“(A)mong our brother Muslims, nothing ever happens without clearance at the top. They know this, too, and they all know (perpetrators and victims both) that this massacre will not go unavenged.””
by Ducky Paredes
Apparently, the hirelings and fanatics of the Ampatuans and the family of that name have no respect for Gloria Arroyo. If they had, what they did in Ampatuan town – the worst political massacre ever in this country – would not have happened. She has treated them with kid gloves and given them position and power. Yet, the Ampatuans allow this to happen all because of politics.
An explanation that this was unplanned and happened without clearance from the clan would be acceptable only if the murderers numbering about a hundred are surrendered to the authorities. That they are in hiding can only mean that they are being hidden.
I do not believe that I am being unfair to the Ampatuans. I know that they have also been under siege and have also been the targets of constant ambushes by their blood enemies; but I also know that among our brother Muslims, nothing ever happens without clearance at the top.
They know this, too, and they all know (perpetrators and victims both) that this massacre will not go unavenged.
That’s fine for the blood enemies of the Ampatuans. But who will avenge the death of the innocent victims such as the media men among the 43 dead so far, who just happened to be around.
Proclamation Order No. 1946 was issued by the President the provinces of Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City under a state of emergency. This gives the military and police what they need to go after the perpetrators.
But, the kid gloves may not have been thrown away yet. There is no directive to disarm the private armies especially those that the Ampatuans maintain. In fact, Cabinet Secretary Silvestre Bello III says that the disarming of private armies and other legal measures like the suspension of habeas corpus may be considered under a state of emergency.
Says Bello: “Let’s give the authorities the chance to investigate. There are no suspects until we get witnesses or we get initial evidence against anybody.” Bello further explains that the Ampatuans are technically not yet considered suspects as the crisis management committee and investigating bodies are still collating evidence and trying to determine who may be involved in the incident.
Interior Secretary Ronnie Puno says: “There are no sacred cows. It is going to be a direct investigation of the crimes committed. We have some information about specific names, not just those who ordered this thing, but also those who committed it.”
Why does that sound like bullshit?
How weak has our government that its own allies can so openly mock it?
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We have a letter: “Bayani Fernando is truly a personification of his own principles - decided, persistent and straight (Desidido, Pursigido, Diretso).
“If the voters can do away with what’s popular in choosing their leaders, this country could get out of the hole we are in.
“We need not look far to see the difference. Look at what he’s done to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), an agency that has found little significance among the mayors nearly a decade ago but now acknowledged as an indispensable agency that is able to perform its functions that transcends local boundaries.
“From being a ‘redundant’ agency that duplicates the functions of the local government units, the MMDA under the leadership of Fernando has undeniably become a working agency.
The MMDA is now the most well-equipped government agency, bar none. In the recent typhoons that hit the country, the MMDA showed its capability to respond to calamities. Unfortunately, the greatest test had to come in his home turf in Marikina, which absorbed the most punishment among all other localities that took the beating from Ondoy.
“Not a few people doubted Marikina would be able to stand on its own. But thanks to the MMDA, the city is back on its feet in just 30 days after being restored back to its old pristine self, thanks to 170 heavy equipment and some 2,000 troops of kamineros, laborers and volunteers, and even MMDA officials, who the agency summoned for the job.
“Had Fernando listened to the mayors who insisted on doing things on their own, Metro Manila would still be in chaotic condition, lagging behind in terms of achievements in traffic management, infrastructure development, beautification, landscape, flood control and others.
Even former First Lady and former Metro Manila Council Governor Imelda Marcos and her Vice Governor Ismael Mathay, Jr., who both graced the 34th anniversary of the MMDA last week, acknowledged the efforts of Fernando for making the agency as relevant as it is today.
“If he can manage Metro Manila and transform to its present outlook, then he can also manage the entire nation. The presidency is all about governance where the one who will be in charge of running it must have executive abilities.
”For Fernando, governance is all about engineering. Being a mechanical engineer was a plus factor for him. He was able to use his background as a builder of some of the tallest buildings in the metropolis to perform his thankless job as manager of Metro Manila.
“More than three decades have passed since former Metro Manila Governor Imelda Marcos took the helm of the agency, Fernando, should he decide to run for president of the country, can proudly pass the torch to the next successor, if there’s any.” – Alexander Cruz, Davao City
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“As long as Nazi violence was unleashed only, or mainly, against the Jews, the rest of the world looked on passively and even treaties and agreements were made with the patently criminal government of the Third Reich.” — Albert Einstein
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hvp 11.25.09
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