A Day In The Life Of RJ

“There is nothing easier than lopping off heads and nothing harder than developing ideas.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky

“I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of their way and let them have it.”

“Wars are seldom caused by spontaneous hatreds between people, for peoples in general are too ignorant of one another to have grievances and too indifferent to what goes on beyond their borders to plan conquests. They must be urged to the slaughter by politicians who know how to alarm them.” Henry Mencken

“There is no such thing as a good war and there is no such thing as a bad peace.” Benjamin Franklin

“Short-circuiting the long-established principles of patient negotiation leads to war, not peace.” Jimmy Carter

I miss the good old days — when things weren’t as complicated as they are now. It seemed rather peaceful then (or so I thought). Fact is, the world in general has not been truly peaceful at any time. Wars are as constant as change. And this world has seen one too many wars. There will always be small wars fought in certain parts of the world for all sorts of reason. I think humankind has a penchant for wars — probably part of what makes us human — to be hostile at times when certain boundaries are crossed. (more…)

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The reality of poverty, for most of our brothers and sisters follow them to their death — as is the case with Mang Pandoy — the man showcased in the SONA (State of the Nation Address) by then President Fidel V. Ramos as a representative of the poor whose lives he aims to improve. Many years after that, the man born poor died poor. If you find it too harsh a word, I’m pretty sure there’s a more politically-correct term for that. Underprivileged? Less fortunate? Economically-challenged? Gah. Does it matter how we call it? Apparently, it does not. For if we examine closely, “terms” don’t change a reality. Is there anything more glaring than the reality of your family’s incapacity to even give you a proper burial? My friends, Mang Pandoy lies “clad in a faded violet shirt, laid in an ordinary wooden coffin“. His death is no poorer than the life he lived. The man clearly died “waiting on the world to change” — waiting on his economic status to at least change from bad to fair. He died waiting for a chance at a better life. (more…)

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I find it inexplicable why the BJE MOA on AD is being considered at odds with our constitution, hence this TRO and oral arguments, when a member of the MILF peace panel, MOHD. MUSIB M. BUAT in his article “A new formula in resolving the Mindanao conflict—Mohd. Musib M. Buat” at the abs-cbnNEWS.com website, said:

“But subsequently in February 2008, information was received by the MILF Peace Panel through the Malaysian facilitator that the GRP had decided to have the draft MOA-AD first reviewed by a panel of legal experts to ascertain whether or not the draft agreement would meet a constitutional test if challenged before the High Court. It took the government more that 100 days to conduct the “due diligence review” of the draft MOA-AD.”  (more…)

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Today’s article at abs-cbnNEWS.com “From Brink of Peace to Brink of War” by Atty. Soliman M. Santos, Jr. brings to mind my long-held stand on the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (BJE MOA on AD). (more…)

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In observance of “Buwan ng Wika”, the following article was written entirely in Filipino and will take exception from my blog language policy.

<== Pindutin upang patugtugin ang "Ako'y Isang Pinoy"

Ikinalulungkot kong medyo huli na ang sanaysay na ito. Plinano kong isulat ito sa unang linggo ng Agosto ngunit sa dami ng mga pangyayaring dala ng BJE MOA, naisantabi ko ito at halos nawala na rin sa isip ko. Mabuti na lang at napaalala ito ng aking anak habang nag-eensayo kami para sa kanyang pagtula at pag-awit sa pampaaralang selebrasyon nila ng “Buwan ng Wika”.

Nakatutuwang isipin na malayo-layo na rin ang narating ng ating wika — simula ng magdeklara ng pambansang wika hanggang sa mga ipinatupad na pagbabago dito upang matugunan ang pangangailangan ng panahon. Ipinagmamalaki ko at ipinagbubunyi ang patuloy na pagiging “buhay” ng ating wika. Bagama’t laganap ang Ingles sa maraming babasahin, lalo na sa internet, marami pa rin akong napapansing aktibong gumagamit ng wikang Filipino. Maliban dito, ang pagiging “buhay” ng ating wika ay kapansin-pansin din sa patuloy na pagdagdag ng mga salita upang maiangkop ang ang ating wika sa kumbensyonal na Ingles. Ginagawa ito sapagkat maraming aklat at iba pang uri ng babasahin ang nakasulat sa Ingles at kailangan nating tugunan ito ng karapat-dapat at eksaktong pagsasalin sa Filipino. Sa ganitong paraan lamang natin masisiguro na hindi tayo malilimitahan pagdating sa pagpapalawig ng ating kaalaman. (more…)

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I need not elaborate. I’m sure any of you reading this have heard the news — endless and hopeless as it may seem. Fighting continues in Mindanao. Ambush here. Strafing there. Evacuations here and there. Oral arguments re: unconstitutionality of BJE MOA (which, by the way, has been extended Firday once more, August 29) happened today. Sol. Gen. Devanadera submitted a petition for the SC citing GRP’s decision not to sign the MOA, thereby rendering the petition filed against it “moot and academic”. Torion, the petitioner’s counsel, on the other hand insists on a court decision saying regardless of the BJE MOA being signed or not, SC’s ruling is important so as to create a “guideline” for the GRP on it’s expected “renegotiation” or “furthering of negotiations” and subsequently assure compliance to the constitution.

There are certain points in the oral arguments I’d like to comment on, as follows:

(more…)

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MLQ3’s recent post “Berserkers and a breather” in Inquirer.net’s “CURRENT” is an enlightening article. Unlike most widely-read posts spawned by bloggers mainly from Manila and other parts of Luzon — which tend to rely heavily on news reports — therefore, unintentionally appearing or turning-out one-sided and half-baked, this one gives us a more comprehensive coverage — a bird’s eye view of the recent events in Mindanao — coming from the people who experience the news first-hand. The research and insight that come with articles of this sort is a compelling read, and I consider myself privileged to have read this.

As Real As It Gets

Stories blogged from Iligan and other parts of Mindanao are as real as can be. Sentiments expressed from all those blogs paint a picture so vivid that anyone who reads it can hardly ignore. In essence, it tells us how devastatingly and horrifyingly real this war is — which, many of us who blog from a distance can only sympathize with but never actually “feel”. Collectively, everyone wants this war to end so they can go on with their lives — plain and simple. They approach the issue from different perspectives but eventually arrive at the same sentiment and wish — if you may, which is peace.

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Two blogs quoted in the above article struck me:  (more…)

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As the situation in Mindanao remains fluid, the people’s future remain uncertain.  The road to peace is now littered with grenade. Who would now dare tread that path? To say that it is difficult to talk peace at a time like this is an understatement. I need not reiterate the violence that has erupted which has claimed the lives of many people — mostly civilians.

It is this pressing concern that gave rise to a need — a need to be ready and and willing to fight when necessary. The citizenry of Iligan City (claiming their right to protect themselves and their property) have decided to take up arms. And this is supported by no less than their Mayor Lawrence Cruz. He says in an ABSCBNNews.com article, “We don’t want to be helpless like those civilians who were butchered, strafed, torched, and whose properties were looted and ransacked. We don’t want that to happen to us.”

I was never a fan of vigilantism or anything loosely similar to it. Taking up arms by the citizenry is something I only envision as last resort. And I say that not because I’m kill-joy or sissy or absurdly peace-loving but because I think the current situation, in my point of view — however others may see it — still does not warrant such an activity. More than anything, I fear for these people’s safety. While I understand that being the ones directly affected by the menace that is MILF — they are full of conviction to fight for a just cause, I also believe that “letting guns do the talking” doesn’t sound like a good plan at all. Besides, it is the state’s responsibility to secure its people. If the citizenry takes up arms, they overstep someone else’s mandate. And no, I’m not trying to be be objective, I’m trying to be practical. (more…)

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This is something I never saw coming — Malacanang giving up so soon on the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity MOA on AD — at least unofficially. Reports coming in, however, are indicative that a change of pace and style in the approach on the peace process is imminent. Esperon’s comment about being open to the possibility of re-negotiating the MOA coupled with PGMA’s statement that she wants non-government organizations to spearhead peace negotiations with the MILF are tell-tale signs of a new strategical approach in the works. I expected the Palace to be firmer and more resolved on this BJE MOA as it has been on the issue of EVAT on oil (wherein amidst protests and lower approval ratings, PGMA has been hell-bent on keeping the EVAT as it is). Although Ermita claims that rumors of such “plans” clearly did not come from Malacanang because they are still waiting for the Supreme Court’s final ruling — without which, they cannot move forward and decide what next step to undertake, it seems that this change of plan is not a remote possibility. Maybe the issue has gone way out of their control, thus prompting them to have a sudden change of heart if only to survive the avalanche of criticisms (as if there is not a mountain of criticisms already) brought about by the BJE MOA. (more…)

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