War, War is Stupid, Part 3

A friend, Froi Vincenton of https://vincenton.wordpress.com/ commented to my earlier points in Part 2 of this subject. He wrote,

Some people didn't ask for war. Just look at the Christians and Yazidis in Musol and other parts of Iraq. They didn't call for war. They didn't want to defend themselves by exacting reciprocal response. They were all massacred. Those who are calling for 'collective' self-defense against organized, adequately funded terror groups (by both transnational terror networks, Islamic countries and OUR GOVERNMENT) are not warmongers or hawks.

If an organized group of more than 1,000 ISIS terror members were able to take several parts of Syria and Iraq and kill hundreds of thousands of Christians and Yazidis who didn't want to defend themselves, then there's a big possibility that an organized alliance of 10,000 to 50,000 members of diverse Islamic terror groups in Mindanao (who are being funded by Malaysia, the Philippine government and other transnational terror networks) could also massacre Filipinos and take over Mindanao or some parts of the country.

Poland didn't ask for war prior to WW2. Neville Chamberlain of Great Britain attacked those who were calling for the British government to stop Hitler. Perhaps Chamberlain also called them many names, including warmongers and chicken hawks. He tried to appease Hitler and then told his own people to "go home and get a nice quiet sleep". But then Hitler invaded Poland and started the Second World war.

There are people who want war or want to initiate war, and war is always a collective or group struggle. War is always initiated by organized, well-funded armed groups or even governments. Now if your response to people who call for RECIPROCAL RESPONSE is-- "go to war yourself and don't bother us" despite clear acts of aggression by WAR INITIATORS, now be ready to be massacred next.

The thing is, some people are simply afraid of the word "war". We know you don't want war. No freedom-loving or sane people want to initiate aggression or war. But what if war comes to you whether you like it or not? If you still don't want to call your response to war "war", then we can use other terms like RECIPROCAL RESPONSE or all-out response. Responding to war initiated by real warmongers or terror groups is not the same as initiating war. There's a term called the Fallacy of Moral Equivalency.

Many valid points by Froi, I thanked him. I support the current war by the AFP vs the BIFF, ASG, JIM, others, It is messy and many civilians are affected, true, but it may have to be done, These break away groups plus future breakaway militant groups. are somehow good because they help cleanse the MILF of the most militant, more blood-hungry elements, until the MILF is left with people who are open to the possibility of cessation of fighting, of co-existence.

The top leaders of MILF -- Murad, Salamat, Iqbal, etc. -- all of them are old and ageing. They have been fighting the PH government for 2, 3, or 4 decades, Endless war has been their life. They are tired, too tired, of the war, and this is the message they are telling to their younger MILF men -- enough of endless war. Learn to co-exist.

AFP/PNP war vs the militant, anti-peace agreement Muslim groups, Yes.

But AFP/PNP war vs Muslim forces that are open to peace agreement and co-existence, No.

Another friend protested what I earlier wrote, "people who call for war are also the most coward to go to a real war." I clarified that  if he and others are not calling for a new big war in the south, then my term does not apply to them. I refer to people who say, "why negotiate with MILF? bomb and shoot them now". And I still think that these people are cowards if they do not volunteer themselves or their kids to be at the frontline of a real war. Not for one day or one week but for months or years until their goal is achieved.

Even if there is no law on the peace agreement yet, there have been a number of new businesses about to come to some Muslim areas in the south. People there are supposed to be holding tractors or computers, not guns and bombs. That is why a peace agreement is necessary.

From this report, February 2, 2015:

"At least three foreign firms looking to partner with local businessmen have put investments on hold after the deadly clash...

Malaysian businessmen due to arrive on Monday to inspect sites in Cotabato city have cancelled their trip, Pasigan said. The group was looking to build small hotels and department stores.

Jordanian businessmen looking to invest in up to 50 hectares (123 acres) of banana farms left abruptly on Sunday without finalizing a deal.

Singaporean and Malaysian partners seeking to replicate their mini shopping mall business in Johor Baru said they were postponing their investment."

There should be more local + foreign Muslim investors. There should be more malls, more hotels, more agri-business, more agri processing, etc. in Cotabato city and outside the  city.

Those who are likely to invest in bangsamoro areas will be fellow Muslims, locals or foreigner from Malaysia, Indonesia, Middle East. It's better to have clannish Muslims holding tractors or computers, than clannish Muslims holding guns and bombs.

There have been proposals in the past to relocate all Muslims in the south to Sulu, Basilan and/or Tawi tawi so they can have their own country. Maybe sound proposal, but the Maguindanaos and Maranaos (from Lanao) do not want to give up their current land, and there are also differences among them Maguindanaos, Maranaos, Tausug (from Sulu), Yakan (from Basilan), etc.

Co-existence is the best compromise. It is happening even in  Malaysia, there are big population of non-Muslim Chinese and Indians there, plus other nationals.

Otherwise, I can support Mindanao to be a separate Republic, and it will be a largely Christian-dominated. And a Cebu Republic, Negros Republic, Panay Republic, and so on. The land area of each of these republics are at least 5x, 10x the land area of Singapore, which is a successful and very rich country. Being separate countries, they can have their own public policies and tax rates, competing with each other to attract more investments and visitors.

But since we have been engulfed with bureaucratism culture, it will be costly for people in Mindanao or Bacolod or Cebu to go to Manila or the rest of Luzon and vice versa. They will need a passport, queue at immigration, pay travel tax, pay higher terminal fee, and so on.

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In another thread, a friend posted this meme. Another war mongering one, supposedly from GRP.

They are suggesting that there is no more need for peace negotiations? That the option is endless war? Lousy.

Its bottomline is "why are WE even negotiating?" Implication is the AFP and PH national population have superiority over the MILF and Muslims respectively and hence, no need to negotiate, use that superiority to overpower them, militarily and politically. Irresponsible.

"give up a pieace of the country" is too emotional. The air space, land space, rivers, etc. in the area under the agreement (but not yet a law) will all be under the PH government. Not a single sq. meter of land will be outside the territorial jurisdiction of the PH government.

The BIFF left the MILF precisely because they do not want to obey the MIs. Umbra Kato was saying when he and his men broke away, "We do not want to obey you and your peace talks with the PH government. any question? You want to get our guns and overpower us? let's shoot each other to death."

So people expecting the MIs to "discipline" the BIs, and now the JIM (breakaway from BIs) are confused. Once an entity breaks away, it means it does not want to be disciplined by its mother or father entity. So to argue that (negotiation) is "totally pointless" because "The MILF... can't control the other groups." is misplaced.

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See also: 
War War is Stupid, February 16, 2015

War, War is Stupid, Part 2, March 06, 2015

MILF, PNP SAF and the Fallen 44, Part 4, February 16, 2015 

MILF, Fallen 44 and Napenas, Part 5, February 21, 2015

War, War is Stupid, Part 2

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

MILF, Fallen 44 and Napenas, Part 5

I am reposting these three short but erudite essays by a friend, Raffy Aquino, in his fb wall.
Meanwhile, my unsolicited advice to the following:

PNP Director Getulio Napenas -- you apologize to the public and the families of the 44 dead cops, or you commit suicide. You bastard liar.

President Aquino -- you also apologize to the public and the families of the 44 dead cops. You tolerated a suspended bureaucrat to run the show for a highly risky but ego-tripping show.

Nonoy Oplas
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Three short essays by Raffy Aquino

TEMPLATE

(February 19, 2015)

The intrusion was a catastrophic failure. The Board of Inquiry convened by government to look into it would conclude that the fiasco was due to the early inability to realize that success was impossible by covert means, insufficient ammunition, and the inadequacy of air cover brought about by attempts at plausible deniability.

An independent audit group within the agency that organised the mission would later report that the following factors significantly contributed to its tragic results: (a) the agency’s own failure to realistically assess risks and to adequately communicate information and decisions internally and with other government principals; (b) poor internal management of communications and staff; and (c) lack of stable policies and/or contingency plans. While the audit findings were contested by the agency’s top management, its head and other key officers were all forced to resign.

As a result of the fiasco, the President was compelled to publicly declare that "victory has a hundred fathers and defeat is an orphan ... Further statements, detailed discussions, are not to conceal responsibility because I'm the responsible officer of the Government ..."

I refer of course to the CIA, JFK, and the Bay of Pigs.

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* This news from PhilStar, February 20, 2015)

Medyo bastos na ang pangangatwiran ng pulis na 'to.

You plan a covert commando-style intrusion into MILF territory premised on your classification of the MILF as "enemy forces" and then conveniently substitute "time on target" for "prior coordination." Then you feign surprise that the MILF fired on the armed intruders you sent into their villages under cover of darkness.

You conveniently substitute "time on target" for "prior coordination" and then expect the army to provide artillery cover at a moment's notice. You had months to plan and train yet were unable to provide information adequate to guide artillery.

You conveniently substitute "time on target" for "prior coordination" and then expect the CCCH and IMT to order the insurgents to cease firing on your men at a moment's notice. "Prior coordination" through the CCCH was agreed upon precisely because it is not possible for it or the IMT to just walk into a firefight that had already started and miraculously stop the firing simply at the wave of a hand. You did not know this?

You blame the army for not mobilising to reinforce your men at a moment's notice but you yourself cannot account for the failure of the 300 plus cops you had in reserve very near the encounter sites to help their besieged comrades, other than saying they had to make way for the CCCH and IMT (who were not moving fast enough according to you) who were trying to diffuse the situation you created.

You stand with pride and accept responsibility yet you refuse to acknowledge the actual, specific mistakes you yourself -- not the MILF, not the AFP, not the CCCH-IMT -- made. You create this horrific mess that kills your people and then blame everyone else except yourself.

Yet you are no naive simpleton and scapegoat manipulated by cleverer and bigger men and then left twisting in the wind. The assumption is that there is a good head to accompany those two stars you have on your shoulders.

Matalino ka pero hindi ka marunong gumalang. Ano ba ang tingin mo sa mga kababayan mo? Tanga? As I said, nakakabastos na ang pulis na 'to.

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DINAGA

(February 21, 2015)

Parang yung mag-oovertake ka sa highway, palapit ng tulay o sa kurbada o sa paahon na hindi mo tanaw yung parating. Dahil nga alanganin, sa kalagitnaan, habang nasa oncoming lane ka na, pinanghinaan ka ng loob. Bigla mong naisip na medyo eng-eng yung desisyon mo. Isip -isip. Preno ka ng kaunti para makabalik sa likuran ng bus na uunahan mo sana. Pero bumagal din yung bus para paraanin ka. Aarangkada ka ngayon pero meron nang parating na nag-fla-flasher na. Papano na ngayon?

Ang patakaran mo, peace process, cease fire, at prior coordination. Official policy mo yan. Tapos dahil sa sulsol ng suspendidong pulls na kaibigan mo o ng Amerikano, tatalikuran mo young sarili mong policy. Magbibilin ka sa kaibigang pulis na siguraduhing matumba yung mga target at bilang afterthought, na siya na ang bahala sa coordinate-coordinate na yan.

Nang magkaipitan, biglang naalala mo yung policy ng gobyerno mo - peace process, cease fire, prior coordination. Shit, sabit. So taktika mo na lang, damage control - awatin na lang ang artillery, lalo na air cover, hinay-hinay na lang sa reinforcements. Pulis naman yang mga yan, handang mamatay para sa bayan. Plausible deniability na lang kahit hindi masyadong plausible.

So, dahil inconsistent ka, napasok ka sa alanganin. Head-on collision. At dahil kinapos ka ng tapang at dangal, deny-deny na lang, fudge-fudge na lang, spin-spin na lang.

Yun na nga - dinaga.

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See also:

MILF, BIFF, PNP and the Fallen 44, February 02, 2015

MILF, BIFF, and the Fallen 44, Part 3, February 03, 2015

MILF, PNP SAF and the Fallen 44, Part 4, February 16, 2015 

War War is Stupid, February 16, 2015

War War is Stupid

Yes. War is stupid. Regardless of the justifications and alibi. War is stupid.

To the advocates of new "All out war" in Muslim Mindanao, other war mongers, may I advice that you try living in conflict areas like Mamasapano in Maguindanao or Basilan so you will see how ugly and brutal endless fighting can be.

Here is one story of an ugly war, happened only last month.

Shortly before the Mamasapano incident happened on January 25, Sarah’s husband, Badrudin Langalen, with his cow in tow, was on his way home from the cornfields to charge his cellphone when the SAF commandos, on the assumption that he was an MILF fighter, captured him.

When the fighting between the MILF and the SAF finally started, with his hands tied behind his back, the helpless Badrudin and his cow got caught in the crossfire.

He was only 21 – too young to die. Dying was probably the last thing on his mind. Death is too much of a punishment for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. In war, rules of engagement protect combatants who are incapable of fighting back. What protection was there for a wandering civilian like him?

Residents in Mamasapano claimed there were arbitrary killings and indiscriminate firing. While the assault teams were fighting the MILF in the fields, other soldiers on standby in communities opened fire, killing innocent civilians....

Today I chanced upon this facebook page of Major Harold Magallanes Cabunoc. The guy makes sense. I am copy-pasting some of his recent postings. To non-Filipino friends, this Filipino soldier is talking about peace and explicitly dislikes war as he has seen firsthand the ugly faces and places of war, Filipinos shooting and killing each other.

February 15, 2015

Sa mga nagbabangayang mga magkakapatid na Muslim at Kristiyano dito sa aking pahina, mas maiging intindihin natin ang kasaysayan ng Pilipinas bago dumating ang mga Kastila para maintindihan mo ang pinagmulan ng ipinaglalaban ng mga kapatid nating Muslim….

Panay gyera ang ginawang solusyon ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas sa mga nakipaglaban para sa kanilang karapatan, kahit noon pang 1970s. Hindi ito natapos at lalong dumami ang nasaktan, at lalong naghihirap ang Muslim Mindanao dahil pati ang maraming namumuno sa kanila ay sarili lang ang pinapayaman, at hinahayaang magiging mangmang at gumagapang sa hirap ang kanilang mga kababayan. Ang kanilang freedom fighters ay tinatawag nating terrorists. (Di ko sinasabing tama ang ginawa sa SAF 44 at pati yong pamumugot ng Abu sa Basilan at Sulu). Lalong dumadami ang radicalized dahil sa kahirapan at kamangmangan. Kung anu-anong armadong grupo ang lumalabas na mandirigma at ang iba sa kanila ay sinasakyan ng mga jihadists kagaya ng Al Qaeda at Jemaah Islamiya. Kapag panay gyera tayo, walang katapusan ang galit at bawian ng kapwa Pilipino. Lahat tayo talunan kapag gagawin nating All out War.

Kawawa ang mas nakararaming sibilyan sa gyera. Saksi ako sa paghihirap nila sa mga evacuation centers. Nakikita ko ang mga nawasak na komunidad at mga duguang mandirigma sa magkabilang panig. Nakikita ko ito dahil kasama ako sa nakikigyera sa kanila sapagkat ito ay aking tungkulin bilang sundalo ng bayan.

Hindi po military solution lamang ang kasagutan kundi negotiated political settement. Dapat matikman ng mga kapatid natin ang kapayapaan at kaunlaran. Hikayatin natin silang talikuran ang karahasan at pakikipagpatayan sa kapwa Pilipino. Hikayatin natin silang huwag kanlungin ang mga terorista at wag gumawa ng terorismo. Hikayatin natin ang sarili nilang mga pinuno na lagyan ng puso ang paninilbihan sa bayan, at patikimin ng taos-pusong serbisyo publiko ang taumbayan. Bombahin ang Muslim Mindanao ng development projects nang magkaroon sila ng oportunidad na makaahon sa kahirapan.

Hikayatin din natin ang lahat na Kristiyano na alamin ang tunay na kasaysayan ng Pilipinas dahil susi ito sa pag-uuwanaan.

Magkaisa tayong lahat na isulong ang kapayapaan at makamit ang hustisya ng lahat na nabiktima ng karahasan.

February 14

Mahirap makipaglaban sa kapwa Pilipino. Ang mandirigmang may puso, nirerespeto ang kaaway na hindi na lumalaban.

Ganito dapat ang ginawa ng mga mandirigmang nakalaban ng bayaning SAF troopers, lalo na at terorista naman ang pakay nila sa kanilang misyon.

Kahit saang anggulo tingnan, mali ang barilin sa ulo ang walang kalaban laban. Ikinagagalit iyon ni Allah (SWT). Sisingilin kayo sa oras ng kanyang paghuhusga.

February 12

Kaming mga sundalo, ayaw namin ng all out war na iminumungkahi ng iilang matatapang nating kababayan.

Bakit? Eh, matagal na nating sinubukan yan laban sa mga rebelde ngunit hindi naman umubra, at napakarami lang namamatay at nagsipaglayasan sa kanilang mga pamayanan. Yong mga namatayan ng tatay at kapatid ay malamang na bumabawi gamit ang karahasan.

Dagdag pa dyan, kaming mga sundalo naman ang unang mapasubo na makipagpatayan sa kapwa Pilipino kung hindi natin pagbigyan ng pagkakataon na magkaroon ang kapayapaan.

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My tolerance for war is zero, nada, blanko. More war means more hatred and intolerance, more violence and more government, more bureaucrats and war mongers ordering young people to shoot and kill other young people. More taxes and borrowings to finance endless fighting and destruction of properties.

For free marketers who advocate war, I question your belief in individual freedom. Why would you support further expansion of already BIG governments, to abdicate the use of reason and embrace more fighting and coercion?
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See also: 

Pilipinas Forum 8: On the Abu Sayyaf, September 11, 2011

Pilipinas Forum 19: The CPP-NPA, Sison and Maoism, November 09, 2011

MILF, Fallen 44 and Rule of Law, February 01, 2015 

MILF, BIFF, PNP and the Fallen 44, February 02, 2015

MILF, BIFF, and the Fallen 44, Part 3, February 03, 2015

MILF, PNP SAF and the Fallen 44, Part 4, February 16, 2015

MILF, PNP SAF and the Fallen 44, Part 4

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MILF, BIFF, and the Fallen 44, Part 3

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MILF, BIFF, PNP and the Fallen 44

This is a continuation of my article yesterday, MILF, Fallen 44 and Rule of Law. I am posting some comments of my friends in my fb wall  on  the subject, and my discussion and rejoinders to them.
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1.  Bakit nga nung I ambush mga SAF andun naman pareho ang MILF and BIFF...?  Ano pinag kaiba nila?

It  was not an ambush. 392 special action force (SAF) officers, there are strike teams and blocking teams. They flew from Manila to Maguindanao armed to the teeth, ready to kill and be killed. It was a clear firefight but the terrain is something the policemen are not familiar with. A corn field which the Fallen 44 ran to may have hidden canals behind them.

I ask again, Supposed there was no or minimal death among SAF officers, does it make that huge operation without coordination with the AFP and MILF justified?

For me, a Yes answer to that question is a suggestion that the PH government should officially discard the peace agreement. Then PH government, whether through the AFP or PNP or NBI, can enter anytime anywhere, in huge numbers with full armaments, with zero recognition of the political, administrative and police/military jurisdiction of the MILF as stipulated in the peace agreement.

Is this the scenario that the pro-war people want?

2.  “they mutilated the bodies of the dead SAF".

Prof. Bong Mallonga Mendoza has an answer to that when he wrote, "a human body hit by either a 0.50 caliber or a special Barrett 413 bullet will be mutilated. No need to mutilate the same bodies after they died."

3. kailan naging territory ng MILF /BIFF ang area na hindi puede pasukin ng law enforcers without asking their permission?

I think Mamasapano, Maguindanao, is not a territory of MILF. It has no territorial jurisdiction, it is still under the PH state. What the MILF has under the peace agreement, is political and administrative jurisdiction. Thus, the public education, public health facilities, police forces, autonomous legislative body, etc. in areas under the peace agreement are with the MILF.

That is why for such huge operations involving nearly 400 PNP special force, with dozens of trucks and APCs, I think an official coordination with MILF and AFP is needed, if we want the peace agreement to be respected. Otherwise, kanya-kanya na lang, throw away the peace agreement, PH armed forces can enter anytime, anywhere, in areas supposedly covered by the peace agreement.

4. Painful as it is to say this to what our Fallen44 went through, I'm leaning on pursuing this peace agreement with these rebels for the last time and give peace a chance in the region.

Precisely. Five or 6 decades of war in Mindanao is not enough? Some people want 1 or 2 decades or more of war in the south?

Since there is already an existing peace agreement with the MILF, an international agreement actually as the meetings and place of signing were held in Kuala Lumpur, witnessed by many foreign government representatives, the PH govt should have respected it. Learn to respect the MILF's political and admis jurisdiction there.

Enough of war. Enough of double talk of talking peace while pursuing war and unilateral attacks.

5. the bloodshed and the encounters could have been avoided if they were sincere in seeking peace and arrested the terrorists themselves kaso di nila ginawa e.

The wanted terrorists are said to  be in the BIFF-controlled area. Perhaps the MILF can storm it but it would take huge amount of bloodshed as they do  not  have choppers, fighter planes, tanks, other equipment. An ideal scenario  is PNP + AFP + MILF. But the PNP-SAF implied, “we  can do  it on  our own, no  need for AFP or  MILF. No coordination or  information  sharing with them needed.”

So, sino ba nagsimula ng barilan last January 25? The MILF or BIFF stormed Cotabato or Davao or Manila? No. It was the PH govt’s PNP that stormed a village in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, 392 elite forces. No coordination even with the AFP. The PNP only cried for help when their smaller blocking team was trapped until they run out of ammo to fight back.

Here's a good food for thought:

'The source said there had been no encounter between the Army and the MILF since 2010, “which means the MILF is faithful to the peace agreement.”

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/669698/dont-blame-the-military?utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=social&utm_source=twitterfeed

No encounter between MILF and AFP for the past 5 years, from 2010, entering the 6th year this year. Peace is possible. No shooting coming from the MILF or from the AFP.

Now enters the SAF. To get Marwan and the $6M or so bounty from the US government, to enforce the rule of law, to make the planet safer, what have you. And shooting has resumed.

6. "How can peace be possible with a group that coddles terrorists"

Five years of no shooting was not peace? It was 5 years of war? Weird.

"coddles terrorists" is a hypothesis. The same way that a statement, "AFP and PNP coddling coup plotters and thieves in their ranks", "Congress coddling plunderers" are also hypothesis, possibly verified theories.

The MNLF has burned bridges with the PH govt a long time ago, they can rampage anytime and they feel they are not breaking any existing peace agreement.

7. That treacherous attack by the SAF, knowing that there was a ceasefire in place, was very wrong...it sabotaged the peace process.

Yes, I agree with this assessment. Confidence building requires building trust with the people you signed officially with to have peace, to stop the shooting from  both sides. For me there  is treachery on the part of  the PNP leadership, or a faction of its leadership, that puts a big dent, big distrust, on the peace agreement.

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See also: 

Criminals 5: One Year of Maguindanao Massacre, November 23, 2010 

Criminals 12: R. Ecleo, A. Ampatuan, J. Reyes, June 02, 2012 

MILF, Fallen 44 and Rule of Law, February 01, 2015

MILF, Fallen 44 and Rule of Law

The Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) assault in Maguindanao province in Mindanao last January 25 without coordination with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was wrong. It should have not been initiated in the first place. A total of 44 elite police officers were killed in that armed encounter with the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the MILF. A friend, Prof. Rommel Banlaoi, said that many of those fighters were also members of the Justice for  Islamic Movement (JIM).

Another friend, Jojo Garcia, noted that  "It is Umbra Kato's former command, before he split from the MILF to form the BIFF and continue his jihad. If there is any unit of the MILF still confused as to whether it is a peace partner or radical extremist, it would be this unit."

The peace agreement between the PH government and MILF (brokered and facilitated by the Malaysia government, most  of the peace talks were held in Kuala Lumpur) is only a few months old. Trust and  confidence on  both  sides is not  very high at this time, there are still hang over of small distrust. Confidence building will take years, not just months.

I do NOT and will NOT support a new war in Mindanao. To have peace with MILF, no armed intrusion should be done by the PH government without proper coordination the MILF. 

Now, some people are suggesting that the PNP should have prepared a reinforcement plan from the AFP when it entered that village in Maguindanao province to arrest Marwan, a wanted international terrorist by the US and PH governments  These people are suggesting an expanded war that day. PNP + AFP vs BIFF + MILF. People use "peace" hesitantly because  what they really want is war.

They are concerned with the backlash of the Fallen44. But what about the backlash if the PNP + AFP vs BIFF + MILF, CIM erupted into hundreds of dead combatants and civilians that day? Or expanding for several days? War is war, bullets and bombs do not evade civilians. Once you initiate armed intrusion, expect armed counter-intrusion.

If the PH govt does not trust MILF, then there should have been no peace talks initiated in the first place. Gyera lang ng gyera, barilan at patayan lang forever. Sana ang may gusto nyan, isabaka nila sarili nila.

We support the peace talks and peace agreement because ultimately we want zero armed intrusion by both sides, today and in the future. Now the PH government authorized huge armed intrusion without regard and coordination  with the MILF. 

We have been too deep in this war in Mindanao. Five, six decades of war, still  not enough? Some people want 1 or 2 more decades of war? 

If we have to uphold the rule of law, the PH government can still attempt to get Marwan, Usman, etc militarily -- but in coordination with the MILF. Then it should be a PNP + MILF operation. If it fails to get Marwan, then another attempt in succeeding months. The PH government should learn to respect international agreements and not be a violator of its own rules.

It is true that Marwan and other wanted terrorists can possibly escape if there was prior coordination with MILF. But that is the law, the agreement with MILF is that the AFP or PNP must coordinate with them. The same way that there are thieves and plunderers in govt now, stealing hundreds of milliions, yet we cannot just throw them in jail or burn them alive, there are laws to follow. 

Rule of law, let’s abide by it, not emotionalism or political populism.

Another friend suggested,

"The same Rule of Law also dictated that these terrorists be arrested or neutralised by the government. It can be argued that, coordinating with the MILF would have resulted in the failure of the government to uphold the Rule of Law. The objective here was not to attack the MILF, but to arrest fugitives from justice."

Here is an analogy:

"These thieves and plunderers be arrested or neutralised by the government. It can be argued that, coordinating with these thieves' minions would have resulted in the failure of the government to uphold the Rule of Law and not arrest them. The objective here was not to pin down the minions but to arrest thieves and plunderers."

There are rules to follow always. So another option in order to avoid existing restrictions is to scrap, officially dishonor, the peace agreement with MILF, and PNP-AFP can attack and arrest fugitives in MILF areas anytime anywhere. Is that a good scenario?

Here is another analogy. Suppose a leader has committed serious crimes (murders, rape, cultural destruction, etc.) in an MILF controlled area, then he fled to Davao or Cagayan de Oro, with 1 or 2 dozen armed men to protect him. The MILF wants to get him and his men, send several hundred armed fighters. The peace agreement says that the latter must coordinate with the PH government first and ask to get the said wanted criminal and  his men. 

Assuming that the MILF distrust the PNP or AFP because they think this wanted criminal has many friends at those government armed units. So the MILF would launch a military attack on the wanted criminal and his men without coordination with the AFP or PNP.

I am sure this is unacceptable to many Filipinos. And rightly so.  But the PH government sending 350 armed officers to get a wanted criminal/terrorist withour coordination with the MILF is fine and acceptable?

The MILF has the political jursdiction in ARMM areas and hence, PH government political and military coordination with them is required. Palpak si President Noynoy (PNoy) Aquino dito. He should apologize to the Filipino people, even apologize for breaking the peace agreement.

Rule of law is useful. The law applies equally to unequal people, the law applies to governors and the governed, the administrators and administered. No one is exempted and no one can grant an exemption. The PH govt should never have exempted itself in getting prior coordination with the MILF as stipulated in the peace agreement.

Now, supposed there was no death among SAF officers, government casualty was zero. Did it make the operation without coordination with MILF, AFP, LGUs, justified?

I would still say NO. Disrespect for the peace agreement, dsrespect of political jurisdiction, is wrong. The law applies to the governors and the governed. No one is exempted and no one can give an exemption, even unto itself. 

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See also: 

Criminals 5: One Year of Maguindanao Massacre, November 23, 2010 

Criminals 12: R. Ecleo, A. Ampatuan, J. Reyes, June 02, 2012

Pol. Ideology 57: Radicalism, Islamic Militance and Terrorism

Yesterday I attended this important forum at Edsa Shangrila Hotel in Ortigas Center.  It was sponsored by Institute of Bangsamoro Studies (IBS), Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research (PIPVTR), Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD Centre), and the European Union (EU) in the Philippines. I was invited by a friend, Prof. Rommel Banlaoi, Chairman of the Board of PIPVTR.

Keynote Address was given by Gen. Kakilala who represented Gen. Gregorio P. Catapang, Jr., Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP). I came late and I was not able to catch his presentation. I saw the presentations on "Radicalism in Southeast Asia" by Dr. Sapto  Waluyo of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Indonesia (above photo) and Asst. Sec. Oscar Valenzuela, Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC), Office of the President, Philippines.

The venue, the air-con tent on the 2nd floor of the hotel was full. Many from different foreign embassies in Manila (40+ in the list of participants), from the PH government including the PNP and AFP (about 30), NGOs (30+, me included), academe and media.

The most interesting presentations that day were made by these two guys, Rommel (left) and Abhoud Syed M. Lingga, Executive Director of IBS (right).

Rommel's presentation was long but he delivered it fast and quick. I like his discussion delineating radicalism and terrorism, radicals and terrorists, that in most cases, these are two  different entities, not one and the same as we often hear and read.

To be radical means to have some innovative, creative, revolutionary yet sensical ideas that were not proposed before, or were proposed by only a small minority in society. In this sense, to be radical means being useful, not  harmful,  to  society. And this is not what we hear or read, especially from the government and mainstream media.

Nice quotes where Rommel partly got these insights. He also mentioned Jean Jacques Rousseau, a classical French political philosopher, on the subject of radicalism.

I like these quotes because they apply to what we are doing in Minimal (not zero) Government Thinkers -- advocating less and limited government, less taxes and mandatory fees, more personal freedom and responsibillity, rule of law -- without advocating violence. Zero tolerance for violence and physical attacks. To be radical means to have high degree of tolerance and respect for people's diversity and spontaneity. People can be very bright or very stupid in advocating something, fine, so long as no violence is used to advance such advocacies.

Here are portions of the presentations by Mr. (or Prof?) Lingga. I like his data on the peaceful nature of Filipino Muslims, their high tolerance to live and co-exist with non-Muslims.

Rommel has a longer list of violent Islamic fundamentalist groups aside from the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and the BIFF. These include the Rogue MNLF Elements (RME), Jimayah Islamiyah (JI) and the Khilafa Islamiyah Mindanao (KIM).

During the open forum, I spoke and argued that the bloated and pampered AFP and PNP bureaucracies are part of the problem why violence by the local communists (CPP-NPA) and Muslim secessionist movement stayed too long. Dealing with these violent local groups should be primarily a police function (plus LGUs, civil society), not military function (their constitutional mandate is external defense) hat generally uses heavy armaments and often, commit human rights violations, deliberately or not  The police are not doing this job, the AFP comes in to do what the police should be doing, and huge AFP annual budget and perks are justified while the PNP also keep their huge annual budget.

I asked Mr.  Lingga if there is a  substantial sector of Filipino Muslims who  think this way too, of the negative impact of heavy military and police bureaucratism. Unfortunately, the impression I gave (or his impression) was that I was asking about overall government bloated bureaucracies. He answered that the new entity under the proposed Bangsamoro  Basic Law (BBL) will determine what is the appropriate and  optimal size of bureaucracy they will  have.

After the open  forum, I approached him and mentioned that I  was referring  to  the AFP-PNP bureaucracies. The people feel unsafe while paying many taxes to sustain these two huge armed bureaucracies (plus many other bureaucracies). So they get many private security agencies to have peace of mind, or they arm themselves and put justice in their hands, common in many provinces in Mindanao.

I met many new faces there. Since I came  late, all the seats in  the middle and rear  tables  were fully occupied. A staff of one of the organizers looked for a vacant seat, he found one -- in the front table. So I was seated with some foreign  diplomats, police and other PH  government officials. I am sure the PNP officials beside me did not  like what  I said during  the open forum, no problem.

Had a chat with two  diplomats, Greg (?) from the Australian Embassy, and Mr. Ueno , First Secretary of Japan Embassy. He asked me about MGT, I said that we are just a small, independent free market think tank advocating  limited government. The main function of government is to promulgate the rule of law, protect the citizens' right to private property, right to life,  right to liberty, and many other functions  like endless welfarism are secondary to unnecessary functions.

A photo with Rommel (right) and Steve Cutler (middle), a bright man whose ideas in fb I follow. Steve is now a private businessman and  was  a  former  US Embassy official here in  Manila.

Overall, it was  a great conference. Thanks again Rommel for the invite. Do invite me again. Defense security and terrorism research is not my cup of tea but I benefit from listening to the experts in  this field, and imparting part of my ideas whenever they might fit.
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See also:

Pilipinas Forum 8: On the Abu Sayyaf, September 11, 2011

Pol. Ideology 53: Zero Government, Zero Taxes, Then What?, November 11, 2013 

Pol. Ideology 54: On the Multiple "Death" of Capitalism, March 11, 2014

Pol. Ideology 55: Jules Maaten's Lecture on Liberalism, May 11, 2014

Pol. Ideology 56: Democracy and the Devils, June 11, 2014