- Advertisement -

Cong Corrales

“Evil is more dangerous when it takes the cloak of familiarity.” – Mario Puzo, The Godfather

- Advertisement -

 

WHAT scares me most is that a lot of people seem to be perfectly comfortable with Digong Dada’s recent pronouncements.

In a speech on Saturday, the President said he will declare and follow America’s categorization of the New People’s Army as a terrorist organization.

The President went on to say that his decision stemmed from the fact that the Maoist guerrillas killed a four-month-old baby in an ambush in Bukidnon.

“You know, that is an intentional act. It is not an accident. ’Wag mong sabihin ’di mo alam ’yan na may disgrasya ’yang bata namatay,” CNN-Philippines quoted Duterte as saying.

Most of the comments on this paper’s story on the ambush were quick to condemn the latest atrocity of the communists in the hinterlands, and I say rightfully so.

The killing of a baby is a reprehensible act. I condemn it in the highest of terms. I denounce it as I denounce the lumad killings, including the attack that killed a pregnant lumad while she was attending a wedding.

The high command of the National Democratic Front in Mindanao apologized for the killing of the baby. But no amount of apology or indemnification will bring the baby back to life. It is the same way as when government apologizes for the militarization of tribal communities… wait, have they ever apologized?

What is terrorism, by the way?

Google says the word has its roots in the acts of the Jacobin faction during the French Revolution in the late 18th century.

Google adds that “it is the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims.”

Wikipedia defines terrorism as “political violence in an asymmetrical conflict that is designed to induce terror and psychic fear (sometimes indiscriminate) through the violent victimization and destruction of noncombatant targets (sometimes iconic symbols).”

From the two definitions, I dare say both camps are guilty of committing acts of terrorism.

The President also went on to say that he will order a “crackdown” on Bagong Alyansang Makabayan since “they are in conspiracy with the rebellion going on.”

Bayan may be guilty of agitating the people into asserting their rights but I think they are not the cause of the rebellion. With or without Bayan, a people that are repressed, militarized, abused, and neglected will always struggle to improve their lot. If peaceful means, like peace talks, fail, they will resort to the only language they have suffered from a repressive government ? violence.

Violence begets violence.

We have witnessed this throughout history. We saw this in the Bolshevik Revolution 100 years ago. Imagine how surprised the Czar of Russia was when peasants with pitchforks and workers with crappy rifles went toe-to-toe with the imperial army.

This will escalate and the biggest loser will be the people at large. It will not hurt the war hawks who will be profiting from a full-scale war against the longest running rebellion in Asia. It will not hurt the generals who will be barking orders from a war room.

At the risk of sounding like a doomsayer, this will end badly for all of us.

Disclaimer

Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.

- Advertisement -