For her greed for power, shameless desire to stay beyond 2010, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Philippine illegitimate president has sought ways to extend her term, this time by trying to use the issue of peace in Muslim Mindanao. She discreetly entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to extend the already in-place Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), promising the MILF more autonomy in governance and expanding the ARMM territory, to cover places which originally rejected being included in ARMM through the ballot.
Going over the MOA, I was particularly jolted seeing the inclusion of a beautiful, peaceful and quiet town of Bataraza as part of the newly "ceded" territory to the MILF. Bataraza, which I have visited last summer has a link to the original Muslim settlers by having a good leader and mayor in the person of the late Datu Sapiodin Narrazid, who was also mayor of nearby Brooke's Point (mother town of Bataraza), where I lived for a while.
It seems that Gloria's understanding of claim to ancestral domain is without historical basis at all. She thought that because early settlers in the southern Palawan region were Muslims, they automatically have a right to claim for ancestral domain or rights. She has completely forgotten that the original residents of Palawan were actually the Palaw'ans and other indigenous peoples. Even the so-called Panimusan (of both Muslim and Palaw'an ancestry) hardly harp on ancestral domain, until recently when everyone (other tribal and non-tribal settlers) there wishes to be considered indigenous because of money prospects from mining operations.
We were just surprised one day that such a MOA with MILF exists and it took the Supreme Court to halt its official signing in Malaysia. The violence that ensued as a result opened our eyes that the peace process is so volatile. Not even the central command of MILF could stop its "renegades" from sowing terror to dramatize their frustration over the Supreme Court's temporary stopping of the signing of the MOA. But what is now glaring is that once again Gloria and her government have deceived us, by denying us the right to know.
She probably thought with this issue of war, displacing thousands and creating a humanitarian crisis will convince all of us to take a second look at her "federalism" proposal, which means providing for an opportunity to amend the Constitution. Of course she only knows too well that it can lead to anything, even extending her term. Because once we open the discussions on amending the charter, it can lead to anything, and she is prepared for that, prepared to get things her way.
With the suffering we are already in as a result of spiralling prices of basic commodities and oil products, tell me, who can stop hating Gloria!!!
1 comment:
SENT TO MY EMAIL BY SEN. MAR. ROXAS
Dear Friend,
Hi. Mar here.
The situation spawned by the Memorandum of Agreement between the MILF and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines has taken on a life of its own. Amidst the violence that has rocked Mindanao these past few days, talk of Charter Change has captured the whole country's attention.
I've attached a summary and transcript of the Privilege Speech I delivered last Monday regarding this MoA-- its flaws, ramifications, and the things we have to do in order to ensure a stable and peaceful democracy. I'd appreciate it if you can take the time to read it.
Thanks,
Mar
MARROXAS.COM
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A SUMMARY OF SENATOR MAR ROXAS’
PRIVILEGE SPEECH OF ON THE GRP-MILF MoA
August 11, 2008
1. This MoA violates at least three major articles of our Constitution. Unang pahina pa lang,
hindi na papasa ito sa Saligang Batas.
a. Rather than respect our national territory, this MoA breaks it up into smaller bits.
b. Rather than uphold the ideal that all government authority emanates from the
people, this government entered into an agreement that would partition our country
without prior consultations with the people of Mindanao.
c. Rather than uphold one sovereign people enjoying the equal protection of law, the
MoA effectively splits the citizenry in two.
2. We had wanted peace and security achieved through these negotiations. Instead, we are on
the brink of war. Government functionaries are making lame excuses for their bungling of a
peace process that has spawned war rather than peace. None have spoken to stand by this
MoA on the basis of reason and statesmanship; instead, its proponents have resorted to fingerpointing.
3. I demand complete transparency regarding this agreement. I call upon the government to
step out from behind the veil of generalizations; to let the people know, completely and
without qualification, its intentions and strategies concerning the situation in Mindanao.
4. I urge the government to enforce the equal protection of laws now. I call upon the President
to revamp her entire peace team, including her peace adviser and peace panel. I call upon the
Armed Forces to enforce order in accordance with the principles of the constitution. And I
call upon all parties to the conflict to stand down and pave the way a renegotiation of the
MOA.
5. More than anything else, I urge the government to do its utmost best to keep the nation
whole. To keep the great ideals of our country: One territory, one sovereign people under the
equal protection of the laws.
6. The answer is not in further shattering this ideal of one Philippine nation. And this has
nothing to do with religion or ethnic boundaries. We are all for peace. The answer is in
rebuilding our nation so that none feel neglected for the sake of others.
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SPEECH TRANSCRIPT OF SENATOR MAR ROXAS
Privilege Speech on the GRP-MILF Memorandum of Agreement
Session Hall, Senate of the Philippines
11 August 2008
Mr. President, I am angry at what is going on at the South, and it’s for that purpose that I ask
to take the floor on a matter of personal and collective privilege.
As we speak, there are ongoing hostilities in North Cotabato and Maguindanao where the
Armed Forces and the MILF are locked in armed combat. Tens of thousands of evacuees have
fled their homes. We have a brewing humanitarian situation on our hands.
On Friday, August 15, the Supreme Court will receive all oral arguments regarding the
aborted MoA between the MILF and our Government, and all of this is under a growing
atmosphere of dissension and acrimony. This morning, I myself filed an intervention in order
to declare this document unconstitutional.
This MoA initialed and sought to be formalized, in Malaysia, violates at least three major
articles of our Constitution. Unang pahina pa lang, hindi na papasa ito sa ating Saligang Batas.
Rather than respect our national territory, this MoA breaks it up into already smaller bits.
Rather than uphold the ideal that all government authority emanates from the people, the
government had the gall to enter into an agreement that would partition our country, and
create a state within a state, all without prior consultation with the people of Mindanao, or
with the people in the rest of the country. It had the gall to shroud this agreement in secrecy.
Rather than uphold one sovereign people enjoying the equal protection of law, the MOA
effectively splits the citizenry in two, each clothed with differing political and economic
standards.
Hindi isang salitang walang laman ang soberanya ng bansa natin. Saklaw ng konsepto ng
soberanya ang pakikibilang ng mamamayan sa paggawa ng mga desisyon…
The Constitution is not just some piece of paper. It is our nation’s very substance and spirit.
For example, Mr. President, I have a copy with me of what was submitted by the GRP Panel
in conformity or in compliance with the order of the Supreme Court directing it to release an
official copy of the final draft of the MoA that would have been signed in Kuala Lumpur last
week.
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On page four of this document, under territorial waters, I read, for the record: “The
boundaries of the territorial waters shall stretch beyond the 15-kilometer BJE” – that’s the
Bangsamoro Juridical Entity – “internal waters, up to the Central Government’s baselines
under existing law. In the southern and eastern part of the BJE, it shall be demarcated by a
line drawn on the Maguling Point, Palimbang Province of Sultan Kudarat up to the straight
baselines of the Philippines. On the northwestern part, it shall be demarcated by a line
drawn from Little Sta. Cruz Island, Zamboanga City, up to Naris Point, Bataraza, Palawan.
On the western part of Palawan, it shall be demarcated by a line drawn from the boundary of
Bataraza and Rizal up to the straight baselines of the Philippines.”
And what will be the import of this demarcation of territorial waters? The previous
paragraph says these waters shall be under the “joint jurisdiction, authority and management
over areas and all natural resources living and non-living contained therein.”
In short, distinguished colleagues, should we not have been told that hundreds of thousands
of hectares of our water resources have now been negotiated away as part of this MoA?
Should we not have been consulted? Should we not have been informed? And certainly there
is nothing in this MoA that says we will be subject to a referendum. The only referendum
that is contemplated in this document is a referendum asking the citizens of each of the
communities that are being claimed to be a part of the BJE to indicate whether they consent
in fact to be part of it or not. Sama ba sila o hindi?
Pero tayo, mga mamamayang Pilipino, wala ba tayong sey dito? Parang hiniwa tayo at
ipinamigay ang isang bahagi ng katawan natin na wala man tayong ka-sey-sey.
I speak to you now, aware of the extraordinary levels of irony present in the situation. We
had wanted peace and security achieved through these negotiations. Instead, we are on the
brink of war. How have we come to this?
We have come to this because of the government’s paranoia. The government distrusts its
citizens, because how can it not, when it recognizes that its actions will not stand to the
scrutiny of the people? Kaya naglilihim ang gobyerno dahil alam niya na sablay ang ginagawa
nila. Sabi nga: mukhang guilty!
What we have in Mindanao, Mr. President, is the exact opposite of security. It is insecurity
in the very essence of the word. The people are uneasy that even if a peace accord is signed,
it raises the prospects of war.
Government functionaries are making lame excuses for their bungling of a peace process that
has spawned war rather than peace. Bakit ayaw nilang idepensa ito? Sa totoo lang, Mr.
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President, sa ating mga colleagues, puros pang-iintriga, puros pag-kwestyon ng motibo, Puros
dissembling ang sinasagot ng mga functionary ng gobyerno.
Wala ba sa kanila na magtatayo at magsasabi, ‘Ako, gusto ko ito, tama ito sa atin, itong
probisyon na ito ay karapat-dapat lamang.’ Bakit walang depensang ganoon? Bakit puros ‘O,
ano yung mga motibo ng tumututol dito?’ Bakit puros iintriga lamang?
Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, I demand complete transparency regarding this
agreement. I call upon the government to step out from behind the veil of generalizations; to
let the people know, completely and without qualification, its intentions and strategies
concerning the situation in Mindanao.
What are the parameters given by President Arroyo to her negotiators? What are the
expected gains, losses and trade-offs from the envisioned peace settlement, politically and
economically?
Dumaan ba yung government position na ito sa Kabinete? Pinagbotohan ba ito? Dumaan ba
ito sa security cluster ng Kabinete? May security implications ito. Pinresenta ba ito sa
National Security Council? May mga legislative implications ito. Napag-usapan ba ito sa
LEDAC? Ano ba ang hinahangad ng gobyerno dito? Mabubulaga na lang tayo na
nagkapirmahan na doon sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
What is the strategic plan of the Government if the TRO issued by the Supreme Court is
lifted? How does it plan to address the political dissension that will ensue—which is both
certain and severe?
How does it plan to address the further imminence of widespread conflict if the TRO is
maintained?
I call upon the President to revamp her entire peace team, including her peace adviser and
peace panel. I call upon the rest of the Filipino nation to continue to believe in the very
ideals of our nation, and to stand faithfully behind them.
Nananawagan ako sa sandatahang lakas, na panatilihin ang kapayapaan ayon sa ating Saligang
Batas. And I call upon all parties to the conflict to stand down and pave the way for a
renegotiation of the MOA.
More than anything else, I urge the government to do its utmost best to keep the nation
whole. To keep the great ideals of our country: One territory, one sovereign people under
the equal protection of the laws.
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The answer is not in further shattering this ideal of one Philippine nation. And this has
nothing to do with religion or ethnic boundaries. We are all for peace. I have relatives in
Mindanao. I have relatives in Zamboanga. Certainly we want peace. We want peace so that
the energies of our people can be directed to improving their status in life.
Which farmer, which fisherman, would rather spend on an armament rather than food for
his family? No one wants war. No one certainly wants armed conflict. The people of
Mindanao, Christian, Muslim or Lumad, have been commonly victimized by oppression,
greed, corruption and the bungling of this government.
I say to you now, as I say to the rest of our nation: the answer is in bridging differences. The
answer is in rebuilding our nation so that none feel neglected for the sake of others.
Mabuhay ang kapayapaan. Mabuhay ang nagkakaisang Pilipinas.
www.marroxas.com www.liberalparty.ph
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