The abominable and cold-blooded massacre in the province of Maguindanao last Monday is one of the most heinous and detestable crime committed in the history of Philippine politics and should be condemn in the most strongest term.
Yet this would give everyone a bird’s eye view of the long and precarious peace and order situation in Mindanao. Powers in the hands of those who are armed and dangerous are intoxicating and addictive.
A normal site which we see abnormally along the national highway of Makilala, North Cotabato is a convoy of troops of uniformed military personnel waiting for a Very Important Politician coming from Davao City going back to their hometown province of Maguindanao.
At one point I asked in Maguindanao dialect who they were and I was told that they are military and para-military personnel escorts of a politician. Looking afar, no one could distinguish if they are organic military personnel as they wore all the badges and complete paraphernalia, with high powered firearms.
Actually this didn’t bother me as much, as I grow up with this scenario and accustomed to such environment. That is why maybe we become calloused to the fighting that is happening around us. And maybe because we don’t see any efforts from the national government in dismantling such armed groups. For us, if they hurt us we fight back. A tooth for a tooth!
As I see it, the Mangudadatu is hurting but they are just biting their teeth. Yet they are crying for vengeance in a “peaceful” way allowing the government to pursue the normal course of the law.. The problem is that they have identified the perpetrators for such damnable act. Am sure they are asking for no less from the government.
The dilemma is that we Mindanaoan’s know that the Ampatuan’s is close ally of the administration. No matter what the present government declares, it would just be words and unless heads starts to roll, the thirst for blood will never be quenched.
My question is, are the Ampatuan’s willing to sacrifice one of their own to be the guinea pig to answer such monstrous massacre? Would the government put to justice one of the Ampatuan’s whom the Mangudadatu insinuate as the instigator, and has been seen in sight during the massacre?
This remains to be seen and pardon me for my skeptism, but I see this to be impossible.
In effect, the Mangudadatu is crying for justice, blood for blood for those who had inflected them with such unpardonable offence, and for sure they are asking for no less than the head of the persons responsible. On the other hand, would the Ampatuan’s succumb to such pressure?
How would our government react to such pressure, would they be true in saying that no one is above the law? Would they be willing to repay blood for blood to avoid “rido?” Would the government be willing to make the sacrifice in severing their ties with the Ampatuan’s irregardless of the consequences?
I don’t want to be a prophet of doom, and I am praying that I am wrong. Any whitewash on the on going “investigation” would be detrimental. Damn if they do, and damn if they don’t. Nonetheless if the government does not handle this situation properly, in the soonest possible time then, we will witness more bloodbaths in the coming days! God helping us!
