President Arroyo Declares Martial Law in Maguindanao … Some Things That Bother Me
I normally don’t care about local (Philippine) politics - or at least, care enough to write or blog about it. As with most, however, I try to watch what’s going on but try to keep opinions to myself. As I have learned over the years, two things never to discuss at the dinner table are religion and politics. Both are something that can easily lead to blows … since both are, at the end of the day, personal choices - live and let live, I say.
This time, however, I felt the need to put my thoughts out there.
Specifically, President Arroyo declaring martial law in Maguindanao as was reported in the Philippine Daily Inquirer website (See Martial Law Declared in Maguindanao).
As expected, we’re experiencing a tempest in a teacup … walking around, it seems that while ordinary people are talking about it, they cannot really spend much time or emotion over it. Probably because it is limited in scope and coverage - it’s happening out there in Maguindanao (in Mindanao). “Malayo sa bituka” (far from the gut) for most Manilenos, except for the politicians, political commentators, journalists and others.
The reasons behind the declaration are already well known. Since the declaration this morning, I assume that every Filipino (including his brother and sister) will have already written about it … unless, of course, their reaction is the same as mine, “malayo sa bituka.”
So far, the reactions are par for the course. The administration, of course, is supportive and is trotting out their reasons behind it. The lapdogs in Congress and other sectors are all supportive, of course; the political opposition and the lawyers (except for those in government) are against it. Similarly, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) which is supposedly the ‘voice of Philippine business’ is supportive (because it is “good for business” - rolls eyes) while I anticipate the Makati Business Club (often considered as being in ‘opposition’ to the Arroyos) are against it.
Beyond all the whoopla and saliva that are being expectorated over this declaration, there are a few things which are bothering me (or making me want to pray that I hit the lotto so I can grab the money and get out of this country.
First of all, the “reasons” behind the declaration of martial law.
First of all, there’s the acerbic comment by former President Joseph Estrada who supposedly said, “That’s only one family (of political warlords). I had to deal with the MILF (Mindanao Islamic Liberation Front) and I never declared martial law.”
To which I have to add - it’s one family of warlords that they’re dealing with - and it is the family which is closely allied with the Arroyos or the government. Why declare martial law on your allies … unless this is a publicity stunt in an effort to distance themselves from the Ampauatans or there is something else going on.
Secondly, there’s Press Secretary Cerge Remonde who, according to the Inquirer report, said, “… the President took the "bold step" in answer to the cries for justice of the victims’ kin” (referring to the 53 people, including some 25 journalists, who were massacred in Maguindanao a few days ago).
Excuse me? The government has to declare martial law so that they can provide ‘justice’ for the people killed? I thought there were courts of law for that … policemen and other mechanisms to ensure that justice is served?
What really bothers me is that those people - including the journalists - are now being used as an excuse by the government (read: President Arroyo) to declare martial law. I wonder how the relatives of those massacred feel, especially the journalists who were there to do their jobs of covering the news? Their dead relatives - killed because of circumstances which were actually fostered by the government itself - are now being used by that same government to declare martial law?
Kawawa naman sila … pinatay na nga sa karumaldumal na paraan, gagamitin pa sila para mag-deklara ng martial law.
But then, that’s par for the course for Arroyo - the woman has no shame! She’s a credit grabber, making use of any and every opportunity and any and everyone to make her ‘look good’ - but does she give a shit for other people? No way, Jose! This is the person who declared that she had the ‘tacit approval’ of Pope John Paul II for taking over the government during EDSA II, who routinely blows up ‘meetings on the sidelines’ of summit conferences like APEC and ASEAN into full-fledged ‘conferences’ with US President Bush and other heads of state.
But what really worries me is the TV interview of Commission on Human Rights Chair Lilia de Lima who declared that there is no basis for martial law because the reasons given (i.e., private armies, violence, etc.) are not confined to Maguindanao or Mindanao. If those reasons are valid, Chairman de Lima said, “they may as well declare martial law over the whole country.”
Anyone want to bet that Arroyo will not pounce on that statement and think, “Look - Chairman de Lima said we should declare martial law over the whole country! Let’s do it!”
The woman has no shame … as Carmen Guerrero Nakpil supposedly said in her biography, Gloria Macapagal Arroryo is a nihilist (one meaning of which is “total rejection of laws and institutions”) in the sense that the only ‘law’ is what she wants.
God save the Philippines.
M
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arami naman siguro kaming mababait na tao na dapat isaklolo ng Dios.