United States President Barack Obama announced on national television the other night that the US will be stepping up its military involvement in the Middle East to crush the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) — specifically “degrade and ultimately destroy” it.
“I have made it clear that we will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, wherever they are,” he said. “That means I will not hesitate to take action against ISIL in Syria, as well as Iraq. This is a core principle of my presidency: if you threaten America, you will find no safe haven.”
A prayerful army: Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters observing their prayer obligations
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[…] will set up practically an independent state with “exclusive powers over a long list of “matters,” which a sovereign country normally exercises over, except for a short list of matters “the Central government has reserved powers,” mainly defense and external security, foreign policy, coinage and monetary policy, and postal service.
More disturbing, the BBL stipulates in Article IV, Section 1 the entity’s “right to self-governance and self-determination” in its aim to freely “pursue its economic, social and cultural development”.
Tiglao highlights the point that it opens the Bangsamoro nation to the possibility of seceding from the Philippines and possibly joining Malaysia as a state in its federation. But what could be a lot more interesting is the possibility of the Bangsamoro people embracing — as state policy even — more militant, more fundamentalist, and more scary flavours of Islamic practice. Most ominous of all, Article X Section 1 of the BBL clearly states that the Bangsamoro state will implement a justice system based on Sharia Law “which shall have supremacy and application over Muslims only.” This does not bode well for Filipino Chrisitians living in the area who may have to seriously consider leaving what may become a no-go zone for “infidels”.
Already, there are reports that alleged foreign jihadists have entered the Philippines to indoctrinate Filipino Muslims in militant Islamism. Recently, Canadian imam Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips was nabbed by police in Mindanao and is currently facing deportation proceedings. Philips is currently in the blacklist of several countries including the United States, Germany, Australia and the United Kingdom because of his teachings and practices and is even alleged by Washington to be a co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. But residents of Marawi City in Mindanao, a towering bastion of Islamic radicalism in the Philippines’ south have reportedly taken to the streets in large numbers to protest Philips’s deportation — a testament to how much radical Islam is resonating amongst Filipino Muslims.
Indeed, the possibility of the Bangsamoro “nation” seceding and joining the Malaysian Federation is the least of Filipinos’ problems. That may even be a better prospect considering the alternative — that they stay and develop into a cancerous infestation of Islamic terrorism that Manila will have to deal with. Worse, it could become a refuge for Arab Islamic radicals fleeing US forces in the Middle East if America successfully crushes the Islamic State over there.
Observers have long criticised the US for its penchant for arming future insurgents. Indeed, the late Osama bin Laden himself was a beneficiary of previous US governements’ initiatives to arm elements seen, at the time, to be a common ally in the fight of what, again at the time, were America’s enemies. But the Philippine government’s approach to making “peace” with its own Muslim community is in a league of idiocy of its own. President BS Aquino counted as his partner in this initiative the terrorist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which, even now, has not categorically disassociated itself from their militant Islamic roots.
The Philippines, like the United States, has had extensive experience fighting Islamic fighters. Many young Filipino soldiers have lost their lives in these battles. It is a shame that their memory and surviving families will be betrayed by a government that, in its renowned shortsightedness, may count as part of its legacy, what could become the single biggest sellout of Philippine sovereignity.
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
I already basically consider anywhere west of Davao to be no-go as a white foreigner in Mindanao. My expat life is like a game of Buckaroo – how much sh*t can they pile on me before I bolt?
I’m surprised you can still endure and stay.
@ Dave, if you try to buy anything that is considerd a ‘big ticket’ item, you will be robbed.Either coming out of the bank,or the item being stolen back by the person that sells it to you.Land? Fuggedabouwdit, you’ll never see a valid title.
I give you no more then 5 t0 7 years befroe you have had enough and leave, no way you will spend your remaining days there, it is just too much, everywhere you go, everything you do…you are discriminated against and seen as someone to be robbed/cheated/scammed I was able to last that long as I lived on a remote beach 75% of the time and had minimal contact with the ‘massa’.
I’m not so sure about being discriminated against, but I’m pretty certain that if you’re caucasian, you’re a higher-class citizen than locals here. Now that could be because of possible cheating/scamming or simply a hope to latch on to big tips or a possible green card down the line, but my point remains valid nonetheless.
State within a State. In essence, the Philippine Government is conceding to the Moslem rebels. To end the struggle, the government surrendered its power, territory and supreme will to the Islamic separatists. The Philippines loses Mindanao.
This is a glaring violation of our constitution. The government is creating a new state. Look, it will be like this; A sovereign Bangsamoro people under an Islamic government in their own land, vast parts of Mindanao and would be recognized by the OIC.
Peace must be drawn by blood and not by a coward, cunning traitors. If the government believes Bangsamoro Basic Law will bring peace to Southern Philippines, then they are commiting blunder. This is going to be the start of a bigger war. Bloodier war.
Why did ARMM failed? The ARMM government is just like the national government- corrupt and incompetent. Now, they would be rewarded even more, a brand new state, to be dominated by MILF.
Now, perhaps a new rebel group will be formed, A Christian Separatists. The war goes on.
Granting Mindanao autonomy is pretty much PNoy saying:
“Bahala na kayo diyan. Wala na akong pakialam sa inyo.”
Anything outside the Greater Manila area is essentially neglected by Pnoy. Hell, they even can’t fix the glaring problems of Manila.
Hey, wasn’t that the same line that Boy Palengkero/Traffic Aide/Tagabuhat ng Sibuyas spouted off during that recorded conference about Yolanda relief operations by months ago?
(Jail)”Birds of the same feather” nga naman, o.
We shouldn’t be surprised. He neglected the Rolando Mendoza hostage crisis, he will not also mind giving part of the country to hooligans and murderers. Or maybe he’s doing this Bangsamoro bullshit so that he will have more iron hands on the poor people of Hacienda Luisita. Step by step planning.
Can we fight them? Are we willing to spend blood and treasure to secure our territorial integrity?
I don’t think so. The Philippines is disintegrating. The government can’t even provide basic services anymore. Bangsamoro is just the beginning.
We can fight terrorism. All we need are politicians with brains and cold heart to murderers.
I guess to them, between rebel commies and Islamists, might as well give one concessions to lessen their enemies while they’re out to loot and plunder. Actually an ingenious tactic for their self-interests.
Bangsamoro Basic Law in form, scope, effect and substance qualifies to be a constitution on its own. It violates many provisions of our 1987 constitution like territorial integrity, separation of church and state, police powers, taxation powers, economic provisions and practically contradicts the entire state principles.
BBL‘s Proponents and Authors, principally President Benigno S. Aquino III and others are already commiting treason by mere proposing this bill. All the more if BBL becomes a law and ratified. The president is endangering himself to be called a traitor.
But why is the president initiating the passage of this bill? Is he not aware that BBL is unconstitutional? Is he not aware that once the High Court outlaws this BBL, would surely lead to a bloody war? Why is the president playing with people‘s emotions, hopes and desires for freedom? The president is inviting bigger problems by giving in to demands of the MILF.
The president is playing a dangerous game. He must be warned not to do so. People‘s lives are at stake. Another war will spark.
I can only think that Pnoy, in his magnificent short-sightedness, thought of erecting a guaranteed voting block thinking that the MILF would be in his debt.
When you think of what they’re doing from the perspective of national benefit, they look freaking retarded.
But when you look at it from the perspective of what would benefit Pnoy and his allies the most, it begins to look disgustingly calculated and brazen.
Noynoy wants his Nobel Peace Prize that bad?!?!
The late PLO Chief, Yasser Arafat; who was a Terrorist in his whole life was awarded a Nobel Prize…
One Mans’ terrorist is another Mans’ ‘Freedom fighter’.
Define: ‘Terrorist’.
ISIS and Al Queda is already in Mindanao. Aquino is too dumb to realize this threat…
he is an appeaser and collaborator, by nature. He is also a coward…remember that Luneta Hostage incident, where he hid in his Hole….
@Hyden
From what I read in the news the Abu Sayaff Group in Mindanao have rendered allegiance to ISIS! The BIFF also rendered allegiance to ISIS! The MILF have relatives in both organizations… They are also jihadists and will render allegiance to the ISIS! The yellow dictator did not even convene the National Security Council to address the grave national security implications of ISIS! BS Aquino III is creating a safe haven for a Caliphate in Mindanao! BS Aquino is for the enemies of the state! Time to kick him out before we lose everything in Mindanao! Everything about the MILF agreements and law is patently unconstitutional!
The objective of ISIS , Al Queda and other Islamic radicals, is to make radical Islam to rule the whole world.
They want to raise the ISIS flag on the U.S. White House Lawn. Oil is used to finance this objective.
The faster, we can have alternative fuel, other than this oil fossil fuel source. The faster, we can go to the road to a peaceful world…
Really? Exactly which oil field is funding these ISIS clowns? and you can not say IRAN because they are not ISIS, and not Saudi Arabia either, as they are not ISIS either and are in the back pocket of the USA government.
it is astonishing, the things I see on this blog concerning matters outside the Philippines. Sure these Idiots might have sold a few Iraqi barrels of oil, but do you know who they are fighting? They will be annihilated, and breed again, and get annihilated again.A vicious circle and one they can never get out of and a fight they will not win.At least not in the lifetime of anyone who is alive today. They also do not have a chance of doing as you say,”Raising the ISIS flag on the White House lawn”. LOL, get a clue dude.
@ Benigno …’The philippine government…is in a league of idiocy of its own…” ,LOL !!!
YOU GOT THAT RIGHT !
ISIS has captured some of the oil fields in Iraq, in the Kurds area. This is the sources of the oil they sell at black market, at very low price…Fighting terrorist is like removing grasses. Your must remove the root; so that the grass will not grow again…they are vicious murderers…
the ISIS has sold very little oil, in the are you mentioned. it is a tiny blip on the world-market ‘radar screen’.
Anyway, they people they are fighting are vicious murderers too.You will remember that both sides are killing people, mostly civilians too !
The ISIS & ISIL are a manufactured enemy,they are necessary to de-stabilize the region so Western corporations can go and exploit the oil fields.Basic Geo-political stunts ala Geo-political science 101.
I want the “right to self-governance and self-determination” in its aim to freely “pursue its economic, social and cultural development” for my Visayan homeland too. Can we get that next?
How is the AFP taking this BBL? Will the military make a move to prevent this plan of dismemberment of Mindanao from the whole country?
Is it possible that the military generals and the whole AFP plays politics? A military junta to grap power from government and punish the president for commiting treason. All this time, the military remains quiet. Given the political noise created by corruption scandal, the military is silent. But, if the government go with plan of giving away Mindanao to the Bangsamoro people, AFP might break the chain of command. Afterall, they are tasked to protect our territory.
Proof of Filipino Jihadists joining ISIS from the Manila Standard…
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/2014/09/13/pinoy-jihadists-join-is/
Imagine the creation of a state within a state that has ties with ISIS! The BBL of the traitor BS Aquino III will be funded with the lion’s share of wealth sharing while the dirt poor and sovereign people of Mindanao get absolutely nothing! Imagine our oil, natural gas, ore and all other natural resources exploited by the MILF Bangsamoro criminal, bandit terrorist group! Imagine the national patrimony and taxes being used by the MILF to fund a Pan Islamic Super State in the near future! All the advantages and opportunities given by the dictator BSA III to the Bangsamoro who will be the most powerful political and economic entity in Mindanao! Imagine the AFP/PNP pulling out of Mindanao! A sure recipe towards Jihadist Genocide!
Conclusion: It literally pays to be a Jihadist in Southern Philippines. Mindanao will soon be sliced up and Balkanized. The MILF will never surrender their arms and gear. The AFP/PNP leadership would have to decide… preserve territorial integrity or retreat from Mindanao! THE MARCHING ORDERS ARE CLEAR AS DAY! IT IS STATED IN THE PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION! SERVE AND PROTECT THE PEOPLE OF MINDANAO WHO WERE NEVER CONSULTED BY THE YELLOW DICTATORSHIP! DI PALULUPIG! DI PASISIIL!
Mindanao will be like Lebanon. A State within a State…Lebanon has the Hezbollah state…they have their own flag, government and army….
I vote for giving these guys what their own independent state. Follow it up by instantly putting up a dmz, and revoke all of its residents’ philippine citizenships. No one gets in or out. think N/S Korea or E/W Germany. They get what they want, but at a price, not just a slap on the wrist.
T…GOOD POINT. “You want out, OK…..go fuck yourself and you are never coming back in. Not during your own lifetime anyway.”.Look at Vietnam, they want Joe America back now, him and his Yankee USDollars.LOL !
I will not be surprised if this i Malaysia’s version of Operation Merdeka, only bloodless and done under the cover of “diplomacy.”
I took the freedom…
Everything is very open with a precise explanation of the challenges.
It was really informative. Your website is very helpful.
Many thanks for sharing!