By Marlene Damolo Howe
For the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum
December 4, 2015
“How do you defeat terrorism? Don’t be terrorized.” ~~ Salman Rushdie
"The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain." ~~ George McGovern
NATIONAL PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
(PANATANG MAKABAYAN - original version) I love the Philippines.
It is the land of my birth;
It is the home of my people.
It protects me and helps me to be strong, happy and useful.
In return, I will heed the counsel of my parents;
I will obey the rules of my school;
I will perform the duties of a patriotic, law-abiding citizen;
I will serve my country unselfishly and faithfully
I will be a true Filipino in thought, in word, in deed.
I just recited this pledge out loud and tears were running down my cheeks. I used to recite this growing up. The words touched the inner core of my heart. Do we have anymore PATRIOTS in the government who will do what's right for Inang Bayan?
"Sa manululupig di ka pasisiil." Ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo." These are the two lines of our national anthem (Lupang Hinirang) that Filipinos have sung countless of times since grade school. But many of us have forgotten the meaning of these lines and have become self-serving. We have lost our purpose and have forgotten our duties as good citizens. Many of us have become apathetic and complacent and many have lost their moral compass. Power and money are the main essence of politics in the Philippines. Politicians spend lots of money to buy votes.
People sell their vote or voting for their celebrity idols that are unqualified and clueless what the job entails. Many would sell the country if they have to for their own benefit. It's time for change for the better! CHANGE STARTS FROM WITHIN IN EACH AND EVERY FILIPINO. STOP THE APATHY AND COMPLACENCY. VOTE FOR QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WITH GOOD MORAL CHARACTER EVEN IF THEIR NAMES ARE NOT WELL-KNOWN TO YOU. STOP VOTING FOR THE SAME INUTILE TRAPOS WHO ARE ALREADY KNOWN CORRUPT. DO IT FOR THE COUNTRY AND FOR THE PEOPLE.
I am personally heartbroken over the news Global terrorism highlights need to pass Bangsamoro bill. The Philippines is prone to threats like ISIS, says former senator Leticia Ramos ~~ Shahani and so disappointed in former Senators Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel and Leticia "Letty" Ramos-Shahani. In fact, if you notice in our welcome statement in the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum (PSCF), you will see that we go by Senator Nene Pimentel's tenet. They were the epitome of good and honest lawmakers who would only do what's best for the country and people; by the people, for the people and of the people. So what gives?
Well, according to the article: Global terrorism highlights need to pass Bangsamoro bill. The Philippines is prone to threats like ISIS, says former senator Leticia Ramos ~~ Shahani -- it's about their FEAR OF TERRORISM. So they are now FOR the passage of BBL the way it is. The report said that The Shahani-Pimentel group "called for the passage of the BBL, which both the House and the Senate promised to pass by December 16", and this, despite a potential lack of quorum! Now, that is simply unbelievable! That would be reaking the rules in Congress.
Senator Letty Shahani, who has now become a strong proponent of BBL, acknowledged that there is a radicalization of ISIS in the world and that the Philippines is a good candidate for that radicalization. She also said that the Philippines "as a nation should think of unity and un-division." Actually, I don't see where the logic of her statements. Does she mean "preemptive surrender" to deter radicalization of the people of the Philippines and so PH should sign away parts of Mindanao through BBL?
Whatever happened to "Sa manlulupig, di ka pasisiil/Ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo?" Should we just roll over and play dead before ISIS turn our people into "Jihadists?" If she talked about "unity and un-division," she should call for ALL FILIPINOS TO BE UNITED IN DEFENDING THE COUNTRY AND NOT JUST SURRENDER WITHOUT A FIGHT.
Senator Shahani also said that the passage of BBL "will show the political will of the Filipinos who are Christians by religion, that we are one with our Muslim brothers and sisters." We are ALL Filipinos regardless of religion! And if they really want to pass an autonomous Mindanao, go back to the negotiating table and renegotiate the deal TO INCLUDE ALL LUMADS AND MUSLIM FACTIONS. That is UNITY and fair consideration.
Let me be clear in my position on this subject, first and foremost. I am for PEACE but I am also for my beloved Philippines and Sabah! It does not take rocket science to see that BBL gives Inang Bayan the shorter end of the bargain that dismembers the country. Should MILF succeed in obtaining their sub-state, Bangsamoro under their control would become a 'buffer zone' for Malaysia against the Philippines. .....
Malaysia will ultimately have de facto control of MILF's Bangsamoro state that includes Palawan -- and will rape its natural resources like it did to Sabah. This has been Malaysia's plan in the making for the past fifty years as it tries its best to outwit and outplay our leaders through bribery and by sowing chaos in our own land -- making us fight among each other. After MILF's BBL, which faction will go next to demand their own BBL? Maybe the MNLF? The BIFF? The Abbu Sayyaf? The Lumads? There's not enough land in Mindanao to be had so they will expand their claim to the Visayas and then Luzon and then the Philippines as a country will cease to exist.
In early 2013 after President Aquino signed a peace agreement with Malaysia-sponsored MILF: the Sultanate of Sulu marched into Sabah (in February 2013) to assert their right to the land before the GPH-MILF Framework Agreement was to take effect. The Sabah stand-off ensued. There is no doubt that the claim to Sabah by the Philippines and the Sultanate of Sulu will be lost forever if Aquino's BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) project is ratified by the Philippine legislature.
This is what has inspired Malaysia, its ulterior motive in being nice to the Philippine politicians, both in elected and appointed capacities. So is this what you call PEACE? How can you call BBL "peace" when it did not even include other factions in the peace talks' equation? It's only peace for MILF and its supporters. Do we really expect other factions like the MNLF to submit to MILF-controlled Bangsamoro state which had actually sprung from the MNLF, the original rebel group?
This is exactly my point! THERE WILL BE NO PEACE IN MINDANAO IF ONLY ONE FACTION IS CONSIDERED IN THE PEACE PROCESS BROKERED BY THE SAME COUNTRY THAT STOLE SABAH FROM US! To think otherwise, is naive and selfish because this is NOT what's good for our country and people.
We already have ARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao) for our Muslim kababayans in the region which was created under the constitutional protectorate of the Republic. So why BBL? To do so is a sell out to Malaysia because, eventually, they will secede. MILF's not to secede doesn't hold water. Look at what Malaysia is doing to Sabah. Malaysia will not return Sabah because the state is Malaysia's cash cow that funds the Petronas, the Malaysia Federation Corporation that sucks all of Sabah's oil for Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia will do the same to President Aquino's Bangsamoro state should MILF gets its way.
Another point to consider is also MILF's desire to impose Sharia Law. This is DEFINITELY NOT GOOD and NOT FAIR to our Muslim sisters who will be treated as properties instead of equals. Most of us have seen on the news how ISIS stoned a woman to death because of adultery. They threw two gay men off a building because they were gay. They executed 13 teenagers by firing squad using machine guns for watching soccer on TV because it's supposed to be a violation of the Sharia Law. In this case, I assume that TV will then be banned from every household in the future Bangsamoro under Sharia Law.
Personally, the only thing I like about the Sharia Law is the cutting off of the hand of a thief as punishment for a first offense and the other for a second offense. I do think we should impose this law upon our corrupt lawmakers. But those in power certainly do not have any problem watching TV themselves and using social media to advance their agenda. How is it fair to our Muslim women and to those who don't fit in a region that is ruled by Sharia Law?
Note: The posters herein are not mine except for the photo of myself. They were lifted from PSCF where they were posted by members.
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Marlene Howe is co-Founder and Administrator of the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum and of the Defenders of Philippine Sabah and Spratly Claims community as well as an administrator of this blog. Ms. Howe is US based but keeps a home in the Philippines.
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REPORT: Global terrorism highlights need to pass Bangsamoro bill. The Philippines is prone to threats like ISIS, says former senator Leticia Ramos ~~ Shahani
REPORT: Global terrorism highlights need to pass Bangsamoro bill. The Philippines is prone to threats like ISIS, says former senator Leticia Ramos ~~ Shahani
MANILA, Philippines – The recent terrorist attacks in Paris and other parts of the world highlight the importance of passing the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) soonest, a former senator said.
Former senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani made the statement in a news briefing after a meeting of BBL advocates with Speaker Feliciano Belmonte and other lawmakers on Tuesday, December 1. Her group urged the House of Representatives to pass the proposed measure.
"There is indeed a radicalization of ISIS in the world. [And] the Philippines is a very good candidate for that radicalization," Shahani said in the news briefing.
Also noting the migrant crisis in Europe, the former senator said that the Philippines "as a nation should think of unity and undivision."
"I think the passage of the BBL will show the political will of the Filipinos – who are Christians by religion – that we are one with our Muslim brothers and sisters in making one nation," she said.
Shahani and her fellow BBL advocates, former senator Aquilino Pimentel Jr and 1986 Constitutional Commission chairman Christian Monsod, met with Belmonte on Tuesday. Known BBL critic BUHAY party-list Representative Lito Atienza was also at the meeting.
The group called for the passage of the BBL, which both the House and the Senate promised to pass by December 16.
Rule on quorum The advocates cited one obstacle to deliberations on the BBL – the strict rule on quorum. The lack of quorum has been cited as a major hurdle in discussion of the bill in the plenary.
But Atienza remained firm on the House rule, saying that they are not changing their position. "If there is no quorum, we cannot tackle BBL," he said in Filipino.
Pimentel said his group does "not expect the House to just disregard the rules" but argued that there are "higher objectives" to exempt the BBL discussions from the rule on quorum.
"Why cannot it be accepted as an exception to the general requirement because of the higher objectives in the search for peace in Mindanao? Because otherwise, more lives will be lost," the former senator said. With less than 10 sessions left before Christmas break, there are concerns that Congress would not meet its deadline.
But Pimentel wanted to remain positive, as further delay in the passage of the measure would mean a major setback for peace efforts in Mindanao.
"What we would like to see actually is that the BBL will get through the process of Congress at this particular session, before the Christmas break. Anything beyond that will push the peace efforts backwards and we'll be back to square one all over again."
Despite the dimming possibility of the bill's passage, Belmonte told Rappler in a text message that they still assured the supporters they "are trying their best to pass it." – Rappler.com
