By J. Irving

The Pride of Magarao Town

MGEN ARIEL B. BERNARDO AFP (Ret)

27 July 1958 – 08 November 2023

I was watching and deeply empathizing with the movie “The Last Rifleman” of Pierce Brosnan on TV streaming, about a WWII veteran runaway from a hospice at Ireland who traveled to France to attend the 75th anniversary of the D-Day beach landing at Normandy, when suddenly a Viber text message from Emil Gupana pops out from my cellphone screen, breaking the news: “Papa passed away 8:45am today. He joins the Lord in heaven. We’ll keep you posted….mga mistah, text yan ni Jed, son of Ariel Bernardo…May Ariel Rest in Peace!” The time stamp on my phone showed 5:58PM (still November 7 in Vancouver), equivalent to 9:58AM of November 8 in Manila – so, it was just about over an hour that Ariel exhaled his last breath. I was planning to call Ariel, pa naman, since the time I saw the picture of Dante Balao making him laugh.

At that moment, I learned a very important lesson that I should always seize every intention I have instantly, before the opportunity is lost. Blue noticed immediately the change of my mood, from ecstatic to downhearted. Prior to the news, I was so blissful as a result of attending the Botong’s Cup and seeing my nine mistahs in Phoenix, Arizona . . .

Ariel is the 20^th fallen mistah. It was only last August, I was wondering who will be next after Jess Atoc, when I updated our “Memento Mori” webpage http://mapitagan.code.blog/departed-mistahs/. Whenever somebody dear to me dies, l tend to ponder on my mortality; then, I ask: who will be next? It is, therefore, in living that we should all aspire to become “goats” – be the last man standing! For this reason, we must all stay healthy mga mistahs and seize every moment at hand, like showing up at class events, or fellowship after golf games (even you are a non-golfer) . . .

As a fellow Bicolano, I know Ariel to be intensely curious and had great hunger for knowledge, by pursuing: Mining Engineering at UP, MBA at Letran, PhD in Management at International Academy of Management and Economics, and taking up the Career Executive Service Eligibility (CSEE) exam. His intellect was strong, and he was a natural leader, by becoming: the Student Council President of Magarao Central School, President of its Alumni Association, recipient of 5-star command Plaques for various key AFP positions, and being the Chairman of the Coordinating Committee on Cessation on Hostilities with MILF, better known as Peace Talk. He, likewise, possessed organizational savvy by becoming a commander of: a unit (Intelligence & Security Group at Region 4A), Battalion (31st IB, my former unit that was massacred in Pata, Sulu), Brigade (901st Brigade in Bicol), Division (10th Infantry Division based in Davao), and Regional Director of National Intelligence Coordinationg Agency (NICA) at Region 12 and 5. He gravitated to people who are strong, dynamic, and responsible, the likes of Generals Abaya, Carolina, Dominguez and Balaoing. He did well in media career as Commander of Civil Military Operations Group, where he is the editor-in-chief of “The Army Troopers Magazine”, a monthly publication of the Philippine Army. He even starred in the movie “Kadete” when we were cadets.

He was idealistic in love, finding what he was looking in the woman he married, Ms. Joy Dunken; producing offsprings that he is very proud of: Jed, Jep and Jen;

he was able to see his bloodlines where it went, through his grandsons: good looking Baby Gabb and Baby Ar – thus, becoming a fulfilled forebearer.

It took some time for Ariel to find what he wanted to do and decided late to continue his passion of helping people by running as Mayor of Magarao; nevertheless, he lost in the election but still kept his house open for any help he can give to his townmates. While he could be self-sufficient and independent for the most part, he was also quite emotional and moody, and he had great love of, and interest in, people and how they “work.” Ariel is intimidating to some but admired by most…

Magarao, by the way, is a landlocked municipality in the coastal province of Camarines Sur with 15 barangays. It is about 15 minute drive from Naga City. The municipality has a land area of 44.97 square kilometers, which constitutes 0.82% of Camarines Sur’s total area. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 26,742 (Reference: PhilAtlas). The town is famous for its “parahilot”, who can give relief or cure for body aches and pains, specifically “lapo” or dislocated bones and joints. When my two boys were toddlers and every time they were inflicted with fever, my wife rushed them to Magarao for cure. The “hilot” service has been the livelihood of town-folks and because of this, the town is called as the “Hilot Capital”.

The town is ruled by a single family, similar to what Mr. Shooli described, in an article of Jarius Bondoc of Philippine Star, as: Politiko na hindi sila public service, kundi self-service, a family business. Pagkatapos mag-mayor, yun misis o anak ang tatakbo, ayaw mawalan ng puwesto. Kung termed out na, tatakbo ibang puesto. This is a common knowledge.

I told Ariel not to run but he wished to give Magarao a better choice. I warned him about dirty tricks that I heard his opponents will resort not to vote buying but instead, they will pay Ariel’s supporters not to go out and vote during election time…

Last April, when I was in Naga, I called Ariel up, this was the last time we talked; I invited him, to include his wife, to grace the gala night of my high school golden jubilee celebration at the seminary, where I finished high school in 1973. While Ariel went to Ateneo de Naga for his high school as batch ‘75. He said that his wife, Joy, had a mild stroke and would be driving her to Manila.

I have to tell everyone that Ariel has a big brother who graduated ahead of us at PMA. He is 2Lt Sulpicio ‘Bernie’ Bernardo IV ‘78, whose isolated patrol base in Samar was overrun in Aug 29, 1979. Sir Bernie fought valiantly, a forgotten and unsung hero – the second casualty for PMA Class of 1978. Now, Ariel will be seeing his Manoy Bernie in the everlasting place our Good Lord promised us all!

I will miss you Ariel …

Epilogue:

By: Cav Randy D. Remonte ‘93

Allow me fellow Oragon sirs to reminisce some moments  with Sir Ariel as his Operations Officer at the 31st Infantry (Charge!) Battalion. Without doubt he was the snappiest among the 6 Batcoms I had the privilege of serving. He assumed his post as a result of what many believed  was arguably a tactical debacle where a squad conducting ACCORD Operations was harassed by NPA terrorists resulting in 2 KIAs and the loss of several FAs.

Sir Ariel was then the S2 of the 202nd Brigade under the BGen Romy Dominguez when he was ordered to take over 31IB. Among his first official acts was to make me his S3. After about 3 months the SOLCOM Commander visited our Headquarters in Pitogo, Quezon and after the briefing told Sir Ariel that there was something wrong with our operations even saying, “Ariel, I bet my two golden balls you would not be able to find the enemy!“

But after about two weeks, Sir Ariel’s Operational Plan expectedly bore fruit with 2 major engagements in 2 successive weeks. Our troops overran 2 enemy encampments in the north and south of our AOR, resulting to 7 or 8 enemy killed and the recovery of about 16 HPFAs. It was a combat accomplishment that was not seen for a long time in the Brigade and Division. In fact 31IB became the top performing unit of 2ID and would receive several awards from HHQs. And this was all due to Sir Ariel’s profound understanding of strategy and tactics.

Such that after about a week the SOLOM Commander visited us again and he was indeed very pleased. He repeatedly commended Sir Ariel for the very laudable performance of the men. When his party was about to depart the pilot (a huge officer with a moniker “Tiny”) sidled up to Sir Ariel and said, “Sir kunin mo na yung two golden balls niya!” Sir Ariel just laughed it off. He later told me that the SOLCOM Commander was his former Batcom.

Sir Ariel Dios Mabalos po for everything I learned from you. You have found the Lord and may your soul rest in peace!

My family’s condolences to Ma’am Joy, Jed, Jep and Jen.