Un-accustoming PERT

Persona-Non-Grata of Iligan
By Pierre Danser Pappilon

Mr. Rudy Rodil of the Philippines, who is a historian of this country, made few steps to reconcile the Filipino people through his writings of what he understood of the past.  Through this endeavor where he saw fit-he was engaged with the Government of the Republic of the Philippines-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (GRP-MILF) peace process on Memorandum on Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA AD).
Rodil’s struggles for this endeavor have soon aroused the leaders of Iligan City when the MOA AD was about to be signed on September 5, 2008. The City Resolution No. 08-563, dated September 15, 2008 is a statement telling they found him a persona-non-grata--a resident and a professor t in one of the prestigious institutions of this city at that.
But because of his works and being an exemplary professor of the country, Rodil was given a Plaque of Recognition, an Honorary Tribute by the City of Iligan honoring him as a “Buotang Iliganon” (Good Citizen of Iligan) on September 28, 1994.
Rodil’s brewing struggles are a breakthrough to all stakeholders of peace process, not just to the MILF but also to the GRP.
Yet, the saying goes, ”The past repeats itself.”  We are again engaged in war in which we really do not know what and whom we are warring against. What is the root of these ongoing atrocities? We still cannot conduct consultations. Communication technologies informed us.  But the information we gathered are only façade of this war. What we have in the news today are only pictures of events.
There was a lot of agitation against the MOA AD. The issues against its crafting and content were highly sensationalized by certain sectors that aroused public sentiments against the GRP and the MILF. The situation was further aggravated by the attacks launched by the alleged rogue MILF members against the civilian communities in Sarangani, Cotabato and in the two Lanaos: Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte. These attacks prompted President Gloria M. Arroyo to scrap totally the MOA AD. The abortion of the signing of the MOA AD later on became the most convenient excuse of the MILF to justify the barbaric acts of its field units especially by Commander Anderson, Commander Mercury, Commander Kato, and Commander Bravo to whom the three pillars of the MILF has no control.
Because of this misunderstanding and misinformation done by some groups who are opposed to the signing of the MOA AD, the peace talks being put aside became a done deal, said Mohaqher Iqbal, the MILF spokesperson. They would only go back to the negotiating table if the government revives and signs the agreement expanding the ARMM. Last August 31, 2008. The MILF noticed that the government is not really sincere in the peace talk.
 I don’t believed that the MILF will make war, they have no capacities and they are aware that the United States will give support to the GRP if ever there be one.”  Said General Pajarito as he visited the 33rd IB. He further said, the MILF and GRP are still observing the ceasefire agreement but we have to watch out of the third party that would break the peace talk.
The said peace talk is the best way to solve the 35-years old struggle of the MILF leadership regarding this Moro problem of Mindanao. The peace talk, assumed to be beneficial to all stakeholders, is a better alternative than waging of war, said General Rey Sealana.
The military solution, which is a temporary solution, is only part of the total solution, and should only be used as the last option.
We choose not to understand and partly not to be civilized in this modern civilization. Rules of war and mandates of the soldiers we cannot apprehend. We advocate peace and human rights—strive hard to confront all the stakeholders. Some are cooperative, but few from the government side aren’t. I understand because we are now waging war.
Trust is almost forgotten. We must trust our leaders, our implementors, and our advocates who became suspects of treachery. Only trust begets trust. If we have this attitude respect shall follow. Respect begets respect. What happen to us now? We are only but pretenders.
(Pierre Danser Pappilon There’s a gem inside a butterfly).

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

May 27, 2017

White Slavery Remote Field