Muddled Picture Of Peace

The government should have consulted the stakeholders before dangling the ancestral domain issue with the MILF. With the way Commander Bravo has been acting, it seems that he is his own boss. The MILF, if they are indeed sincere in their quest for peace should have taken the necessary steps in reining Bravo in. Instead it sits on its pompous ass while Bravo retreats to his mountain lair.

The government should have thought twice before negotiating with the MILF. Only two reasons come to mind with Bravo's actions. Either Bravo is against the creation of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity or the MILF is trying to force the issue of the BJE. Now we are faced with the prospect of an all-outwar in Mindanao because the administration focused more on how it could insert Cha-Cha in the MOA.

Clearly, Gloria's allies thought that they could ride on the peace issue to push for GMA's term extension. Well, it backfired and now the people of Mindanao have to face uncertainty once again. It also behooves me why the GRP did not consider consulting the Moro councils and went straight to the MILF? Peace cannot be attained without going to the grassroots and asking what the ordinary Mindanaoan wants.

Malaysia also has its interests to protect that is why it decided to join the peace process. Sabah is the common denominator in their interest in the creation of the BJE. I agree that the Moro's have genuine grievances but they are a fragmented people as well. Tribal issues have to be addressed too as differences in the tribes compounded by political interests have caused conflicts in the past and continue up to now.

The unrest now is not about a frustrated rebel. It all boils down to who gets what. The MILF is held only by the creation of the BJE. What is unclear with the rebel group is how to divide the spoils of war. Malacañang is not after peace when it went into the negotiation, it was after how they could stay in power. Now the people must suffer because of interests by those who have the power and the guns.

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Cha Cha Cha.....

The controversial MOA creating the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity entails a change in the constitution. Without the amendments, the MOA cannot push through. So it seems that Gloria is at it again. She is bent on pursuing her Cha-Cha plans. This time, she had cloaked it in the guise of peace in Mindanao. She cannot openly push for Cha-Cha as it could finally cause her ouster and even the patient military could finally lose its cool.

With barely two years left in her illegitimate presidency, and without a clear ally after 2010, it is only through charter change that she can save her neck. I am sure that her successor(?) will not be able to save her as countless groups are poised to charge her in court. She will lose her immunity from suit the moment she steps down.

So it is not true that Cha-Cha is dead. Her zombies will again rise to wreak havoc. This time they have a more powerful weapon in their arsenal, PEACE. They all know that we want peace in Mindanao and will support any move to achieve it. But I am sure that Filipinos have learned their lessons well. They will be able to discern Gloria's real motives. In the coming days as the people begin to understand the MOA and its implications, I am sure that it will be harder for GMA to sell us this "Peace in Mindanao" crap.

I'm glad the Supreme Court issued a TRO so that it will give us more time to put under scrutiny this MOA which was hatched by this evil-minded administration. If Gloria doesn't stop, we may not have to wait for 2010 to see her charged in court.

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