"assalamualaykum", a Muslim greeting wishing someone "peace" As a Mindanaoan, I have heard news of killing from here to there from time to time, yet the magnitude of the killings done in broad daylight as what occurred last Monday, 23th of November, three days prior to “thanksgiving day” is beyond my understanding. I am quite aware of clan wars and the reason why they happen but when women and people from the media is hurt and worse, killed in the process, my comprehension fails me. Muslim tradition, as written in all news accounts do not touch women in “rido”as they are treated like innocent children. Moreover, the presence of media supposedly neutralizes a hot situation but apparently, it did not. Nobody was spared in the convoy of 57 people on their way to file Ampatuan’s supposed challenger’s candidacy as governor in Maguindanao. I am quite familiar with the Davao City-Cotabato City route, and I did not sense any harm especially when travelling on daytime not many summers back.
Reading the news accounts on Tuesday morning has both appalled and horrified me. All throughout the whole country, people from all sectors of society are talking about the Maguindanao incident. Some argues that it is politically motivated, which may be the most apparent reason for committing such barbaric act but the root of it all is, without a doubt, the lust for power. In the succeeding days, I would proceed to the newstands to get my own copy of the major daily newspapers to find out how is it going after the very sad incident. Sad to note, the news had been covered in international papers and television channels, with updates in the net. And this occurred few days after pouring accolades on another triumph of Manny Pacquiao in the boxing arena and of Efren Penaflorida as the CNN Hero of the Year for his pushcart education advocacy. What a sad contrast.
The past few days I am lost for words. I cannot put into words the indignation and horror that I felt not necessarily because I am a Mindanaoan, a citizen of my country the Philippines but most importantly as a human being for such grave crime against humanity. Clearly, the civil, political and human rights of these people were violated, in this modern day and age . Looking at the list of the fatalities makes someone feel sick. The victims of such cruel acts that I heard of, in my lifetime are harmless women(a couple reportedly pregnant), lawyers and a parent of a female lawyer, large number from the media, and the supposedly target of the attack, the Mangudadatu’s kin. What is more sickening is the report that even those who just happened to pass by during that time were reportedly shot- all killed in broad daylight. And at this time, from yesterday’s forty six(46)the number has reached fifty seven(57). This is a huge number considering the time frame and the circumstances of such killings.
The United Nations has expressed their outrage as well as the European Union and the British and Australian governments. One of the reports notes that such killings has made this country worst than Iraq for journalists. It makes me feel sick looking at the photos flashed on my TV screen and reading about the news accounts. I do not know anyone among the dead personally but I can feel the pain as if I am a friend or a family member, pretty much like what other people all over the world feels for the victims and their families.
A lot has been written about how the clan suspected to carrying out such carnage has been very close to the current Administration and how, like majority, doubts about implementing the so called “rule of law” that they kept on saying during media interviews. I have some fears that this incident could escalate to further killings increasing the statistics from both sides or sadly even those who may unfortunately pass by. I am appalled by how the executive branch of the Philippine government is treating the “suspects”. Imagine a senior peace adviser from Malacanang going to the suspect’s residence to encourage him to surrender instead of being invited by the police for questioning. And when he finally “surrendered” the peace adviser, looked like his legal counsel and the justice secretary sounding like his defense lawyer. The “surrender” occurred few days after and not surprisingly, the suspect got a VIP treatment whether the current administration tries their best efforts in denying it and the " suspect"was not handcuffed, in contrast to the journalists caught in between the renegade and government troops in that memourable Manila Peninsula Hotel siege.
Yet I cannot stop wondering how the victims’ families are coping with their sudden loss as a result of this act of savagery. And as I join the community of those expressing outrage about such carnage and at the same time sympathising with the survivors of the victims and seeking justice for the fifty seven(57) who died as a result of this monsterous act, I kept on wondering- when will the other suspects surrender or at least be arrested for such brutal killings?
Not many years back, I did an essay on failed state for my "Global Politics" course in Political Science Down Under. I looked at certain countries as case studies and as I remember the points that I took in arguing why a "failed state" should be called as such, I fear that the Philippines is in the brink of such state.
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