INDEED, we seem to have a bumper crop of “useful idiots” these days. Our colleges and universities — particularly the University of the Philippines and certain state-funded institutions — appear to produce their fair share of individuals who enthusiastically embrace political causes without necessarily understanding what lies beneath them.
And today, we will talk about one such individual whose story recently made the headlines, in circumstances that have reignited questions about activism, ideological allegiance, and the sometimes dangerous consequences of political radicalization.
But first, for the uninitiated, “useful idiot” is a pejorative term describing someone who believes he or she is fighting for a noble cause without fully understanding its consequences — or realizing that political actors and ideological operators may be exploiting that idealism. Historically, the expression has often been used to describe non-communists who unwittingly advance communist propaganda or political objectives.
In simpler terms, the label is sometimes applied to self-styled progressive activists who readily embrace leftist narratives, proudly identify themselves as socialists or human rights advocates, and champion political causes without necessarily examining the ideological machinery behind them.
Critics have sometimes applied this label to individuals associated with organizations such as the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), the League of Filipino Students, and the Kabataan party-list. In Western political discourse, similar criticism has been directed at movements such as “Queers for Palestine,” whose positions have generated considerable debate.
And that brings us to our story: a former prominent member of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines who recently made the news—not for winning a Pulitzer Prize or receiving some prestigious journalism award, but because of revelations concerning her involvement in the communist insurgency.
The controversy arose after the College Editors Guild of the Philippines publicly honored a former member whom the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) itself identified as a member of the New People’s Army (NPA). The decision raises uncomfortable questions about the distinction between recognizing student journalism and celebrating individuals associated with an armed revolutionary movement.
The CEGP bestowed its “highest commendation” upon this former member, describing her as a “people’s journalist and heroine of Northern Mindanao.” In its tribute, the organization highlighted her background as a campus journalist, her service as CEGP vice president for Mindanao, and her involvement in various political and social campaigns.
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, the CPP’s North Central Mindanao Region identified the former CEGP member as “Ka Maki,” listing her among four comrades killed in an armed encounter in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur. The statement described the fallen individuals as revolutionary heroes. The CPP subsequently confirmed their deaths, while government reports identified Bihag as a member of the executive committee of the NPA’s North Central Mindanao Regional Committee.
So, who exactly was “Ka Maki”? Her early involvement in activism began at Mindanao State University, where she was associated with The Mindanao Varsitarian, the university’s student publication. She later became active in the College Editors Guild of the Philippines, eventually rising to the position of vice president for Mindanao. She also served as regional coordinator of the Kabataan party-list in Northern Mindanao.
Hmmm. The College Editors Guild and the Kabataan party-list — organizations that have repeatedly figured in controversies and accusations concerning alleged links to the communist movement. Bihag’s political trajectory inevitably raises questions about how campus activism can, in certain circumstances, evolve into participation in an armed insurgency. But organizational affiliation alone does not establish that someone was recruited or groomed for rebellion.
Which brings us to a troubling question: Why would an organization supposedly dedicated to representing student publications confer its highest commendation upon someone whom the communist movement itself identified as one of its members?
There is, of course, a distinction between honoring someone’s contributions to campus journalism and endorsing that person’s subsequent political or revolutionary activities. But when an organization bestows its highest recognition upon an individual associated with an armed insurgency, it must be prepared to explain precisely what it is celebrating.
Perhaps the controversy is not entirely about politics. Perhaps it is also about identity — and the powerful psychological attachment that individuals develop toward the movements and causes they embrace.
This is an important distinction. Political commitment can become more than a matter of ideology or disagreement. For some individuals, it becomes inseparable from their personal identity, their sense of purpose, and their understanding of who they are. And when political beliefs become the foundation of one’s identity, challenging those beliefs can feel like an attack on the person rather than a disagreement over ideas.
Human beings have this need to belong. Hence, we need meaning, community, direction and recognition. We need to feel that our lives matter. And when you can’t find that in your own life, a political movement can offer you something extremely attractive.
You are no longer just a person trying to find your place in the world – something many in that group struggle with in the first place. Now you are part of the fight.
So, you fight oppression, the government, capitalism and embrace socialism. At the end of the day, you’re nothing but a pathetic loser. In “Ka Maki’s” case, a dead loser./PN
