Terrorism and the President

By Rolo B. Cena
Hushed Poppies
Dumaguete Star Informer
23 October 2011

Early on, Pres. Aquino has always expressed optimism to stop Abu Sayaff’s terroristic activities in the country. Basically founded in the badlands of the south, the left wing of MILF has been considered by the local and international governments as among the most notorious of Islamic factions.

This is according to him!

The President met Abu’s high ranking officer in Japan, a move his colleagues considered novel and tactical. Since the meeting was not made known to everyone nor consultation was made, it came out as a surprise.

Apparently, the nation is still experiencing the wrath of the rebels.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to crush the “communist insurgency, rebellion in the South, and terrorism” by the end of her term in 2010.

This was according to her. Surprisingly, it was during her term that the terroristic activities of this group heightened: kidnappings, bombings, et al. Worse, Abu Sayaff gained confidence and enormous strength after getting international alliances and financial support.

These were according to intelligence report!

When Marcos assumed powers in the Palace, one of his foremost aims was to stop insurgency, rebellion, and terrorism. Sadly though, before his forced exit from the Philippine, not even one stopped.

Cory Aquino was sworn into office after the controversial snap election. A neophyte in politics, she was faced with the same dilemma. Until her dominion expired, terrorism was not resolved. Worse, several military coups were born that further gave birth to a senator.

Ramos, a West Pointer and a military man took over the palace. He vowed the same thing. But he failed and was failed by his own colleagues in the military. The short-lived term of actor Joseph Estrada also did not accomplish what the entire country hoped for.

Shortly before the start of the Ramadan this year, five members of the elite Philippine Marines were beheaded in Sulu. In a clash between the Islamic rebels and the government troops in Basilan in the 18th of October, at least 19 people were slain. The troop was claiming that they lacked pre-loaded magazines and they were outnumbered.

Reading through the statements, it seems that the government is not at all ready to stop the long time insurgency in the south; in ultimately putting a dot to the rhetoric of MILF. With the bloated budget and un-resolved “pabaon” issues in the military, what the “um” are we doing with our emissaries? – sending them off to battlefields without weapons? - And in number lesser than the enemies?

Arguably though, none of them knew what they were talking about; none of them knew what they were working at. At the rate the government is going, there is no way terrorism, insurgency, or rebellion – however we would call it – will ever be stopped. Unless our lawmakers put some teeth on the Anti-terrorism Law, we will never succeed as a nation.

And this ‘teeth” should be something that would express desire for life more than political greed or articulate life more than passion for the animal deduced to “pork in a barrel.”

Let me express my thought here: Unless political greed is reduced to nil, only then can Juan and Pidro claim that the battle against terrorism, insurgency or rebellion has been won. Greed brings about terrorism; terrorism is greed!