Saturday, August 09, 2008 Barrita: Peace By Eddie O. Barrita Small Bites
THE Supreme Court has stopped the National Government from signing the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
That agreement would have ceded and carved out a part of Philippine territory for a Bangamoro Juridical Entity.
Its purpose is peace but however you look at it, it's nothing but surrender.
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The Bangsamoro Juridical Entity will have its own constitution, foreign affairs and trade departments and security forces.
It would be a state within a state.
I wonder whether it will jumpstart federalism in the country or signal the beginning of the divided states of the Philippines.
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Peace has been elusive in Mindanao, the country's food basket.
The establishment of a Bangsamoro Juridical Entity is just another attempt to gain lasting peace in Mindanao where a secessionist rebellion cost over a hundred thousand lives.
While the move appears to appease our brother Muslims, it might not be acceptable to the Christian majority in Mindanao who already took to the streets in protest.
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For peace to reign in Mindanao, any action concerning our brother Muslims must be acceptable to all, according to Sen. Mar Roxas.
Our peace negotiators might have bitten more than they could chew.
Clearly, the MOA-AD cannot be granted without amending the Constitution.
I'm afraid it will only cause disappointment among Muslims and fan the embers of hatred among Christians.
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The Philippines' quest for a gold medal in the Olympics started with the opening of the games yesterday in Beijing, China.
A gold medal is now worth P15 million, yes, its equal weight in gold.
Whoever said winning isn't everything didn't know the pot of gold.
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Two Sulpicio Lines vessels have been cleared to set sail again.
But Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the public should not rely on either the Marina or the shipping company.
“Stay home until the weather clears because the risk is much, much higher, if the weather is bad. Do not rely on the Marina, do not rely on Sulpicio,” Osmeña said.
