“Aaminin kong may pagkukulang kami sa intelligence community, pero lahat na intelligence community sa buong mundo ay nasisingitan din ng mga masasamang loob. E, mas malaki ang budget nila nasisingitan pa rin, at mas malaki ang mga bombang sumasabog sa kanila. [I will admit we are inept but so are other intelligence agencies in the world.] ” —National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales on why he won’t resign despite being caught off-guard by the recent spate of bombings in ARMM
The Palace said the Sunday morning bomb that killed five and wounded dozens in Cotabato City bore “the signature of the special operations group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front [MILF].”
In the same breath, the Palace pointed out that the matter is still under investigation. So maybe it’s the MILF. Or maybe it’s not.
Meanwhile, the opposition is not doing anybody any good raising alarms that the bombings are part of a Palace plot to declare martial law. They have no proof.
Without evidence, warnings about an elaborate Palace shadow play involving terror bombings are nothing more than shouts of “Theater!” in a crowded fire.
Here’s what I mean:
“We’re only two weeks away from Mrs. Arroyo’s last Sona [State of the Nation Address] and we’re seeing a spate of despicable bombings in Mindanao. It doesn’t take a genius to piece the two together to surmise that something bizarre is going on,” said a leader of the opposition.
In the same breath, he said he was not discounting the MILF’s role in the bombings. So maybe it’s the Palace or maybe it’s not.
The public will just have to be patient. It may take a while before it becomes clear whom the Palace boob was alluding to when he urged everyone “not to yield the day to political harlots who wish to profit from the unsettled situation.”
Seriously, there is too much lawless violence in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). There have been 38 terror bombings since January. The governors of North and South Cotabato said people in their area have started to arm themselves.
Gloria Arroyo must prevent the “unsettled situation” from deteriorating into anarchy. She must put a stop to the bombings and bring the perpetrators to justice. And she has the means to do it.
The Constitution says, “The President shall be the Commander-in-Chief of all armed forces of the Philippines and whenever it becomes necessary, he may call out such armed forces to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion.”
What is Gloria waiting for, more bombings and more mangled bodies?
The opposition, for its part, must change tack. They must urge Gloria to declare martial law in ARMM and give her all the tools she needs to deal with the terror bombings. “Give her enough rope…” as the old saying goes.
How much time does she need, three months? Fine. Does she want to eavesdrop on all communications within ARMM? Fine. Does she want to monitor the movement of funds in that area? Fine. Does she want warrantless searches? Fine, but no suspension of free speech, no torture and no salvagings.
Give her everything she says she needs so that if she fails to stop the bombings and to apprehend perpetrators, she will have no excuse.
Box her in. If she can’t make martial law work in ARMM, she can’t claim she can make it work anywhere else.
On the other hand, if she stops the bombings and apprehends the bombers, then she has no more reason for martial law, in ARMM or anywhere else.
Either way, whether she succeeds or fails, her option of placing the entire country under martial law because of bombings is off the table.
Hopefully that will put a stop to all the blather about shadow plays. And we can now focus on real issues like where to jail Bonnie and Clyde when the time comes.
Popularity: 1% [?]
These words will be music to the ears of Bencard (but not to AbeM) and to a few Pinoys in Pinas (but not to deQuiros).
Mike H.
I know but I’m just calling it the way I see it. Just because I am a critic of this administration doesn’t mean I will give the opposition a free pass.
Besides, if Gloria decides to impose martial law or a revolutionary government, no one can stop her.
She is in a stronger position than Marcos was in 1972, What makes her stronger is that unlike Marcos who only began to sell his vision of a New Society after he imposed martial law, Gloria has already sold her vision to her supporters.
The only question is whether Gloria will pull the trigger or not. There is no one who can rally the people to oppose a Gloria power grab.
In 1972, the opposition was fiercer, it had charismatic leaders from the political world and the youth/student sector and yet when the time came, the crowds melted away. They fence sat for 14 years, until life became unbearable.
Gloria can look forward to a reign loner than Marcos’ if OFW remittances keep flowing. OFWs were the life-savers that Marcos didn’t have when the local economy tanked. He had started the OFW program but the time was not ripe, globalization was not yet a reality then.
If Gloria does not chicken out, Bencard will be a happy man indeed.
MCB:
You give Gloria too much credit. Though of course, you have much to worry about when your masses will go with whoever showers the most largesse.
Remember that at the end of the day, Marcos still fell down.. The Y/S sector that conducted the agitprop campaigns under the aegis of NAJFD/BAYAN/JAJA in the early 80s are still very much around – and, they now have more disposable income, have more contacts, have more sophisticated technology, have more social networks at play.
OFW remittances are a double edged sword – all that is needed is a trigger so that x% of the remittances are converted into agitprop mobilization funds that can match trapo mobilization funds mano a mano.
Bottom line – let’s cross the bridge when we get there.
“Remember that at the end of the day, Marcos still fell down..”
It was more like a long night. But you’re right nothing lasts forever.
I don’t think I’m giving Gloria any credit other than to say that she sold her vision early. I think that’s quite obvious. As to the OFWs yes it is a double edged sword but hey it’s a sword that Marcos didn’t have and right now, she’s the one holding it.
Basically I’m just analyzing and I have no problems changing my mind when somebody shows me where I fall short.
GMA sold her vision to a narrow clique – a buy off from the electorate armedwith their ayes and nayes in a referendum is another story.
and as this is a struggle between political forces – the show ain’t over till the lady sings.
“GMA sold her vision to a narrow clique – a buy off from the electorate armedwith their ayes and nayes in a referendum is another story”
Yes it’s a narrow clique. That’s her base. But a small, solid, determined group has been known to defeat much larger but disorganized groups. Besides there won’t be a real referendum if it’s done under ,artial law or a revolutionary govt. We are not talking about a rev govt led by Cory.
But I hope you are right. I hope we have learned our lessons and realized that democracy is easier lost than won and preserved once won.
MCB:
this is a political struggle. naturally, each group will have its base. GMA has her base. where is the base that is supposed to match wits with her?
are we now saying the opposition is witless, clueless? ahhh.. lemme say it – the opposition is rendered witless and inutile because everyone wants to be chief, no one wants to be an indian
GMA wins by default :)
shall we blame GMA because the opposition is in disarray, totally witless, and unable to field a common candidate? pati ba naman yan – si Gloria pa rin? where’s the spine and balls and gut of the opposition? sacrificed in the altar of presidential ambition?
well, since no one wants to budge, gloria gains the strategic advantage, gloria wins not by the superiority of her position but due to the opposition’s inability to put its act together. bugok kasi ang mga nasa opposition.
who knows, maybe pgma would “chicken out” because of buencamino’s atrocious “satires”. she could just give it all up laughing.
A National Security Adviser jumping to conclusion that the MILF
did the bombing. And the bombing is still under investigation. Why
this jumping to conclusion? Did he know anything about the bombing?
We dont give Gloria Arroyo a rope to hang herself. We tie her with
ropes to prevent her from doing mischiefs. Anyway, her momentum
for grabing power has subsided already. But, she still can do some
mischiefs.
She is the kind of leader who is surrounded by “asungots” who praise
her every move and decisions. She is just simply out of touch of our
situations and out of touch of our times. Separated from reality.
It was like the last days of Hitler of Germany. The Soviet Tanks had already surrounded Berlin, Germany. Hitler still believed in total victory of Germany.
Hyden,
I don’t think she is on her last legs. See my reply to Mike H. I hope my analysis is totally wrong.
She still can do mischiefs. Still be vigilant…
There are factors that Gloria Arroyo cannot understand that is
working in our world. Who would think that China that was a Stalinist
Communist country become a capitalist. Or, the Soviet Union can
disintegrate. Or, Pres. Charles Taylor of Liberia would be facing
Human Rights charges in The Hague, Netherlands now.
The same as in the Philippines. It is a small and politically volatile country. We have the youth awakened. We have OFWs who are
also involved. These factors and others are some hidden cards in this pocker game. She does not have all the ACES.
buencam, you’re right. I’ve been saying this all along in my blog. no one can actually stop her. what gloria wants, she’ll surely get. if she wants to extend her term for ten more years, then, so be it. we deserve it. why?
because nothing really changes in this country. nothing. those who do want changes are themselves unable to change.
look at our situation now….there’s a lull, and if others think this is a lull before a storm, what storm? a storm brewed by gloria? maybe. a storm concocted by her enemies? not quite.
leave gloria alone. leave her alone. let gloria do all the whacking. let her do the stealing. let her do all the boob jobs in the world. and let’s just watch and see if there’s still some out there who’ll stand up and fight. if there’ll be no one who’ll stand and take out his mallet, then, that’s his problem.
“leave gloria alone. leave her alone…”
I wouldn’t go that far. I’ll still speak out and protest anomalies.
My “philosophy” regarding the current state of our world is a Hunter Thompson quote on the banner of my blog
“In a nation run by swine, all pigs are upward-mobile and the rest of us are f*cked until we can put our acts together: Not necessarily to Win, but mainly to keep from Losing Completely”
if a nation is run by “swine” what do you think are its inhabitants? dumb asses? if so, how “can they put (their) acts together” ever?
bencard:
swine are elected by piglets? ..
piglets get their acts together with one simultaneous stampede to the feeding trough, squealing like the piglets they are :)
gloria is able to do what she wants because the opposition is in disarray. come to think of it – nearly 60% of the electorate did not vote for gloria that’s 60%!
however, the 60% is divided into camps – so “divided they fall”, and gloria wins by default – no rocket science there.
“The public will just have to be patient.”
Hmmm. If I were to draw the universe of the present situation: I’d say there are only these possibilities that’s why the much touted about code-red scenario has not happened:
1. The public is happy with, SWS surveys aside, or not angry enough of, the administration.
2. The public thinks the opposition is not offering acceptable alternatives.
3. The public is tired of extra-constitutional prerogatives.
Choose your wild. :)
This is something not often said by a critic of the Administration.
Pinoy society needs to be a bit more reflective and its actions more thought through. That is something that the “Opposition” needs to step up to.
Sometimes the true nature of issues are yet to reveal themselves at which time a more optimal solution can be formulated and a wiser course of action undertaken.
Unfortunately with an “Opposition” where each fragment is an embodiment of ocho-ocho thinking, the capacity to deliberate before acting, and acting when appropriate when real conviction is acquired is non-existent.
Be patient, indeed. I am reminded of the game of chess. It takes patience. It is also one in which the good players think many many moves ahead. I think Ms. Arroyo is an excellent player, but so far the reactive moves of the opponent (outspoken Filipinos; visits by US people) have blocked her. Your idea of regionally employed martial law is an excellent move; cuts off the need for nationwide martial law. Check.
Joe
pgma is “blocked” only by one thing and one thing alone – respect for the rule of law and its processes. she might test the limits of the law but in the end, she vows to its majesty.
for what, tranquil? for exercising the power of her office as legally as she deems it to be? the same rule of law (that you are talking about) will protect her from the likes of you, as it protected the likes of satur ocampo and his fellow travelers.
Calling a Comelec commissioner in the middle of tabulating elections results to ensure a million vote margin and setting up elaborate cover-up for it, silencing witnesses, and sabotaging proper investigations is respecting the rule of law and its processes, atorni?
Hah! As BongV says, you gotta be kidding me, atorni.
She vows not to the majesty of the law.
She vows to the seduction of power and the oodles of money that may be generated while wielding it.
have you proven anything that you are asserting, tranquil, or are you just repeating mechanically what you heard or saw on t.v or read in newspapers and tabloids? it’s those with gullible minds like you (who jump to conclusions based on speculations and wishful thinking) that pose a real danger to the rule of law.
i wouldn’t want you to be in the jury panel in any case that i’m trying.
hahaha…gloria’s day of reckoning is near atorni. if you had been to uranus all this time, i would like to remind you that her prostituted honorable congresspersons blocked several attempts to bring her to an impeachment trial which is the only mechanism available to determine the guilt or innocence of a sitting president, atorni. hello?
a dumb metaphor will get you nowhere, tranquil.
as long as losers cannot accept the verdict of duly-constituted adjudicating bodies, there will always be a disrespect and defiance for the rule of law. nothing could ever get resolved.
hahaha, suit yourself atorni bennie. am sure gloria will be needing your defense expertise very soon now.
for what, tranquil? for exercising the power of her office as legally as she deems it to be? the same “rule of law”, that you you love paying lip service to, will protect her from the likes of you, as it protected satur ocampo and his fellow travelers.