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Sunday, November 19, 2006

A Bully and the Gang

GMA had mastered the art of saying one thing but doing another. After being lambasted by the JFC for the alarming number of forced abductions and assassinations. She coyly stated that she also would like these killings to stop. She even told the Melo commission to speed up its investigation. Time and again, she had said that she welcomes the international community's concern and even offered to open the Philippines to those interested to send fact-finding teams and investigate the spate of extra-judicial killings.

The first to heed her call was a fact-finding team from Canada. A few months back, a former MP of the Canadian Parliament had shown her intent to get to the bottom of things. She had assembled the team to be sent here to investigate and offer psycho-social aid to those families who have been victimized by these abuses.

The Canadian team had the opportunity to experience firsthand, how our military and police forces "operates". Along with the Southern Tagalog Chapter of Karapatan, they were blocked by an army detachment. The contingent was threatened with an obstruction of justice charge.

I guess the show had ended even before it started. The Canadian team would definitely have a lot to say about her "invitation" and the military's unconventional hospitality. She better be prepared to face the international backlash this arrogance will cause or would she just brush this aside? But I doubt if GMA can castigate the military at this point in time. She owes the AFP and PNP her existence and they know this. From ensuring her victory in the '04 presidential elections to propping up her bogus presidency, she wouldn't dare lift a finger against them.

At the rate she had been appointing retired military and police generals, one would think that there are no other competent civilian career officers in the different posts in government. While the upper echelon basks in the "graces" of GMA, the sad reality is that the lowly foot soldier is used and abused by its very own officers. The poor soldier who continues to serve his country by putting his life on the line continues to be exploited by its leaders. So much for the chain of command doctrine.

GMA and her dogs in uniform know that this will not continue for long. Soon, just like their predecessors, the lowly soldier will emerge from its hibernation and confront the people behind their exploitation. Until that time, the lame bully in the palace will have to play by the military's rules. She will continue to block any form of credible investigation against her "loyal" guards. The Canadian contingent's experience sends a strong message to those who intend to send their teams to investigate the killings here. The Philippines is her playground, her turf. She is the "bully" here and no amount of pressure can dislodge her. Her gang will force upon their will on the Filipino with impunity.

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