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Monday, April 14, 2003
Editorial: More than a pesky fishbone
THE declaration by President Arroyo of a "State of Lawless Violence" in Davao City last April 2 hours after the explosion of a bomb at the Sasa wharf passenger terminal which killed 22 and injured 55 people is like a fishbone stuck in the collective throats of Dabawenyos.
Along with the annoying, pricking pain is the feeling that the most momentous decision in life at the moment is to find the fastest way to rid oneself of that pesky fishbone.
When Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes tried to assure Dabawenyos that the "declaration" would not mean a "dramatic increase in the deployment of military personnel at the moment", little did the locals realize that by "moment" the defense secretary meant just that because, in less time than one could say "Hello Saddam, goodbye," an augmentation force of about a thousand soldiers materialized in our midst practically overnight. Not that right-thinking Dabawenyos aren't glad to have them around. It was the fanfare that accompanied their arrival.
Not a few Dabawenyos, especially those in the business and tourism sectors, were shocked by the President's declaration of a State of Lawless Violence. To many locals, the decision was precipitate to say the least, coming, as it did like a knee-jerk reaction to the March 4 and April 2 bombing incidents.
Even local officialdom was caught by surprise - with their pants down, so to speak. Malacaņang had not consulted them and other sectors of Davao's civil society, which would have paved the way for a consensus on the need, or not of such a declaration.
To Dabawenyos, the declaration was the surest way to give the wrong signal to potential investors and tourists which could have been avoided had City Hall, the police and the military simply and discreetly placed the city under a state of heightened alert as not to unduly alarm people in this country and outside of it who have been contemplating to invest in, or visit, our city.
The words "lawless" amd "violence" are enough to scare the living daylights out of any law-abiding person. The words can only mean danger, evoke images of mayhem and abnormal times, which are hazardous to life, limb and property.
The controversial declaration is uncalled for, unnecessary and superfluous given the fact that normalcy has quickly returned to Davao City, thanks to the courage, resilience and resourcefulness of the Dabawenyos.
President Gloria owes it to Dabawenyos to recall immediately her ill-advised declaration of a state of lawless violence. There are other areas in Mindanao with more lawlessness and more violence than Davao City.
And that is a fact.
(April 14, 2003 issue)
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