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Thursday, July 03, 2003
Mongaya: How not to win hearts and minds
By Anol Mongaya
CIVILIANS caught in the crossfire between members of the New People’s Army and government troops are at the losing end because the military will just insist, no matter what it takes, that they are rebels. This, I believe, was the plight of Noel Batiquin who was killed during an encounter in Carmen, northern Cebu.
Maybe, members of the 78th IB thought that insisting on their position would make them look good to their superiors. But I think the military should realize they will lose the battle for the hearts and minds of the people not only in the affected barangay.
Without even human rights organizations prodding them to do so, residents who knew Batiquin were adamant in saying he was no rebel.
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With the bulk of the government’s military force going after Muslim rebels in Mindanao, the NPA is making good their announcement to launch tactical attacks nationwide. This makes sense from a guerilla point of view, as this creates several weak points in the government’s armor in the rest of the country.
In ordering the military to conduct “optimum” counterattacks against communist-led rebels, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo may be playing into the NPA strategy. The order could translate in the concentration of troops that are not tied up in the war against the Muslim rebels. I am afraid this would further spread government troops thinly in several parts of the country, thus making them vulnerable to further attacks.
Perhaps, a better response is to lessen the number of fronts the government is fighting in by seriously pursuing the peace process with various rebel groups.
During the Ramos administration, then president Fidel Ramos thought he could not wage both a war with the rebel groups in several fronts and still have enough resources and energy to attend to the country’s economy. Thus, the peace initiatives he made with the Moro National Liberation Front and the CPP-NPA.
Unfortunately for Ramos, the Asian economic crisis hit in 1997 and his term was followed by a political disaster called Erap, prompting the Filipino people to launch Edsa 2. Meanwhile, President Arroyo, the so-called “transition president” installed by Edsa 2, thought she could spark economic recovery, win wars against all rebel groups, and prepare for the 2004 election—all in just three years.
Though GMA said late last year that she won’t run, her body language says otherwise. And she believes she can still do wonders with the economy and defeat the rebels with the help of his anti-terrorist ally, US President George W. Bush.
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Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña established a record of sorts by delivering a three-minute state of the city address the other day. Several coffee shop mates believe this is because there are only a few things he can boast of as he enters the last year of this term.
What has he achieved so far? He said video carrera operation is down by over 80 percent, that parents will no longer worry about contributions in public schools, that Globe Telecom, PLDT and Veco now pay franchise taxes, that delivery of basic services has improved and that City Hall successfully handled the threat posed by Sars and PUJ driver strikes.
Perhaps the mayor should look again at the city’s barangays. Video carrera is back with a vengeance. (And why focus only on video carrera, sir? How about masiao?) Also, why did he claim improvement in delivery of basic services when garbage and silt in our antiquated drainage system still led to flooding when the rainy season arrived?
While the mayor pointed out that the salaries of City Hall employees are paid on time, he was silent on the use of part of a multi-billion foreign loan to pay its interest.
Maybe, Mayor Osmeña reserved the implementation of his projects for the last part of his term so Cebuanos won’t forget him come election time. Indeed, he announced several projects during his speech. The mayor obviously possesses good political sense.
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Cebu Customs cash division chief Radi Abarintos, in his interview with Sun.Star Cebu early this week, pointed to a reality at the bureau. The level of corruption dips when bureau men consciously strive to surpass the collection target.
(Send your reactions to Superbalita@sunstar.com.ph or anol_cebu@hotmail.com or text to 09179761193)
(July 3, 2003 issue)
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