I am writing this as more or less a reaction and tribute to Ms. Ilda’s latest article about President Aquino’s statements about the Mamasapano Massacre…
Well, before we proceed, I believe in the idea that there are always multiple perspectives to any single event. For instance, in the French Revolution, there is the perspective of the common Frenchmen who saw it as a chance to free their country from a yoke of tyranny and then there’s the point of view of the royalty of France who probably saw it as a nightmare. While both views are equally important from a historical sense, what matters most is their outcome. Indeed, history will always seem relative (dependent on one’s view) and even biased, since it is common knowledge that history is written by the victors. However, the French Revolution proved that the monarchy system is deeply flawed and that it should be done away with because it is outdated and is not a people-centered system.
So okay now, let’s go to the present in the Philippines…
President Aquino has apparently accepted the “investigation” made by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels at face value and seeks to wash his hands of the whole incident through it. He seems to think that the MILF’s perspective will absolve him of his command responsibility (or, more accurately, command irresponsibility) in bungled attempt to capture a known terrorist mastermind. Well, to this, I have the following to say:
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front Cannot Be Trusted Anyway
Truth be told, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front are terrorists, pure and simple. No amount of whitewashing can ever change that. They are bearing arms in a country that strictly prohibits people from possessing unlicensed firearms, they operate in an area beyond the law and they occasionally terrorize the common people and steal from them. Nothing screams “terrorist” more than these actions. I am not being judgmental, I am just stating facts.
Now, if they were a legitimate part of the Philippine military and answered to the laws of the land like any other citizen should, be he civilian or soldier, then I might be inclined to believe them. Unfortunately, that is not the case with the MILF. If anything, their report on the Mamasapano Massacre already contains some bias and will undoubtedly present themselves in a favorable light. Remember ladies and gentlemen, the Nazis painted themselves in a positive light but, unfortunately, they were far from the saviors they claimed to be.
The Aquinos Have Never Really Been Known For Their Honesty Or Loyalty
Okay, let’s forget for a moment what the Aquino-supported media has to say. One of the biggest questions I have regarding the current Philippine Constitution is why foreigners aren’t allowed to teach in our schools. The answer, now that I have time to really think about it, is because they don’t want their version of the “truth” questioned.
Truth be told, if one looks at history carefully, the history of the Aquinos is actually quite spotty. In World War II for instance, they betrayed us to the Japanese. The Aquinos insist that Ferdinand Marcos was a murderous tyrant but the reign of Cory Aquino was no less bloody what with the infamous Hacienda Luisita Massacre which involved butchering innocent people to prevent their lands from falling into the hands of farmers who just wanted to live an honest and decent life. The Aquino administration also insist that Benigno Aquino Sr. was some sort of genius and was a respected member at Harvard but American sources show that he was in fact a troublesome individual who sympathized with communists and sought to convert people in Boston to the communist cause.
You Cannot Change The Outcome Of History
Yes, like I said, history has different viewpoints. However, the most important thing is the results and not anything else. In history, people’s intentions, ideals and previous actions take a backseat to the ultimate outcome. For instance, yes, the Allied forces of World War II were also guilty for committing a number of atrocities but since it was they who won the war and were mostly not the ones responsible for starting it, they were considered the heroes of the time.
As for the Mamasapano Massacre, even if the president seems to accept the testimony of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, what happened is still clear. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front were responsible for the death of the SAF 44 and while these terrorists may try to paint themselves in a sympathetic light, what they did and continue to do as a terrorist organization is neither legal or acceptable. They are, ultimately, a terrorist organization that needs to be brought to justice for their crimes against the people. While they have reasons for doing what they do, this does not excuse them from the law and shouldn’t be allowed to operate the way they do.
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At the end of the day, we just have another case of President Aquino desperately trying to wash cloying blood from his hands. As he has done in just about every speech, he is once again just trying to play the blame game and pass the buck so that he won’t have to be deemed responsible for the incident. His latest speech which spits on the very graves of the SAF 44 by presenting the Moro Islamic Liberation Front as the true heroes of the massacre is just evidence of his utter desperation with absolving himself of the incident and making himself look like the hero that he thinks he is.
However, with what has happened so far, I am quite doubtful that President Aquino can keep the blood off of his hands for long. He still refuses to apologize for the death of Chinese tourists in the Luneta Massacre and, along with his pet Mar Roxas, screwed up the relief effort for the Yolanda survivors.
And now we have the Lumad situation…
I can only imagine what kind of excuses President Aquino will come up with this time. I also wonder if he’ll be able to find a good scapegoat like he did with Napenas in the Mamasapano massacre. Will he also side with the marauders threatening the Lumads like he did with the MILF over the SAF 44?
Really, President Aquino should stop with the butt covering and just come clean with his people…
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