Marikit’s courageous journey

A piece of news in August 2021 caught the attention of many. A prominent female leader of the New People’s Army had made a life-changing decision.

Arian Jane Ochate Ramos, known by her alias Marikit, once a formidable figure as secretary of NPA’s Guerrilla Front 55 based in Southern Mindanao, had chosen to return to the government fold.

What set Ramos’s surrender apart from others was the delicate circumstance she found herself in — she was carrying a new life within her. With the weight of impending motherhood on her shoulders, her decision to lay down her arms spoke volumes about her desire for a brighter and safer future for herself and her unborn child.

On 29 March 2024, the 55th anniversary of the NPA, Ramos, a UP Mindanao graduate, shared on her Facebook page a profound flashback on how she and her comrades celebrated in the dense and hidden mountains of Kiranggol, San Fernando, Bukidnon — “without fear because there were no enemies.”

Narrated in Filipino, she said they prepared pork, macaroni salad and cheese sticks. Despite the difficulty of the road and the distance from the central village, they held a short program. Everything that happened that day was systematically carried out to consolidate their revolutionary army.

“But that day was when I drew extra courage and determination to successfully fulfill our unit’s assigned responsibility to recover the lost Paquibato District in Davao City,” she said.

It was the last day she spent with the complete and strong Guerrilla Front 55, the last day with all of them alive and full of hope, with smiles on their faces as they raised their fists in salute to their fallen comrades who sacrificed their lives for the revolution.

“It can never be brought back,” Ramos wrote.

The next day, Ramos recalled that they began their journey towards Mt. Magkaayat, starting the new guerrilla warfare strategy in the city of Davao.

“We were made the bait in the mouth of a big crocodile, left to slowly weaken until we were gasping for air but still fighting even though there seemed to be no end in sight,” her post read.

For Ramos, it felt like just yesterday that she and her comrades were still fighting against the injustices and struggles of a patriarchal society.

Incidentally, on 24 March — five days before NPA’s 55th year — two years had gone by since Davao City became free from insurgency following the dismantling of all NPA units in Region 11.

“Now, we have reached our destination, we are in the heart of Davao City, and we have succeeded!” said Ramos, now a mother of two pursuing law studies at Jose Maria College.

Once part of the chaos of armed struggle, she now embraces a new path filled with knowledge, understanding, and respect for the law. She chose peace over conflict.

She and other former rebels may not have everything they want yet, but their collective stories inspire them to pursue the good fight for the people.

“Though we may not be complete, the lives of our comrades give us a deeper reason why we need to succeed in the ongoing struggle for and with the Filipino people,” she said in her post.

They now stand as a powerful voice affirming that the journey from conflict to cooperation, from violence to dialogue, is not just possible but imperative.

Their weapon is no longer guns but the principles of the 1987 Philippine Constitution.