Lapiang Malaya branch holds 'lechon festival'

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – After more than forty years living in semi-seclusion atop the mountains of Nueva Vizcaya, followers of the late Valentin Delos Santos, erstwhile founder of a 1960’s controversial political party, is opening its gates to the public by way of a grand celebration dubbed as Lechon Festival. The celebration according to the group’s third generation leader Tal De Guia, 42, is “our stand is to continuously and slowly reintegrate our brethren to the mainstream. We are not a bad people as some would like to picture us." The community is called “Vucal ng Pananampalataya", a place where genuine peace is felt from soft-spoken people who almost have no exposure to violence. It is a mountain abode with sentries at the gate and about 20 kilometers of steep, winding roads coming from a route via the premier town of Solano. Ironically, Vucal is an offshoot of Lapiang Malaya, a political party founded in Southern Luzon in the late 1940’s by the late Valentin Delos Santos, a Bicolano also known as “Tatang" or the “Supremo." De los Santos ran for the presidency and lost to Carlos P. Garcia. He would later challenge then President Ferdinand Marcos. In bid a to overthrow Marcos, Delos Santos with about 500 of his followers wearing amulets, bullet-defying red, white and yellow-caped uniforms and armed only with bolos and spears, streamed towards the “cult’s" headquarters in Pasay City. Believing that they were invincible, members of Lapiang Malaya courageously faced the superior weapons of the constabulary which opened fire and left 33 of them dead. All survivors were later charged with sedition and sent to prison. Delos Santos was said to have died inside the National Center for Mental Health, but many also claim that he died peacefully at past the age of 80, right where the Lechon Festival is being celebrated, the community of “Vucal ng Pananampalataya." Delos Santos’ son-in-law, Domingo De Guia, more popular as “Couyang Doming", took over the helm and founded “Vucal" when De los Santos died. His rise to fame came by virtue of him having the power to heal as told by his followers. He is also said to have a charismatic personality and is armed with teachings culled from his father-in-law. Josue “Tal" De Guia, Couyang Doming’s son, took over the leadership after the latter’s demise in 2005. Recognized by local politicians as a charismatic leader like his forebears, Tal is also known to be an independent and liberal-minded head of a community that has survived years of ridicule and indignation. Claiming that Vucal has a nationwide membership of around 4 million from as far as Bicol, Quezon, Bulacan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya among others, Tal denies that the movement is a cult or sect. “We simply want to be productive members of our society, the Lechon Festival is just one way of making known to the public that we are also like them, we desire nothing but peace and understanding." He said. The festival is now on its second year, coinciding with the birthday of Tal’s father, “Couyang Doming" on September 1. More than seventy roasted pigs were served to about 500 guests from different provinces which include members of Vucal from other congregations, local politicians, businessmen, and members of the media and academe. The flow of visitors coming to partake of the celebration is an indication that indeed “Vucal ng Pananampalataya", cult or not, has started to shed its violent beginnings and establish itself as emissaries of peace and not a deviant people from a dark past. - Floro Taguinod, GMANews.TV