Credits

Friday, February 23, 2007

Two Rocks and A Sore Head

Now that the Melo Report is out, the AFP now assails its credibility. After UNHRC rapporteur Philip Alston said the the AFP is in a state of denial, it seems that the AFP is in such as state. How can the two investigations be untrue? With the government backed Oplan Bantay Laya, the numbers of killings and forced disappearances increased. But both the Melo Report and Mr. Alston's may have missed the mark by a mile. They both declared that GMA does not have a hand in this and its solely the military who is to be blamed.

Wasn't it GMA who declared an all-out war on the insurgency? Did she not give additional funding to the military? I could understand Mr. Alton's remarks. Being a rapporteur of the UN, its but diplomatic and courteous for him to refrain from implicating GMA outright. And his final report on what he gathered from his 10-day investigation is yet to be finished. He could end up blaming GMA in the end.

The Melo Commission on the other hand had enough time to conduct an earnest investigation despite uncooperative witnesses. The AFP and the administration has ganged up on Alston, with the rabid DoJ Secretary having a mouthful for the rapporteur. Esperon meanwhile denies being in the "state of denial". Malacañang too has expressed its disapproval and dismay of the two investigations. Wasn't it GMA who praised Palparan during her SONA last year. So what are they crying about?

Isn't it ironic that the person who formed the Melo Commission and "invited" the UNHRC rapporteur now finds herself in hot water? The New York court found Marcos liable for extra-judicial killings during his reign. The court used the doctrine of command responsibility, he being the commander-in-chief. This could be used against GMA in a court case. The insistence of Esperon that the Communists are guilty too is total stupidity. Esperon should be reminded that the NPAs are working outside the framework of the law and are in fact branded as terrorists. Its the state's duty to protect the people, stupid!

I suppose that the belief that activists are "considered" enemies of the administration has cultivated a "Let Them Kill Each Other" mindset which to the military is just fine. So the purges that Esperon and the administration say are NPA initiated should be addressed by the government after all. They are still the legal defenders of human rights. These are still killings that warrant justice for the aggrieved parties, mga bobo!

I can only laugh at how GMA had picked up two rocks to bash her head with. She thought that the Melo Commission can be dictated upon and go along with her Moro-moro. Well, it proved to be independent after all despite the public's apprehension. And even her "hospitality" did not deter Mr. Alston from pointing to her dogs as culprits and willing bystanders. The truth has many ways of exposing its head, in this case, GMA's head.

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