Officer salutes MNLF

DIE HARD III / Herman Tiu Laurel / 90/25/2013 / Daily Tribune

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in early September 2013 officially informed the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) that the Philippine government had terminated the tripartite review of the full implementation of the parties' 1996 Final Peace Agreement (FPA). Even as Absalom Cerveza, a member of the MNLF peace panel, relayed his group's desire for the full implementation of the 1996 peace accord, the stand of the Philippine government was already "irreversible." And that, says former Tawi-Tawi Gov. Al Tillah, was what "broke the camel's back."

Since the OIC still recognizes the leadership of Nur Misuari over the MNLF as representative of the so-called Bangsamoro in the Philippines, the MNLF is thus continuing its "decolonization" of Mindanao to this day.

BS Aquino clearly underestimated the implication of his letter terminating the 1996 FPA that led to the recent MNLF offensive. He also clearly didn't fathom that added threats would only spur warrior Tausugs to further resistance. As a Tausug saying cited by Al Tillah goes, "In a fight it's better to see the white of one's bones than the white of the sole of one's feet."

Thus, from a renowned retired Philippine Air Force Gen. Nick Sotelo comes this letter dated Sept. 22, 2013 saluting the 200 MNLF fighters, the vital parts of which we quote: "I pray that the debacle in Zamboanga City in the south will soon be over … While I do not wish death upon them, the measly band of 200 MNLF fighters, I would say, have balls of steel since they know that they will be martyred when going into the hornet's nest.

"Our government seems to have sidelined the importance of their group in the peace agreements … Let's not forget that even just having the capability to sting like a small bee, they chose to, with about the same number of fighters, challenge Malaysia on the issue of Sabah … (Now) we go back to poverty, the root of most, if not all, rebellion in the Philippines. We go back to our masters of the last 30 years who have created a very conducive climate for such activities. I am sure, without poverty, nobody in their right mind would join the communist NPA (New People's Army), the MNLF, the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) … We go back to recent revelations that our elected and appointed officials are, in fact, part of the biggest syndicate of them all…
"Now, we have a political leadership that is trying its best to maintain the 'daang matuwid' or the straight path. But how straight is it, really? Does this path also apply for his circle of friends and party mates? … We will see. And when we do see, we will judge how real their quest for a better Philippines really is. Let us all pray that our country starts bettering itself, like a body fighting off an infection. I am sure we are not a hopeless or terminal case. There are still a lot of men and women in our nation who are willing and able to make the sacrifice of doing things the right way … Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!"

We say "Mabuhay" as well to Gen. Sotelo, whom we remember from the Edsa I days when he flew his helicopters in favor of change.

Would it be correct for me to read his saying, "We go back to our masters of the last 30 years who have created a very conducive climate for such (rebellious?) activities" as an indictment of the succession of Edsa I political leaderships (or the "Yellows" as many call them) and their failure? If so, this is significant as it represents a rethinking of our nation's view of the legacy of Edsa I that's about 30 years now — a legacy leaving the Philippines worse off than ever before 1986.

Gen. Sotelo's zeroing in on "poverty" as the unresolved root of rebellion and a legacy of the past 30 years is absolutely on target, but naming the "elected and appointed officials" of government as the "biggest syndicate of all," I would say, is short of the mark.

Even tripling the corruption of these "elected and appointed officials" would not reach half of the plunder of the foreign, traditional and corporate oligarchy who are the real abettors of the country's farcical elections and economy through funding all sides and paying off politicians to legalize the immoral — from the privatization of public utilities and services to their monopoly of mineral projects, such as Malampaya, the gold mines, ad nausea.

The oligarchy remits trillions abroad or just earns interest from the people in the P1.8-trillion Special Deposit Account with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Just a fraction of that already makes them rich beyond imagination; yet they deny the nation it's just share of the wealth from its labors and its territory's riches.

Like all of our gallant soldiers, Gen. Sotelo has served and sacrificed for the nation — but most have only protected this present system and not the people. When patriots like him start joining the broader struggle against the entire "system" and allow the genuine transfer of power to policies and programs that truly represent "the greater good for the greatest number of people," then we shall have begun changing this country.

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