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Monday, July 08, 2002
Army occupies camp
By Lino Santos
A news item the other day should put to rest speculations about how the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front will prosper/Reports of Tuesday said that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has ordered the transfer of the 603rd Philippine Army Infantry brigade to Abubakar to dispel speculations that the former camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has been returned to the rebel group.
In a speech during her visit to Camp Abubakar, the President ordered Col. Antonio Romero to facilitate the transfer of his men to the camp.
She said the military camp should be set up right at the heart of Camp Abubakar where elements of the MILF used to train for combat against members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
"Ako ay naparito sa Camp Abubakar, una sa lahat, gaya ng sabi ko, para sabihin kay Col. Romero na permanente na silang matitira dito sa Abubakar (I have come to Camp Abubakar, first of all, to tell Col. Romero that his troops would now be permanently stationed here)," the President said.
She continued, "pangalawa, upang ipakita sa buong Pilipinas at sa buong mundo lalo na iyong mga nagdududa na baka ibalik ang kampo sa mga rebelde ng Camp Abubakar ay buong buong nasa kamay ng Republika ng Pilipinas. (The second goal behind my visit is to show to the whole country and the whole world -particularly those who have expressed suspicion that the camp would be returned to the rebels-that Camp Abubakar is completely in the hands of the Philippine government)," she said.
Some quarters hinted that the initial agreement signed by the government with the MILF allows the return to the hands of the rebels, the control of their former camps which have been taken over by the AFP. The President said the training camp of the MILF now serves as temporary quarters of soldiers and the officers and men of the AFP's engineering brigade who are undertaking infrastructure development projects.
However, she assured that the old residents of Camp Abubakar may remain in the area, as she stressed that it would be transformed into a civilian-military camp for development.
"Bagong anyo ng peace and development zone, in other words (in other words, we'd be seeing a new kind of peace and development zone here in Camp Abubakar)," the President said.
The military camp that will be established at Abubakar will be at the Brigade level. This means that unlike company, platoon or battalion sized encampment, it will not be easy to relocate soldiers there and accommodate the demands of rebel groups.
Our local officials should concern themselves with matters within their level.
For example, the rebel threat to the city remains in place. We even have recognized rebel leaders in town who abuse the hospitality of the people to threaten them. Aside from these verbal threats, we do not know if these leaders are planning disastrous events for us all here.
We remember that in the case of the Cabatangan incident, the people here were innocent that terrorists up in the hills were planning some happy events for the people downhill.
And if our officials are not vigilant, that Cabatangan complex will be occupied anew by rebel groups.
Rebels can dare do what they want in this city, because we have cowards left and right here. Wars are not won by words but by deeds.
In the case of Cabatangan, we are wasting time trying to argue with the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao over the sale of the property. Suppose ARMM will not sell?
What can the city do?
Just clap our hands and coo and coo? |
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