THE REPUBLIC CANNOT HAVE A PARALLEL ARMY AND EXPECT THAT REPUBLIC TO REMAIN ONE SOLID NATION!

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A GOVERNMENT IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO PUT LAW AND ORDER: NUR MISUARI JUSTIFIES THE MNLF ARMED OFFENSIVE AGAINST THE ABU SAYYAF GROUP -- MNLF ACTS MUCH LIKE THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILILPPINES.

While we understand where our esteemed friend Prof Nur Misuari is coming from, we do not believe that the MNLF should replace the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It is our belief that the Republic of the Philippines has only one armed forces, and that there CANNOT BE A PARALLEL ARMY. If the government insists on subordinating its powers, as in outsourcing, to a parallel army, even if its the MNLF (which, incidentally, is calling for secession from the Republic), the government is encouraging contempt for everything that the Republic and its institutions should stand for, and inevitably, is encouraging the dismantling of the Republic.

Our Navy has stopped patrolling Scarborough for fear that we might offend China. We have peacenickers right in Kuala Lumpur grovelling before the Malaysians... What's next? We might as well outsource the defence services for this country!

And all this government can do is to issue a limp statement: "Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Secretary Ricky Carandang said President Aquino did not sanction the MNLF actions against the Abu Sayyaf."

By subordinating law and order powers to the MNLF, this government has encouraged the dismantiling of the Republic! What a crying shame!

REPORT: Nur justifies drive vs Sayyaf
By Rudy Santos, Roel Pareño (The Philippine Star) | Updated February 10, 2013 - 12:00am

“Our people in the MNLF had been waiting for years for possible action on the part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) or the Philippine government (to deal with the problem of Abu Sayyaf),” he said.

Misuari said the MNLF will take the initiative to restore peace.

“We will restore peace in our homeland with or without the Philippine government, we will do it ourselves,” he said.

.../... “We would like to call on the authority of Malacañang that (this offensive against the Abu Sayyaf) is an internal problem of the MNLF. Internal, notwithstanding the fact that we fought against our former comrades who joined the Abu Sayyaf. They are Muslims also,” Hashim said.

According to Hashim, the problem with the Abu Sayyaf has not been addressed since the administration of former President Fidel Ramos.

Link to full story here.

IN PICTURE (From Philippine Star) MNLF chairman Nur Misuari and wife Tarhata Ibrahim Arsad arrive at the NAIA from North Africa yesterday. RUDY SANTOS