking session with his brother Red in Capas, Tarlac.[11] In 1999, the Department of Agrarian Reform awarded Buscayno and his family certificates of ownership for their own land. In 2000, Buscayno set up another cooperative, the Tarlac Integrated Agricultural Modernization Cooperative (TIAMC) which seeks to promote the mechanization of farm work, from sowing the seeds to harvest.[4]
In popular culture
In 1988, Buscayno's life as a rebel was adapted into a film called Kumander Dante, where he is portrayed by Phillip Salvador.
References
^Kamisky, Arnold P.; Long, Roger D. (September 13, 2016). Nationalism and Imperialism in South and Southeast Asia: Essays Presented to Damodar R.SarDesai. ISBN9781351997423.
^Lachica, Eduardo (1971). The Huks: Philippine Agrarian Society in Revolt. Quezon City: Solidaridad Publishing House. p. 156.
^"Ex-Rebel 'Commander Dante' Enlists in a New Revolution : Philippines: The founder of a rural insurgency once was sentenced to death. Now freed, he is helping farmers run a successful co-op". Los Angeles Times. October 28, 1989. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
^ abcd. pcij.org. Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. February 2, 2006. Archived from the original on March 8, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
^ abInside the Philippine Revolution: The New People's Army and its Struggle for Power. by William Chapman (accessed November 13, 2007).
^World Politics Review website. Analysts: No End in Sight for Philippines' Communist Revolt by Fabio Scarpello, March 26, 2007 (accessed November 13, 2007).
^. Time. (September 13, 1976). Retrieved November 13, 2007.
^"Max Soliven recalls Ninoy Aquino: Unbroken". Philippines Star. October 10, 2008. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
^"10 Lesser-Known Photos from Martial Law Years That Will Blow You Away". Martial Law Chronicles. June 8, 2020. from the original on September 24, 2020. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
^"'I would rather die on my feet with honor': A Ninoy Aquino timeline, 1968-1983". GMA News Online. August 21, 2013. Retrieved November 3, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^Evangelista, Romie (February 8, 1998). "'Dante' son kills self in gun accident". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. p. 1. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
bernabe, buscayno, kumander, dante, redirects, here, 1988, filipino, film, kumander, dante, film, also, called, kumander, dante, founder, people, army, military, wing, communist, party, philippines, nickname, kumander, danteborncapas, tarlac, allegiancehukbong. Kumander Dante redirects here For the 1988 Filipino film see Kumander Dante film Bernabe Buscayno also called Kumander Dante is the founder of the New People s Army the military wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines Bernabe BuscaynoNickname s Kumander DanteBornCapas Tarlac 1 AllegianceHukbong Mapagpalaya ng Bayan 1960 1967 New People s Army 1969 1976 Years of service1960 1976Battles warsCPP NPA NDF conflict Contents 1 Early life 2 Revolutionary career 3 Post revolutionary years 4 In popular culture 5 References 6 External linksEarly life EditBernabe Buscayno was one of eight children born to impoverished tenant farmers under a local landlord named Jose Ramos in Sitio Mangga Talimundoc Capas Tarlac 2 3 In the late 1960s after Buscayno s mother died of tuberculosis and his seven year old sister died of meningitis his father unable to support his remaining children put them up for adoption Ramos the landlord became the patron to the Buscayno family and when Bernabe was old enough to begin his schooling he and his brother Jose were sent to the landowner s house in Quezon City Buscayno finished grade school at Burgos Elementary School and high school at Roosevelt High School in Cubao before moving to Angeles Pampanga to live with their aunt He became a canecutter earning 18 pesos for a six day week At his age he led a small uprising to force the landowner to increase their wages Another farmer a former member of the Huks recruited him into the Communist Party of the Philippines at age 17 4 where he was given the code name Dante 5 Revolutionary career EditAt age 21 Kumander Dante was already a full time revolutionary At 23 he became district commander in the outfit of Faustino del Mundo and was also called Kumander Sumulong after the Sumulong outfit Eventually dissatisfied with the latter 5 Kumander Dante recruited some fighters and joined forces with Jose Maria Sison who founded the Communist Party of the Philippines on December 26 1968 Buscayno s group officially became the New People s Army NPA on March 29 1969 6 From a group composed of about 35 members with only 10 rifles among them the NPA grew up to about 26 000 members in its peak in the 1980s and spread throughout the Philippines at present the NPA has about 6 000 10 000 members and associates as estimated by the CIA challenging the Marcos regime during the Martial Law years 4 Buscayno was finally captured in September 1976 at age 32 during what was called Operation Scorpio He had been a revolutionary for about 16 years 7 On November 25 1977 Military Commission No 2 found him along with his two co accused Ninoy Aquino and Lt Victor Corpus guilty of subversion murder and illegal possession of firearms and sentenced them to death by firing squad Marcos later commuted their sentence 8 due to international pressure over his government s human rights track record 9 Throughout the trial Aquino had said that the military tribunal had no authority over their cases 10 Post revolutionary years EditAfter the EDSA Revolution almost ten years after Buscayno s arrest President Corazon Aquino ordered the release of hundreds of political detainees Buscayno was one of those released A year later Buscayno together with a few other Left leaders formed the Partido ng Bayan PnB Buscayno ran for senator but did not win In that same year 1987 he survived an attempt on his life He escaped getting hit by bullets when two men shot at his car but got hit by shrapnel from a grenade Two of his companions died while the other two were wounded Buscayno himself still has three pieces of shrapnel in his back Buscayno left Manila and went home to Capas Tarlac where he turned to farming setting up the People s Livelihood Foundation Tarlac Integrated Livelihood Cooperative PILF TILCO in 1988 The cooperative was intended to help end the poverty of the peasants However Mount Pinatubo erupted in 1991 severely ruining vast tracts of land in Luzon including Tarlac and contributing to the demise of the cooperative in 1994 4 On February 6 1998 Buscayno s 30 year old son Reynaldo accidentally shot himself while playing with his gun during a drinking session with his brother Red in Capas Tarlac 11 In 1999 the Department of Agrarian Reform awarded Buscayno and his family certificates of ownership for their own land In 2000 Buscayno set up another cooperative the Tarlac Integrated Agricultural Modernization Cooperative TIAMC which seeks to promote the mechanization of farm work from sowing the seeds to harvest 4 In popular culture EditIn 1988 Buscayno s life as a rebel was adapted into a film called Kumander Dante where he is portrayed by Phillip Salvador References Edit Kamisky Arnold P Long Roger D September 13 2016 Nationalism and Imperialism in South and Southeast Asia Essays Presented to Damodar R SarDesai ISBN 9781351997423 Lachica Eduardo 1971 The Huks Philippine Agrarian Society in Revolt Quezon City Solidaridad Publishing House p 156 Ex Rebel Commander Dante Enlists in a New Revolution Philippines The founder of a rural insurgency once was sentenced to death Now freed he is helping farmers run a successful co op Los Angeles Times October 28 1989 Retrieved February 21 2022 a b c d Bernabe Kumander Dante Buscayno pcij org Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism February 2 2006 Archived from the original on March 8 2018 Retrieved March 9 2018 a b Inside the Philippine Revolution The New People s Army and its Struggle for Power by William Chapman accessed November 13 2007 World Politics Review website Analysts No End in Sight for Philippines Communist Revolt by Fabio Scarpello March 26 2007 accessed November 13 2007 Operation Scorpio Time September 13 1976 Retrieved November 13 2007 Max Soliven recalls Ninoy Aquino Unbroken Philippines Star October 10 2008 Retrieved August 30 2013 10 Lesser Known Photos from Martial Law Years That Will Blow You Away Martial Law Chronicles June 8 2020 Archived from the original on September 24 2020 Retrieved November 3 2021 I would rather die on my feet with honor A Ninoy Aquino timeline 1968 1983 GMA News Online August 21 2013 Retrieved November 3 2021 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Evangelista Romie February 8 1998 Dante son kills self in gun accident Manila Standard Kamahalan Publishing Corp p 1 Retrieved June 27 2022 External links EditBernabe Buscayno at IMDb Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bernabe Buscayno amp oldid 1140283136, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
