“I die without seeing the dawn brighten over my native land…You who have it to see, welcome it – and forget not those who have fallen during the night”, Jose Rizal.
This adage truly embodies the many police officers and military men who have offered supreme sacrifice to free our country from the destructive claws of the Communist Terrorist Groups.
In the early morning of February 7, 2022, another police lieutenant was killed treacherously in an armed encounter perpetrated by the communist rebels. These violent extremists open fired to the government troops while on barangay outreach in Barangay Look, Lapinig, Northern Samar. Without any hesitation and an utter disregard of civilians’ lives in the vicinity, they have pointed their guns and fired.
The fatality – was Police Lieutenant Kenneth F Tad-Awan, a highlander from the Mountain Province, the troop leader of one of the two teams of 801st Maneuver Company, Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) 8. These troops are recently conducting humanitarian activities in the area.
Accordingly, the exchange of gunfire between the RMFB8 personnel and the communist rebels lasted for about 20 minutes. The young officer was shot during the initial volley of fire and died. After bringing insurmountable fear on the side of the civilians and another death on the PNP side, the communist rebels fled.
Police Lieutenant Tad-awan died while dutifully performing his duty as servant and protector. He is a testament to the police officer’s genuine and selfless service to protect the community even at the expense of their own lives.
Yes, police officers and soldiers pride themselves on serving the country and fellowmen. But what of their families who are left behind? His family who have always been excitedly expecting his return but were instead greeted by a cold casket.
When he finally arrived home in a casket, his family, relatives, and friends whose broken hearts received him. His mother, who has waited for him to come home, holding her tears and with trembling hands, slowly reached out to her son in a coffin. Nothing compares to a mother’s grief when her son who was supposed to outlive her, now lays still and unmoving. Much more to his wife, who reined her pain of loss and grief to accompany his husband’s remains from Samar province towards their home.
A fallen hero fighting for peace has been slain. But who has heard of news or stories of police officers and soldiers receiving the justice they deserve when communist terrorists are the perpetrators? But suppose a terrorist dies in a legitimate operation. The CPP-NPA-NDF’s open sectoral organizations like the LFS, Kabataan, Gabriela, etc. are fast in taking action and demanding justice from the government security forces for allegedly violating a fundamental right, inciting rallies in the streets.
It is ironic that when a soldier and a police officer dies in the line of duty, these open/front organizations claiming to be advocates of a person’s fundamental rights kept mum and silent. So, the terrorists are the only ones with the absolute right to live? Should that justice only be served in their favor? Then that is a plain absurdity in the highest order.
Our nation’s peacekeepers have long been sacrificed at the altar of this inhumane and brutal ideology – communism – they kill and encourage evil. Many have already fought and died for our country, and PLT Tad-awan’s death is just one of the many. May this be a reminder to all Filipinos that terrorism is still lingering and operating, and that the nation is calling upon every Filipino to unite as one in condemning the CPP-NPA-NDF.
We as a nation should demand accountability and responsibility. We must demand that justice be served to the heartless CPP-NPA terrorists that continuously bringing death to our peacekeepers.
Let this tribute to our fallen Peacekeeper – Police Lieutenant Kenneth F Tad-Awan. The source of unity and strength, for he will not be seeing the dawn brighten over our land. We, who have it to see the day, must continue his fight. Let us be one in fighting insurgency in our homes and communities and those people who promote it. This fight is not confined to law enforcement and military actions alone but ours as well. So let this tribute be a shining memory of his life and comfort to his families, that his death is not in vain.
Rest now; you are home, our Hero.
