Ombion: Military-led military-civilian junta?

UNFOLDING or already in operation?

Never in the history of our country, not even during the Marcos martial rule, that major positions in the Cabinet and key departments are occupied by retired military and police generals and officers.

I don't question their educational and training skills. But these trained warriors have their bias on security and defense matters, counter insurgency, and not on good governance as DILG would have it done in accordance with the law that created it, and the Local Government Code.

President Rodrigo Duterte claimed that his reason for his preference for military and police officers are their loyalty to their commander-in-chief, and their no-nonsense toughness and straightforwardness in dealing with issues of law enforcement and national security concerns. But whether it's President Duterte's decision or the maneuver pressure from his top American boys or Amboys Defense chief Lorenzana and National Security adviser Esperon -- is already a water under the bridge so to speak.

The fact is, the entire executive branch and the huge force under it, are now under the effective direction and guidance of these warriors. The creation of the Presidential National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac) guided by the "whole of nation approach" to armed conflict, which involved a cluster of government agencies, and the LGUs from the national to local levels, have sharpened the anti-communist, anti-insurgency bias of the military and police institutions.

The AFP-designed Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) platform being used by DILG is even more specific because it sets clearly defined targets per municipality and city, and mobilizes different line agencies including the civil society organizations (CSOs) and other civil stakeholders on the ground to engage in anti-insurgency campaigns through socioeconomic support to barangays under the AFP's priority targets for de-mobilization.

On the other hand, the apparent silence of the legislative and judiciary branches on the anti-insurgency thrust of the President and its executive body, the AFP and PNP community, is quite telling.

It is also deafening the silence of the legislative branch on the increased budget of the defense and security, for anti-insurgency operations, the billions pouring into the AFP's modernization program, the increased intelligence budget of the Office of the President, the quick approval of appointments of military generals by the Commission on Appointment, among others.

It is even more chilling that nobody from the House and the Senate, respond and give actions or hearings to continued extra judicial killings, massive demonization and red-tagging followed by attacks on left activists, progressive lawyers, workers on strikes, and critics of the administration, west Philippine sea territorial disputes, continued plunder of our natural resources and last frontiers, and countless other basic social problems.

Why do the military and police don't run after the most vicious, ravenous and brutal businesses and big landowners and foreign multinational corporations who continue to plunder our resources, and exploit and oppress our workers, farmers, indigenous peoples, women and children?

Why do the civilian bureaucracy couldn't care less for the victims of military and police brutalities and killings?

Is this not what some top sources disclosed discreetly that there is a modus vivendi between the civilian officials and the military-police leadership, not to question each other's turf, and just let each one perform their so-called usual duties and functions?

Are they both benefiting from this condition that they have to ignore each other's wrong doings?

My bigger questions are: Are all this the chief handiwork of President Duterte who after all is not a socialist president as he self-proclaimed himself since the 2016 campaign period, but a rabid anti-people coached in the image of a benevolent brother and brutal disciplinarian guardian?

Or are all this the results of President Duterte's efforts to manage powers in a way that do not antagonize the military and police institutions, the chief source of all power grab attempts in this country, and prevent the deepening of conflicts between the police and the CIDG and PDEA, the police and the military, while pleasing the officials and politicians of the civilian bureaucracy?

Well, whatever it is that characterize our present political order, civilian military junta or not, there are three things I am sure of defining. One, Duterte seems to be the balancing point that keeps many things from going the worse or the better. The question however is what if he is gone? Will the balance tip to the worse scenario?

Two, the Amboy military generals and officers are apparently the only force that can unify the military institutions and the civilian bureaucracy because they are armed, and they know exactly what control of state power means to them and their US godfather.

And three, not the least, the capacity of the citizens, the presence of more organized and active political movements within and outside the parliament, and the relatively stronger, well spread and seasoned armed insurgents - should not be underestimated because they could converge anytime by some unifying issues, and rise to the occasion to prevent another bloodbath and fascist rule.

Still I am a bit sad that Filipinos have to go through this painful process again and again in the name of genuine national freedom and democracy.

But maybe this is what national life is all about - of all of us continuously building and solidifying the foundations until our nation could stand on its legs and withstand bigger and wilder tests of times.

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