Murder most foul

DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
8/20/2007



The “endless war” pattern should be obvious: two Edsa “people power” revolts led by pro-Western, pro-corporatocratic politicos and military brass deposing two elected presidents who were determined to end the Mindanao civil war. Edsa Uno entrenched Cory Aquino who, in turn restored posthaste the MNLF, by bringing back its leader Nur Misuari from the Middle East where he was in refuge after his forces were vanquished with blood and tears of thousands of the Republic’s soldiers. Butz Aquino and the now infamous Bert Gonzalez picked up Misuari. It was as if they couldn’t wait to re-start the Mindanao conflict.

Soon after the January 2001 Edsa Dos, in July of 2002 Gloria Arroyo restored to the MILF the areas constituting its lost bases around Camp Abubakar. President Estrada had cleared the MILF out of there in 2000 in a campaign U.S. President Clinton tried to stop with a personal note to Estrada, hand carried by then U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen, on the excuse that Abu Sayyaf hostage Jeffrey Shilling would be put at risk. Philippine intelligence had tagged Shilling as a double agent, an Abu Sayyaf supplier and boyfriend of Janjanlani’s cousin. The “civil society” and Cardinal Sin opposed Estrada’s campaign and helped deposed him, then set up Gloria who restored the MILF posthaste.

“All out war” is a phrase we hear from every administration after Edsa Uno: Cory launched hers against the NPA after having revived the NPA in releasing Jose Ma. Sison in 1986. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is now in the midst of her “all out war” against the Abu Sayyaf, which is but a thinly veiled mask of the MILF and other elements using different faces for criminal actions for political, destabilization and other such purposes – and for banditry whenever coffers are dry. Marcos and Estrada had their “all out wars”, but they win them to achieve durable stability and peace – but they are deposed extra-constitutionally soon thereafter, and successors revive the nation’s enemies.

This is “divide and rule” at work, a policy “as old as the Roman and the Persian empires” says Indian writer K. Gajendra Singh. The British Empire used this in partitioning India and a weak Pakistan which became dependent on London and then Washington for its survival. While “divide and rule” is used by all in many different levels and nature of conflict (even in parochial family squabbles), it is an imperative strategy for empires and threatened nations. What the British did to India and splitting Pakistan away from it may be the fate of Mindanao and Luzon-Vizayas ending up “balkanized” small and powerless, to the relief of Malaysia and utility of the U.S.

Is it an accident that Norberto Gonzales is at the center of the two revivals of the Muslim insurgencies in the Philippine south? This column has long ago written, after the examination of the history of Bert Gonzales and personal knowledge of his character from our past association as activists among the “moderates” of the 60-70s movements that Norberto Gonzales is operating for and with foreign intelligence and subversive operatives. His long stay from 1980, in Sandakan, Malaysia and training of anti-Marcos operatives there at the time Malaysia was in conflicts with the Philippines indicates a special collaborator relationship with Malaysia’s national security apparatus.

Norberto Gonzales’ special relationship with Malaysian security agencies is certain to be a continuing one given Noberto Gonzales’ past and present roles, and Malaysia’s special interest in Mindanao and the MILF. Likewise, Noberto Gonzales has shown a propensity for wheeling and dealing with American lobby and special interest groups like Venable; but that’s the least of his qualifications as a collaborator in American intelligence and subversion plots against this sovereign nation. Norberto Gonzales has the pedigree of Edsa Uno and Dos, premier extra-constitutional events in Asean in the last half century sponsored by the Carlyle group and the U.S. State Department.

Norberto Gonzales, a mere med tech graduate, has the a-moral quality invaluable to Gloria and the sinister forces that made him Defense Secretary for a month. Fred Juntilla, the late Las Piñas mayor and activist with Gonzales in Fr. Jose Blanco’s LAPVIIR recalled typewriters, refrigerator, jeep, filing cabinets Gonzales allegedly swiped and a string of business deals with irate partners who lost millions. Norberto converted to Islam and called himself “Yusuf”, then now condemns the “balik Islam” converts. Gonzales maintains a special relationship and doctrinal adherence to rabid anti-Left Jesuit ideologue Archie Integan, whom Gloria credits for her Edsa Dos plot and the Left for the “extra-judicial” killings.

Gloria appointed Norberto Gonzales DND chief on July 2, 2007 to warm the seat for a month; within eight days on July 10 the Basilan ambush, massacre and mutilation of ten Marine soldiers happened. Investigations have been muddled by Malacañang obstructionism when the nation expected no stone to be unturned to get to the bottom of it. Why was Gonzales posted to the DND for that one month? Was the timing for this “murder so foul” under his watch just an unfortunate accident, or was that the mission for that month – before the “clean” new DND secretary took over? Last Saturday, there were more deaths of young officers – deepening our soldiery and citizenry’s conviction for “all out war” which may be a new round of “endless war”.

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