I was avoiding politics and all the ever tiresome bothersome highfalutin news about my country and its involvement with our Muslim brothers. But it seems I have to enlighten some friends who are out of the country and are clueless about the events south of the map of the Philippines.
I will not go too intellectual about this stuff, although this is a real serious matter, but the technical discussions can be found everywhere in columns and political blogs. I will tell you how I see it as a commoner.
Foreign media don’t put much highlight on this news as they probably think it’s a simple political war during election time, but what I think though is because there is a foreign press restriction because of the very dangerous situation in that part of the country.
Jiggy Manicad of GMA7 was there two weeks ago to cover the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections, but instead of an election coverage he became a witness to a war! It was a scary sight for him and also for his company, he is in middle of a battle.
As of today (August 19, 2008) 28 men from the military forces were killed and 11 others wounded after another ambush Sunday morning at Brgy. Ilian, Mulondo, Lanao del Sur, Mindanao.
People have evacuated their homes in 4 Lanao del Sur towns.(If you look closely in the map, the war is happening in at 60 and is spreading all over.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels was said responsible for the attack that sparked a two hour fire-fight between the reinforcing soldiers and the MILF rebels.
A P5 million bounty is now in place for the capture of the two commanders of the rebel group, Ameril Umbra Kato and Abdulrahman Macapaar alias Commander Bravo.
Kata is formally charged for commanding the MILF rebels who occupied several villages in five North Cotabato, Mindanao towns before a temporary restraining order (TRO) was issued by the Supreme Court (SC) against the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on ancestral domain between the MILF and the government for the creation of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE). Formal charges against Bravo is expected to be filed within the week.
MOA on BJE the flame that started it all
Our idiot President Arroyo (is libel in order with this name calling?) or probably she thinks her countrymen were idiots to not notice the impact of this agreement on ancestral domain MOA on BJE she agreed with the MILF. Well it was a draft supposedly signed on August 2, 2008 but oppositions prevented it. There was a rumor that the agreement will be signed August 25!
Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) to my understanding is the separation of the Muslim regions of the country to the Philippines itself. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo didn’t realize the implications of what she was doing. She just thought she was just giving a piece of land to some farmers but actually she is giving away a part of the country, separating the Philippines to the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
My friend Ding Gagelonia has a more in depth accounts of the events as it unfolds.
A reporter friend, around 8pm yesterday was laughing as he told me that the president was hysterical and she immediately called a press conference after the emergency meeting with the National Security Council (NSC).
Our president has been lobbying for the charter change, amendments from our pre-historic constitution. But of course oppositions oppose this as they see it as some ploy for her to extend her in her position.
She also want to change the constitution was having a Federal form of government, a big change from the present Democratic form. I think she was inching her way around the present constitution by signing this agreement on ancestral domains with the MILF for the creation of the BJE. Now the Supreme Court and all branches of the government executive and legislative are forced to discuss the constitutionality of this agreement. That could also lead to the formal talks on the Charter Change (Cha Cha) and creation of the Constitutional Assembly (Con Ass). If not skeptics think President Arroyo will declare a State of Emergency. OMG! Is another martial law in place? God forbid!
Oral arguments on the legality of this agreement on ancestral domain with the MILF will be on August 22.
I agree with the arguments of the opposition though as they stated in their petition to be a part of the arguments at the Supreme Court:
“If there would be changes in the territorial subdivision, all units affected should be consulted.”
“There is already an existing regional government representing the people inhabiting the ARMM [Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao] areas and this ARMM regional government has been established by law pursuant to the Constitution. Why did the respondent GRP Peace Panel deal with the respondent MILF Peace Panel and not with the existing elected officials of the ARMM in these talks about the Bangsomoro Homeland? What law gave the respondent GRP Peace Panel the power to choose the party to deal with regarding
the subject matter of the contested MOA-AD?”
Mrs. President what were you thinking? Or were you?
P.S. OK LOL! I have to clarify some acronyms in here so I put the text larger and bold for references.
3 Comments
did esteve say you’re ballsy? yes, you are! and we need more people like that in our country, in a good way ballsy,huh! keep it up!
Thanks Esteve.
Incredible,All I can say is thanks to people like you,People with enough balls to let the rest of the planet know whats realy happening.Keep up the good work