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Tuesday, July 29, 2003
Military, cops on heightened alert as cause groups mount rallies
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
THE grievances of military mutineers in Makati confirmed reports and suspicions on how the war, peoples displacement and killings in Mindanao are all orchestrated by the government, local Muslims and militant groups in Mindanao said Sunday.
The "proper response" from local Mindanao groups are now being crafted in relation to how the Magdalo group's cry is also relative to that of Mindanao's peace and economic development.
The groups vowed to stage a rally today not just to show their indignation on President Arroyo's State of the Nation Address (Sona) but to reiterate their causes, some of which are similar to those now being fought by the mutineers.
This came even as both the Armed Forces's 4th Infantry Division chief Maj. Gen. Cristolito Balaoing and Northern Mindanao Regional Police Director Nicolas Pasinos stepped up their security alert level in their respective areas of responsibilities (AORs).
Both law enforcing agencies also announced that their officers and the groups they command are still "intact" and loyal to the Arroyo administration.
Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano said he has also coordinated with the military and police. He called for all to remain calm.
Meanwhile, Bangsamoro Consultative Peoples Assembly (BCPA) chairman Prof. Abhoud Syed Lingga said several demands of the Magdalo group are similar to the ones they have been crying out long before but have fallen to deaf ears.
He cited how their Bangsamoro people has called for Arroyo to have Defense Sec. Angelo Reyes step down from office but was snubbed several times over.
"We have long complained against Reyes but obviously no one listens to the Bangsamoro people," he said.
BCPA has the strength of two million Muslim people from different tribes based on their last general assembly in the previous year.
Lingga said long before the Magdalo group staged this mutiny they have already cried foul as to how it is the Muslim people who were suspected to be behind the twin Davao bombings.
He said they have aired suspicions that the bombings were initiated by some people in the military but again no one listens to them.
Lingga further said it is already "common knowledge" to Muslim tribes here in Mindanao as to where the firepower of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) comes from.
He said top military officers have long been selling off firearms to the MILF and conniving with other groups like the Abu Sayyaf.
"This (Magdalo) group confirms what we have always been telling the people before...maayo unta nga karon molutaw na gyud unsa ang tinuod (we hope that this time the truth will be given a chance)," Lingga said.
Robinson Montalba, former Catholic priest now a co-convenor of the Justice Not War Coalition (JNWC) in Davao city said the Magdalo group has also "validated" their suspicions on why it is very hard for Mindanao to attain peace.
"We have always known that there are collusions from top military officers with terrorist groups and that they have been supplying firearms to the MILF now this sentiment is coming from within their ranks," he said.
He added that more and more people in Mindanao knows that this wider form of corruption in the military among others is the reason for their island's unstable peace and economic development.
Montalba said they and several other Mindanao groups are now planning the "proper response" relative to the mutiny staged by the Magdalo group.
He said this as they will still have to look into other "factors and forces" that might be behind the Magdalo group.
Bayan Muna regional spokesman Nero Vallar said their group met Sunday night to plan and finalize their rally particularly with the mutiny staged in Makati, Manila.
They said they have to take in consideration that Arroyo declared a state of rebellion nationwide.
"But so far, we will be pushing through with our rally tomorrow (Monday) 8 a.m. at the Provincial Capitol marching towards the Divisoria area," he said.
He added that it will be participated in with hundreds of representatives from Muslim and militant groups.
Vallar said they will be pushing forward causes that are similar to that of the Magdalo group Monday.
(July 28, 2003 issue)
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