The morning after that Sunday carnage in Cotabato police are picking up the pieces, figuratively and literally, with two suspects being subjected to intense questioning.
Is it an important political center, being the capital of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, and is generally considered a showpiece of peaceful and productive coexistence of Muslims and Christians, rich in cultural history and cradle of the rich heritage of Filipino Mohammedans.
That the bombers specifically targeted the regal Immaculate Conception Cathedral as influential Archbishop Orlando Quevedo was celebrating mass appears to send a message to both the government of the day, and the Catholic Church.
There has been a marked up surge of clashes between the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the military while anxiety continues further down South in Basilan and Sulu over the fate of kidnapped Italian engineer Eugenio Vagni of the International Red Cross.
Vagni has now been held captive by the Abu Sayyaf for 5 long months and while he’s captors have allowed Eugenio to phone his family in Italy twice last month to give authorities “proof of life,”he runs the danger of becoming the forgotten hostage.
He has diabetes and no one really knows how badly his health has deteriorated.
God forbid that is something worse befalls the Italian one of these troubled days.
All the way from the Vatican Pope Benedict condemned the incident as he said Sunday Angelus:
While praying to God for the victims of this heinous act, I once again condemn the recourse to violence which is never a just way to resolve existing problems. When will people learn that life is sacred and only belongs to God? When will they understand that we are all brothers?
The military is now saying an MILF special operations unit probably staged the horrific attack as “a test mission.”
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/166696/AFP-Cotabato-bombing-has-signs-of-test-mission
If it was that then it was a macabre success having killed 5 and injuring close to 5o people whose only intent was to hear Sunday mass at the Mindanao city’s Cathedral where the region’s own Catholic Archbishop was officiating.
But the emerging details – that the bomb fashioned from a military mortar shell was detonated just as a para-military service van was passing in front of Immaculate Conception church – point to the bomb bearing the signature of experienced rebel-trained ordnance men using the technique perfected by Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Iraq.
This gives one a chilling realization: that such elements are either based in Cotabato City or conveniently go in and out of the city center with ready access to bomb-making components.
This is urban terrorism at its most frightful.
Like Vagni, our society is held hostage by such unmitigated terrorism.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Life in Pinas continues and today’s pace is the same as that from three months ago, so it is melodramatic to say that the country is being held hostage by fear from the Cotabato bombing.
I even think it is counterproductive to say the words “… held hostage” over and over again. Say it often enough and Patricio Mangubat may again ask for four days of No-Classes-and-No-Work for Metro Manila, or Primer or the Equaliter may begin to insist that Muslim neighborhoods in Quiapo, Cavite and others should be “…better patrolled”.
We have to realize however that on the ground it does feel as if the situation merits these type of descriptions.. I have friends in Cotabato, and have spoken to one just the other day, he will not allow his kids to go to church for a while or an indefinite period.
That action alone, is what fear is, when individuals are afraid to go to a place of worship, that is as good as being held hostage.
I do understand your concern, and that is also warranted, in a situation such as this, we also have to convey the feeling on the ground.
Such attacks are viewed by many as what Ding has described, it may not be the case, but these are views that are held by many. Including my friend over in Cotabato.
A number of Cotabato residents may, for several few days, be fearful, but the country???? The LRT and MRT runs on schedule. Marikina would hardly blink. Laguna’s Paete or Calamba; Pasay City, Cebu City, Caloocan City, Lingayen, Davao and hundreds of Pinas cities and towns would just amble along to the normal ebb and flow of life. Unless, of course, the media hyperventilate and harp on this “We should be afraid!!! JI is now in Luzon and the next bomb can be at the neighborhood talipapa this Sunday” line.
This is the trouble with Islamic Fundamentalists. They dont respect
other peoples’ beliefs. They think they have the ultimate truth.
Killing innocent people will never help any cause. They are more
of sadistic criminals than religious fighters. Blowing people up
to advance your cause? An ultimate kind of idiocy.
Like UP n, I sadly feel we’ve been in a thread like this before. Reminds me of the song Blowin’ in the Wind:
‘Yes, how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they’re forever banned ?
The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
…
Yes, how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died ?
The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
The version of Miss Katie Melua:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7-Tb_FsWRw&feature=related
You’re correct PM.
The question, disconcerting as it may me be for the uninvolved, why have authorities failed to reverse if not ease the conditions?
Then this thread will be replaced by a celebratory post.
By the way the death toll in the Cotabato carnage has gone up to 6.
and more disconcerting is when arresting the arresting officer! In Datu Piang where a bomb also exploded and injured 3, a curfew hour as early as 8pm has been ordered. Why? because any civilian resident caught of having spotted the bomber placing a bomb at any place will be imprisoned, instead! you know what i mean of this joke!
All boils down whether the intelligence funds of both the military and the police are not just pocketed in by their commanding generals.
The AFP and the PNP should be investigated by a congressional commitee and let us start to pinpoint the blame.
Heads must roll.
Primer,
The AFP/PNP may or may not be corrupt. But it is also fair to note that no country in the world can stop terrorism. Seeking a scapegoat right now may just result in demoralizing the troops…and won’t disrupt the terrorists.
This is the stuff of Iraq and Afghanistan. Rather than blowing a fuse over the imprisonment clause in the VFA, the Philippines might want to do a 180 degree about face and ask the US to bring over some of those drone aircraft that track terrorists and shoot them with missiles. Pakistan has recently done a 180 degree turn, finally recognizing that negotiating with evil human animals is about as successful as talking to a crocodile.
Defense Secretary Teodoro can push the red “fire” button from his office in Manila.
Joe
Joe,
Washington’s D.C,’s possible ‘involvement’ is really factored in on the basis of whether its investments here are threatened by civil conflict internal to the Philippines.
My own belief is unless the urban terror bombings reach metropolitan Manila and assume proportions that threaten the 2010 polls, the U.S. will just keep a watchful eye.
Remember that there are US Special Forces units deployed in the South but only in support, non-combatant posture, unlkess of course they are attacked.
As for the UAVs, they are already deployed for surveillance work. But this is never officially admitted.
The US would gladly join the efforts vs the ASG if invited. If the US were allowed to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in Jolo with the PNP, what would be the result?
That would be a decent issue I’d like to see parties tackle in the 2010 campaign. I wonder what would happen. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is significant support for closer cooperation. Especially now, after Cotabato (and much else).
Yes, I suppose so. But the government doesn’t have much investment left, I think. And private is not so big a deal either. I think the engagement has been generally part of an intense worldwide effort against terrorism. But, for myself, I think the Philippines should drive this, for their own well-being, and not the US. And the Philippines should WANT US support, rather than it’s senators running around shouting “humiliation” regarding the imprisonment clause of the VFA. Its as if they think the US is the enemy, rather than the people planting bombs.
Joe
Joe,
You seem genuinely interested with Gibo.
So far, he is just your one of many bureaucrats who creates no impact, either no matter what the crisis is.
Primer,
I was hoping for info like yours. US Secretary of Gates visited with him. His job seems important, if he is engaged at all in what is going on in Mindanao; he is certainly engaged with US/Philippine military exercises. I was hoping he would be decisive and break with the old crowd, but I guess that is difficult, with his Uncle’s favoritism riding on that. I’m looking for someone to really like in 2010. Maybe it’s not him. I appreciate your view.
Joe
“With all the talk about the administration doing its best to extend its tenure with scenarios ranging from amending the Constitution to sowing disorder as a basis for emergency rule, the people cannot be blamed for even considering that the bombings are the handiwork of operatives with a political objective,”
— Rep Biazon
——————
“The ‘terrorist card’ could always be used by Malacañang to extend GMA’s (Arroyo’s) stay in power. The climate of fear created by these bombings benefits the GMA administration as it seeks to rationalize its plan to stay in power after 2010”
— Rep Hontiveros
——————-
Like I’ve said…
“Some rumors have come out — from anti-GMA quarters citing un-named sources — which have not been substantiated. But they have been repeated in various media. The rumors predict a series of events which, to date, haven’t happened. They might or might not be accurate.”
Maybe Obama’s Cairo speech should have included something like this:
Bong,
It seems to me fruitless to live in the past, to try to rectify mistakes made and put humpty back together again without the cracks showing. One can only say, today, what do you want? And then go from there. If one side says “religion has authority over the state” and the other says “the state has authority over religion”, and neither can bend, and both attach land to their claim, where is the basis for harmony?
I think a state can fairly encompass all religions, but a religion cannot encompass a state, without unkindness toward those whose minds simply think on a different track.
This is the battleground today.
To be frank, I know nothing about the Moros. I do know a little about the tragedy of American Indians.
Today, the Indians are making a comeback . . .within the system, and also taking advantage of being outside the system . . . and are respected for both their entrepreneurial and litigious zeal. Religion had little to do with their near demise; it was strictly racism and a land grab.
Do you want reservations, or what? Or a new country, Mindanao? If the latter, would it be secular.
Joe
Joe:
Tell fruitless to Obama, Palestinians and Israel.
Joe:
To paraphrase BHO’s Cairo Speech
Joe:
If it were up to me – there will be two new countries on Mindanao Island – one is secular and the other is up for the Bangsa Moro to decide if they want the Iranian model, the Turkish model, or the KSA model.
Geographical parallels would be Brunei and the state of Sarawak.
That way, Luzon and the Visayas can have all the ocho ocho and HoR 1109 and term extensions they want.
Mindanao has business to take care of, and it does not need all this drama emanating from Manila – if Manila can’t be part of the solution – at the very least – go away, stay out of the way, and get their fingers out of Mindanao’s cookie jar.
Bong,
I admire your idealism. I’d put the chances of that happening at zilch-negative. But I would move back if you could get the Moro ancestors who live outside your defined country to either 1) obey the laws, and leave me alone, both under penalty of execution (same same their idea about penalties), or 2) move back to THEIR country. And what do you do about the good Catholics living in your Palestine?
Joe
Joe,
This morning over DZMM, Gibo was interview with regard to the bombings in Mindanao.
And I cannot even tie a knot of the things he may have said since, in the whole, I think the guy does not make any sense at all.
He seems to be an armchair bureaucrat who cannot hit the ground running in the affairs of state that properly belongs to his agency or department. He seems to leave it all to the PNP.
Yoo… hooo….. OPLAN GREENBASE anyone
http://sonnytrillanes4.blog.friendster.com/
to BongV: You could have started a separate blogthread with that cut-and-paste from Trillanes.
How again did this guy get elected Senator? He is another one of those that fit the template — the voters deserve what they get.