The popular support that Philippine President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III has desperately clung to over the last five years is fast slippng through his fingers. The only argument his apologists could field as an argument against his critics revolves around giving the man a break — that he is “just a man” and that he is entitled to his own personal way of grieving.
But President BS Aquino is not “just a man”. He is Aragorn as Conrado ‘Noynoy is Aragorn’ de Quiros once insisted. That is how he presented himself to his future “boss” when he campaigned for the presidency in the 2009-2010 presidential race — a special man who will be a different president. As such, he is not entitled to a “personal” way of doing things. Filipinos expect him to act like a president. Unfortunately for the nation he has failed to step up to that expectation. And so the “god” who could do no wrong and, thus, got himself elected to be the Philippines’ leader on that basis now appeals for a return to his humanity.
Too late.
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A simple thing as addressing a horrified nation hours after news broke of the massacre of 44 of the Philippine police’s finest elite troops is something President BS Aquino couldn’t trouble himself with. Instead, he waited almost four days to face the cameras. And when he did, he was an utter disappointment. He focused on making excuses and distancing himself from any accountability over the incident. Not only that, he also tried to excuse the behaviour of the terrorist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for the abject barbarity of their actions. Perhaps the “president” was merely laying the groundwork for the eventual pardoning of these monsters — as is seemingly stipulated in the small print of his pet project, the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
It is one thing to massacre 44 troopers under the idiotic argument that they entered a “territory” they were supposedly unauthorised to enter. There is no such “territory” in the Philippines — only battle lines drawn by bandits who have for so long terrorised Mindanao. The medieval barbarity, however, is something that should be noted here. Merlyn Gamutan told of the lack of humanity of the people who killed her husband Insp. Joey Gamutan…
Merlyn said her husband suffered mutilation. “He was not only hit by bullets. His body had hack wounds. His head almost fell off,” she said.
These were terrorists President BS Aquino negotiated with. Even as his apologists busy themselves making much of the amount of time he is now spending “honouring” the fallen SAF 44, it escapes them that BS Aquino had consciously dishonoured tens of thousands of soldiers and police officers who fell fighting these animals over the last several decades. Does the Philippine government negotiate with terrorists? President BS Aquino believes so. For that matter, that the “draft” BBL document got as far up the Congressional food chain as it did — onto the desk of Senator Bongbong Marocs himself — also says something about what the Philippines’ legislators believe.
The trouble with negotiating with a group like the MILF is that it is but one head of a big multi-headed hydra. One or a couple of its heads may be visible, even appearing to be calling the shots at any one time. But the minute you domesticate that one or couple of talking heads, another more rabid one that does not speak human nor refuses to learn how shows up with sharper teeth and a fouler breath. And another. And another.
The fact is, Islamic militants will never be happy with a compromise with the infidel. Perhaps some in their cadre will cosy up, even get into bed with this or any subsequent administration. The question is, however, will the head of said group (or the next one, or the one after that) be the final authority on where our Muslim “brothers” in Mindanao think they should be headed as an overall community?
Abangan ang susunod na kabanata.
[Photo courtesy @PIA_Cordillera on Twitter.]
benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.
So what alternative do you propose then? Since you don’t see peace negotiations as part of the equation.
Also in my opinion there is a major difference between MILF and something like ISIS and radical Islamist.
ISIS don’t negotiate, they just want you to follow them period, no compromise whatsoever any logic holds no water against them. It’s either you convert to their beliefs or get killed.
There was an existing peace agreement with the MNLF that was put together in 1996. The MILF broke away from the MNLF because because it refused to accept the terms of that agreement and continued fighting.
The ARMM is existing and the MNLF is a legitimate partner in dialogue with the Philippine government. Why the government would, instead, choose to negotiate with terrorists seems to be the big question that remains unanswered here.
There’s the option you seek staring us in the face. The BBL should be junked and the original 1996 peace agreement with the MNLF re-evaluated and built upon as it is a more constitutionally sound framework. As Bobi Tiglao wrote a while back, that agreement even ensured that all armed elements of the MNLF be subject to the armed forces’ chain of command…
The pact with the MILF BS Aquino proposes, however, is tantamount to giving full license to armed bandits to act with complete impunity. But as Tiglao points out…
The solution at this point is obvious.
“The BBL should be junked and the original 1996 peace agreement with the MNLF re-evaluated and built upon as it is a more constitutionally sound framework.”
If this is the obvious solution you speak of, and this means negotiating with the MILF under these terms, then thank you for providing a more sound alternative than armed conflict.
Maybe people should talk about this option more, because the way I see it our government is using the sentiment that by not agreeing with the BBL we can not have peace and are thus prolonging the war.
It is not too different from the “you’re either with us or against us” false dichotomy that this administration likes to throw around.
Besides, nobody ever said that the obvious solution was easy. But true to form this government wants a lot of credit for as little work as possible.
I agree. Actually the country was made to believe that the peace with MNLF and the subsequent creation of the ARMM – which was made possible by allowing people to choose if they want to be included in the proposed autonomous region – is the final answer to the problem. But it was not.
And many people back then opined that, with MILF excluded in the negotiation, we’ll might go back to square one. Which we did!
I think this BBL is nonsense. Why make another negotiation for the Bangsmoro people when we already did and have one on their behalf?
Is this PNoys version of Obamacare? Is the MILF part of his legacy? (The problem with this kind of question is for lack of people here who is credible enough to respond to it:))
I hope calling the MILF terrorists now is not too late. Why? When you talk to a terrorist group like the MNLF, MILF, etc. you tend to elevate their status into a legal and more acceptable level. And worse, when we do that it gives them a sense of equality with us.
Now that we fell on the usual cycle of violence the MILF and other groups there are known for, what do we next? I say,
1. Scrap the talks or any negotiation, etc. about BBL until the guilty parties are caught or surrendered to us.
2. A military option will be on the table while we await for them in their response to no. 1
3. If no result, we go ahead and do what is necessary in pursuing criminals. If anybody stand in the way, we go head on.
4. Stop doing the talks outside the country. For one, its expensive. Secondly, somebody is controlling the mode of negotiation and it is obviously not us.
Finally, if the intent of the gov’t. pushes thru, what assurance do we have that there wouldn’t be another group that will again speak for the Bangsamoro people in the future? 🙁
I agree, first of all, with the senate hearing of Sen. Miriam Santiago, that should the BBL goes through Congress, it will not pass the challenges before the Supreme Court. So I believe, at this point, the option you gave is one that is workable. Just tweak the ARMM law.
But having said this, the very weakness of engaging peace talks with the MILF, is precisely our overwhelming desire for Peace, or should I say the “absence of hostilities”. Peace for me has a broader meaning, than simply the absence of war.
While we all want peace, this “want” should not be on the negotiation table. We should not be so enthralled in it such that the opposing party, in this case, the MILF, as an organization, not including their supposed constituents, can manage to demand things knowing that “kung konting deperencya lang naman, okay na yun” provisions would be acceptable to the peace negotiators. I always say, negotiate always at a position of strength” and that means making it known that peace is a result of actions. not a negotiation. The Palestines and the Jews and the Arabs are in war almost everyday. Do they care? Do they treat their countries as if there is no peace in their territories? Yet they are prosperous nations, save for the Palestines whose state was recently been receiving recognition from some countries.
Peace, long lasting peace, is achieved, not negotiated. Countries who achieve this so called peace went through decades of violence, upheavals and even civil wars. Let us be honest to each other, calling spade a spade. This so called peace process is more of a political act than a genuine peace process. It satisfies more the demands of the organization it represents than the desire if their people. That is why there is this BBl, to be governed by another political entity. A never ending cycle of peace negotiations whenever another group leads that small territory. We gave them ARMM Law, let it age, Let them get their acts together. We have thrown billions of funding to that region over the last decades. Where are the results? I often go to Mindanao, yet they do not seem to care to develop their region that is full of natural resources many times more than Luzon. They have everything that can make their region much richer than Visayas and Luzon! Yet instead, they choose to wage war, and terrorize people, like in Zamboanga, for political and personal reasons. Their own police? What a laugh. They are doing that now. They just want to legalize their power!
Peace is not a signed document, or a passage of a law. Peace is won without these things as long as there is a true and genuine resolve for peace in everyone’s hearts.
Yes, it’s a two-step process to rectify the damage done by the administration of President BS Aquino. First is to revert back to the more sound fundamentals enshrined in the original 1996 ARMM agreement and, second, build upon that to update the terms and the framework to meet current circumstances.
And, indeed, the notion that a mutual agreement between two enemy parties necessarily will result in peace should be re-evaluated. A lot of the peace we see in the most stable societies of the advanced world was a result of one side winning decisively.
Peace in Europe was built upon the absolute defeat of Nazi Germany. Japan’s unconditional surrender at the end of WWII paved the way for peace in northeast Asia.
I’m not calling for war, I’m just saying that the options going forward should be framed by what is real, not by a landscape narrowed down to a single possibly flawed notion that peace is necessarily always a result of compromise between enemies.
The BBL should be junked and the original 1996 peace agreement with the MNLF re-evaluated and built upon as it is a more constitutionally sound framework.
========
But how do you go about considering that it is now the MILF we are engaged in? Will the MILF accept a peace agreement where they are not a party of to begin with?
Why the government would, instead, choose to negotiate with terrorists seems to be the big question that remains unanswered here.
========
I think that has already been answered in the past. Every resistance group are considered terrorists until they gain some notoriety and recognition that elevates them to the level of revolutionary which leads to being a legit representing an ideology or cause. I remember the MNLF being considered back then as mere bandits sowing terror in Mindanao. But because it has a persuasive and articulate leader in Nur Misuari, the group was able to elevate itself that led to it negotiating with the government in behalf of the Muslim population in the country. Same thing with the MILF. The MILF is a creation within the MNLF that decided to split because of difference with Nur Misuari.
I think the issue is not talking or negotiating with a terrorist group but why are we talking/negotiating ‘again’ with a group purported to be representing the Bangsamoro people?
Nagpapatawa ka. And why would the government want to negotiate with bandits and murderers? Alam mo ba ang pinagsasasabi mo iho? Alam mo ba kung gaano kadaming pamilya at mga babae ang sinira at nirape ng mga walanghiyang bandidong MILF at BIFF na yan? Natira ka ba sa Zamboanga at nakita mong pinapatay ang tatay at uncle mo ng mga tarantadong yan dahil lang sa may baril sila? Kaya nga tinawag na terorista ang NPA, MILF, MNLF at BIFF dahil hindi sila sumusunod sa constitution at pumapatay sila ng mga inosenteng tao kapareho ng ISIS. Kahit mga kaibigan kong Muslim gusto silang ipaubos sa mga militar dahil sobrang dami ng tao ang naperwisyo nila. Dadami ang mapapahamak dahil sa mga utu utong tulad mo na naniniwalang susunod sa agreement ang mga traydor na yan. Magsama kayo ni Ngoyngoy, Iqbal, CBCP at ibang epal at pekeng peace negotiators. Kung ayaw ninyong sundin ang Philippine constitution kalaban kayo ng Pilipinas.
Sabihin na natin na totoo lahat ng sinasabi mo na nang rarape nga at pumapatay lang basta basta ang mga MILF. Kung ganun bakit me popular support parin sila sa mga mahihirap? Bakit marami parin sumasapi sa kanila? Kung totoong majority muslim sa mindanao ay galit sa kanila matagal ng naubusan ng tauhan ang MILF. Pero hinde hanggang ngayon meron at meron parin sumasapi. Ibig sabihin meron social issue na kaakibat ang poblema sa Mindanao kung kaya’t nahihikayat silang sumali sa mga rebeldeng grupo.
Isa pa, sa giyera wala ng sinasanto ang mga tao sa kaiinitan ng laban, Naisip nyo po ba na pede din gumawa ng karahasan ang mga sundalong pinapadala natin doon at hindi lang ng mga rebelde?
Kung gusto mong matigil na ang rape at karaahasan sa Mindanao hindi mo hihilingin na magka giyera pa ng mag ka giyera. Dahil yun mismo ang poblema.
Huli sa lahat, sundalo ka po ba? or nakatira sa mga lugar na nag kaka giyera at meron nalagas sa pamilya mo? Kasi kung oo wala na po akong maisasagot, dahil di hamak na mas meron kang karapatan kung anong direksyon ang gusto mong mangyari sa himagsikan sa Mindanao. At anu man ang sabihin ko ay magiging ingay lamang sayo.
Kung hindi naman, sana po ay sumali ka sa pagsusundalo para naman maranasan nyo po first hand kung meron nga bang naidudulot po ng mabuti ang giyera.
P.S. hindi ako sundalo, at hindi rin ako nagmamarunong, pero kung ang nakakarami sa mindanao gusto ay kapayapaan ngayon sino ka naman or ako para ipagkait yun at hindi ito bigyan ng tsansa. (Meron akong kapamilya sa Mindanao)
These 44 kuffars died splendid deaths against the mujahideen.
It also teach filipinos a lesson, it will take 10 filipino to have a chance fighting one of us.
We are terrorists, and terror is an obligation in the book of Allah. Let the west and east know that we are terrorists and we strike fear.
The book teaches us “Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power. Including steeds of war to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies. of Allah and your enemies..” (8:60).
So learn to understand, calling us “terrorist” means nothing, if only we are following god.
You blind sheep.. I pray one day Allah can show you the light that we see.
An honest Muslim? No, you’re doing it wrong AL!
Never reveal your true intentions. Always deceive the Kuffar with talk of being a peaceful and misunderstood religion. Haven’t you heard of Taqiyya? For Allah’s sake, learn to play the game! Call yourself a moderate and insist the terrorists aren’t true Muslims. That makes killing the infidels later much easier.
You muslim religiots keep on bitching that your religion is the religion of peace and yet look at you killing and beheading even innocent people. I doubt you practice what you preach because religiots like you are absolutely batshit insane.
And go marry a 6 year old or 12 year old girl (ala Aisha) while you’re at it, Al. Emulate your mad prophet muhammad and be a ‘good’ muslim, with the sick ideologies of the koran.
Hey asshole, thank you for your comment. Naprint screen ko na ang sinabi mo at currently ay piniprint para ipadala sa NBI at PNP for ip location. Pray to your Allah na hindi ka hahantingin ng mga Mistah.
Son, AFAIK, only TROLLS and real-life FRAUDS are considered blind sheep. And you won’t reply back because what I’ve said is 100% TRUE.
TBH, this speaks the TRUTH about you. You’re giving Muslims a bad name…. son. 😉
seeing more and more muslims come out of the closet like this lately…
Because of the ISIS movement? AL needs to be put down, we don’t meed rabid moslems in this day and age.
@ AL:
“Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not aggressors.”
– Al-Baqarah 2:190
“a special man”… Yes. Pnoy is indeed “special”. Like those “special kids” who had to ride “the short bus” to and from school.
Aquino is getting a”peace Deal” with Bad Character people. See how they kill and mutilate the bodies of their victims?
No Peace, No Justice for the Fallen Police/Soldiers. The Three Stooges: Aquino-Roxas-Purisima have sold us to these Terrorists…
Let us Hang these Three Stooges…
YellowTard apologists of Aquino are PAID with our taxmoney; to LIE for Aquino. They are Too Dumb, because, they think people have no eyes, ears and brains…
We cannot negotiate with people who say what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is negotiable.
Who says its easy to beat those Muslims? Its been a headache not only in our country but in foreign countries too. In my opinion, Its really hard to make any negotiations with them considering they have different outlook in many aspects of life. Compromise can never be achieve unless someone has to give way. Its like oil and water, you can never achieve complete fusion no matter hard you try.
Pres. Vladimir Putin has beaten them in Checkniya, Russia…
As with Marcos, deals, lands, and agreements were always negotiated through large amount of money swapping hands, and it seemed to have started in 1989 and proudly earlier as we know by whom…
I soundly agree with the following:
It is one thing to massacre 44 troopers under the idiotic argument that they entered a “territory” they were supposedly unauthorised to enter. There is no such “territory” in the Philippines — only battle lines drawn by bandits who have for so long terrorised Mindanao.