No one hits us with impunity
Everyone
must understand that the 96 Peace deal was offered by FVR to both MNLF
& MILF (the latter, you all know, broke from the MNLF because they
refused the Tripoli Agreement and preferred to continue the fight for
secession). In essence, the MNLF dropped the secession doctrine after
the 96 peace deal was forged, thanks to FVR; the MILF shunned the deal
and continued with its secession war, funded by Malaysia.
Today,
the MILF, under the influence of Malaysia has managed to secure its own
"peace deal" with Govt which would pave the way for sharing of
sovereignty with the Republic. And why do you think Malaysia was chosen
to engineer this peace deal with the MILF? Did Malaysia influence events
and engineered the deal out of altruism?
You may kill Nur
Misuari today but the problem with his supporters and the Southern
Mindanao will remain. If you don't want the MNLF problem anymore, then
the Armed Forces of the Philippines (which will be undoubtedly cheered
by many Filipinos) need to annihilate the whole MNLF, their men, their
women, their children, their unborn babies and every single living being
remotely associated to the MNLF but even then you will have NO
GUARANTEE that in the future you won't have a problem -- but the next
time it will be with the MILF!!!
And the problem with the MILF
will be of far bigger consequence, far more lethal because you will
have to face Malaysia alongside them! (Oh, yes, we know, when that happens, Pinoys will shrug their shoulders and say, "Eh, wala naman tayong magagawa"
the constant refrain from many commenters when the Sultanate forces of
Sabah staked their claim in Tanduo and PH did NOT LIFT A FINGER IN THEIR
DEFENCE while they were being murdered! But when it comes to Filipinos
killing their own, they cheer on.)
Why are Filipinos allowing
themselves to be manipulated into killing their own? Is it because it is
easier to fight among themselves? Is it because it is the shortcut
route - a shortcut remedy, something that Pinoys have a penchant for,
preferring the "kill the MNLF" solution because it is easier, quicker
perhaps than to have to face a more complex problem, i.e.,
MALAYSIA-MILF?
Tell Government to face the problem not with the
barrel of the gun against its own but to re-examine with the MNLF what
is wrong... Review the 96 Peace deal. Start from there. Govt has not
been exactly above board in meeting its obligations in relation to the
96 Peace Deal.
Our
advice to Prof Nur Misuari: Sit down with Govt and talk; send emissary
to tell Govt that you will lay down your arms and that you want to talk.
Request an OIC member to parlay for you if necessary. There are members
of Govt, we are confident, who are not completely devoid of brains. Ask
FVR to be your envoy...
A recap: 'Warring' with your own is not a solution in Mindanao.
It
took Europeans tens of millions of dead, maimed, lives and places
destroyed for more than 1,000 years to realise this and so, created
Europe (EU). There is no need to wait a thousand years for Filipinos to
see that warring with their own is not a solution. Reserve your strength
to fight your foreign enemies before they dismember the Republic
Those
who fan the flames of war against their own people need to understand
that they are leading this country to disaster when they lose the
ultimate war with its foreign enemies who are lurking at the gates,
ready to pounce on the weakened and divided Philippines ...
Again,
sit down with the "insurgents" and review the 1996 Peace Deal.
Admittedly, it's a more difficult solution than just to "Kill! Kill!" This penchant for opting for the easy solution to avoid facing the tougher options must stop. Less shortcuts please!
~~~~ O ~~~~
It has come to my attention that Pres FVR said in an interview on TV
earlier today that PH Govt should purchase AFP military hardware using
countertrade. Well and good...
Much as I appreciate
FVR, having known him for many years -- and in fact never missed
meeting him when he comes to visit where family and I are currently
based, I must be straightforward (he's always known me for being vocal
and straightforward -- one who does not "shit about" ): Pres FVR missed
some of the most important opportunities that were presented to him to
modernise the AFP during his presidency* when he was presented with
countertrade/offset/barter/BOT plans to pay for the acquisition of major
AFP equipment by almost ALL, and I mean almost all, of the countries
that were offering to sell defence equipment to the AFP.
Almost all the countries (with the exception of the United States for
some equipment) that produced the following offered the Philippines
countertrade/offset/barter and BOT forms of payment: FIGHTER AIRCRAFT,
ROTARY-WING AIRCRAFT, OFFSHORE PATROL VESSELS COMPLETE WITH INTEGRATED
WEAPONS SYSTEM, WEAPONS FOR ALL SORTS OF PLATFORMS, ARMY HARDWARE AND
LOGISTICS, SURVEILLANCE RADARS with joint military-civilian use, COASTAL
DEFENCE EQUIPMENT, etc., etc., but to no avail. Some countries offered
FULL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER with their proposed equipment. But FVR just
would not or could not decide.
Little Philippine cash or no
cash payment at all would have been required in many of the offered
plans. Most AFP decision makers, i.e., chiefs, major service commands,
including then members of the AFP Modernization Board and before that,
the AFP Weapons Systems Board were frustrated by the lack of decision
capability emanating from DND (under the wing of Rene de Villa) and from
Malacanang (whose legal adviser then was Tony Carpio, now SC Justice or
even chief justice and without whose approval, NO CONTRACT with govt
could go through!)
Defence industrialists never quite
understood why FVR took the "Teka-Teka"** position on the acquisition of
the much needed major AFP equipment. There is a possibility that he was
waiting for the enactment of the AFP Modernization Bill into law which
was presented to the Senate during his time but we think that AFP
Modernization Law was not really necessary for a decision to be made on
matters of BOT, Countertrade or Offset payments with full technology
transfer as the country had a SELF RELIANCE law that enabled a
cash-strapped govt to do business using precisely what FVR has been
speaking about today on television.
And again, despite his
reported candor on TV today, I cannot see any reason why FVR must not
share the blame for the incapacitated AFP we find today. He could have
initiated the modernisation of the AFP and even seen it greatly equipped
before he left office... there was nothing illegal in the
countertrade/offset/barter/BOT forms of payment for military hardware
presented to his government then. Proof is that he is now a proponent of
the said payment schemes. Had they started the procurement via
countertrade/offset/BOT/bater payment plans during his time, the AFP
would have had top-of-the range weapons systems today which would have
given it confidence vis-à-vis hostile quarters that want to "engage" it
in the region today.
Alas... it was not to be. The only real
professional military man (and who had another military man in National
Defence at the time), that the country ever had for a president somehow
-- and I regret to say this, failed the Armed Forces of the Philippines
during his term.
Fortunately, Pres FVR has finally decided and
is telling the current decision makers in DND and Malacanang exactly how
they might equip the AFP despite the little cash in hand. As my next
door friend, newly-married 80-year old Jacqueline would say, better late
than never ...
*NB: Pres FVR also mentionned during the TV
interview the hardware PH procured from Italy using countertrade/offset,
as form of payment, etc. If FVR meant the S211 and the Agusta helos, I
believe that it was during the time of President Cory Aquino when the
bulk of the negotiations for their acquisition was made.
** "Teka-Teka" literally means, "Wait! Wait!"
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26 January 2013
