Wires from the front line: Philippines

Joe Phua attended a lesson on 9/11 and the Afghan and Iraq wars

"I asked Comrade Grace if she was afraid and she didn't say no."

Transcripts of telephone conversations, text messages and
e-mails between Joe Phua
in the Philippines and Will Daws, series producer in London, record Joe's amazing experience.

Some of the names of the locations in this log have been taken out in order to protect those involved on this mission.

All times GMT

Wednesday 17 March

15:26
I'm in Manila, met up with Orlando, our fixer. Our flight leaves Manila for Davao, Mindanao at 0500 local.

We'll drive a hired car towards west, four or five hours away from Davao.

We'll meet up with the NPA (New People's Army) guys there and drive. There will be military checkpoints around. If stopped, we'll say we're filming logging.

The base is somewhere in xxxx. We hope to be there by 1800 local, weather permitting. There is every possibility of us getting bogged down by weather too.There is a storm headed our way apparently.

The nearest town will be xxxx and the nearest military base just north of us at xxxx. We will not be taking our GPS because they don't want to give away their co-ordinates.

I won't really know what to expect till I get there but, judging from Orlando's recce, we have young recruits or those who just graduated.

They go on patrol but not frontline fighting yet and do propaganda stuff at villages, heart and mind stuff. There are also a few female "graduates" we can follow.

I'll try to put in a call wherever we are. Sorry things are so vague.

Friday 19 March

0900
Somewhere in the jungle. We've linked up with the main bunch of the rifle range.

We're at the rebel base. Two-hour walk tomorrow to a different location.

It's very muddy. It's rainy season. First time I've been in the jungle with sloshers. We're fine and happy.

I can't tell you my location.

0940

Comrade Grace Read more about Comrade Grace's one day of war

Our character is Comrade Grace. She is 18 years old.

She dropped out of school due to poverty.

She misses home. She won't see her family for the next year and then it's only one week's leave. She's very committed.

Tomorrow she will do some weapon training. Then go back to mother unit the day after. Then going on "mass" work - reaching out to the masses; but it's armed patrols as well.

The army is close (about 15kms). The last clash was two or three weeks ago.

I asked her if she was afraid and she didn't say no.

Leader is 52-year-old veteran, the commander. Very gentle but good character.

Sunday 21 March

Very wet. The weather hasn't disappointed. Very good here.

We are in another base where we will stay tonight and possibly tomorrow. It's a clearing in the jungle. Tomorrow there's a patrol. Go round the village and speak to the people (armed, as government soldiers are nearby).

We did some interviews today as tomorrow will be difficult. She was crying throughout it. She comes across as an 18-year-old girl when she talks about missing home and school.

Very powerful .

Monday 22 March

0955
On the way to xxxx .......

0415 Waking up and roll call. Climbed down the hill to get breakfast and fall in.

0600 16 people on parade. Given the score for the previous day's firing practice (one bullseye).

0700 Pep talk; commie stuff. One of the commanders: "Military have gone on offensive. Four NPA killed". Fall out.

0800 Left the base. Walked for an hour in the mud.

1000 Arrived at a village where they were doing "mass work". This is their recruiting base. They try to convert locals and help them. Performing circumcision on the children there. Comrade Grace started off with a sing-song. Then taught a lesson. Nice. Their version of 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan and Iraq - blamed it all on the Americans. Interview after that.

Midday she went to the circumcision; she was trying to persuade the boy to lie there and be circumcised. She couldn't persuade him; he was crying. (three years old).

1300 Lunch - talked about food. And general chit chat. Interview.

1500 Left the village. One of the comrades fell ill with malaria so they left him behind. Fell off a plank and hurt my back.

1700 Back at base.

1800 It was dark. Checking her weapon and talking about it.

2000 Chatting with her tent mate: tomorrow her friend was going away to another unit. They wouldn't tell me what they were talking about. Went to sleep at 2030.

Tomorrow: Back in Manilla.

Joe Phua was accompanied by Orlando de Guzman

One Day of War was broadcast in the UK on Thursday, 27 May, 2004 at 2100 BST on BBC Two.