Justifying the support of Gloria Arroyo for the postponement of the August 11 elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said it is necessary to ”give the opportunity to peace efforts that are being undertaken by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front that struck a breakthrough last week on the contentious issue of ancestral domain.”
I try to follow closely developments in Muslim Mindanao but I feel that there are many things I fully do not understand. Like, I don’t see the connection between the postponement of the ARMM elections and the resumption of the GRP-MILF talks as soon as the Memorandum of Agreement,which the two parties are finalizing in Kuala Lumpur now, is done.
I asked Fr. Eliseo Mercado of the Oblates of the Mary Immaculate, whom I consider an expert in Muslim Mindanao, about it. Formerly president of Notre Dame University, Fr. Mercado was involved in the GRP-Moro National Liberation Front peace process a floorleader in the Consultative Assembly of the Southern Philippines Council on Peace and Development. He was named by Aroyo as chair of the government panel in the peace talks last year but he declined. He is chairman of the advisory board of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance.
On my being unable to see the connection between the postponement of the ARMM elections and the GRP-MILF talks according Dureza’s spin, Fr. Mercado replied, “You and I are in the same boat! I cannot see any connection between the two. They are two distinct and separate trajectories. One is the obligation by RA 9054 (ARMM law); and the other by a request or condition of the MILF as GMA’s goodwill and bonus for the soon-to-be-signed MOA.”
But, Fr. Mercado said, “Everybody knows that she has NO goodwill.Confidence building in the peace process must not NOT be based on setting aside a structure for something that is still aforming.
“Cuidate for the motives that are invisible.It will do well for everybody to see first the document, read and analyze it, see the prospects of peace before making any drastic move.
“I believe that the peace process belongs to the next administration that will have a huge social capital, political will and wherewithals. GMA should pay attention for her graceful exit rather than something insidious that the cabals around her have been planning,”he said.
I had to search in the internet and asked a friend for the meaning of “cuidate”. A Spanish word, it means “take care, be on guard, beware.”
Adel Tamano, spokesman of the United Opposition has seen through the “invisible motives” of the postponement of the ARMM elections. He said it is actually “the first step in a grand scheme to amend the Constitution.”
Actually former AFP Chief of Staff Hermogenes Esperon who has been recyled as presidential adviser on peace process has said the agreement with the MILF will require charter change. There is a part in the ancestral domain MOA that states “provisions… requiring amendments to the existing legal framework shall only be executory on the signing of a final peace agreement and upon effecting the necessary changes to the legal framework.”
Tamano said, “As a Filipino Muslim, I am personally and deeply offended by the use of the peace process as a tool and a cover for maintaining this administration’s hold on power. Filipinos, both Muslim and Christian, will see through this and will oppose this underhanded scheme to amend the constitution,” Tamano said.
I asked Fr. Mercado that. His reply: “There is a big fear that GMA may use the Mindanao Peace Process as the new platform to change the Constitution. The priority in any change in the Constitution is, of course, her continuance in power. All others are secondary matters and issues.”
Fr. Mercado does not see the rush for the signing the MOA which the major stakeholders and Mindanawans still have to see and read. He raised some questions:” Why the sudden push when she has been dribbling that process for the last seven years? “
He said what are needed are social capital, political will, and wherewithals. “ GMA lacks the three ingredients to carry through any peace process any where,” he said.
Fr. Mercado said “The rush indicates only one thing: a platform for a constitutional change.Cuidate!”
When former AFP Chief of Staff Esperon, the most unpopular and incompetent AFP Chief of Staff the country ever had, was appointed as Head of the Mindanao Peace Process, many already expected something would happen in Mindanao. And indeed the suspicion was right; GMA wanted to postpone the ARMM election.
Most Senators oppose the postponement including her allies. What I find it quite surprising is Tito Guingona who agrees with the Evil Bitch.
Asspweron was made peace negotiator in Mindanao for nothing. It’s there where another move to Chacha will start. Kayang-kaya nila at ginagawa lang nilang laruan ang Mindanao.
“Cuidate” for Gloria’s invisible motives. Ay! I-kaput na lang iyang si Gloria!
Ciudate: new word added sa ating vocabulary..Sa Tagalog.. Ingat! Sa Bisaya Andam!
Bantayan talaga ang bawat kilos niya..GMA will do everything in her power to stay in power. Seguro takot na siya sa mangyayari sa kanya..in 2010…Trillanes case is in the open sa international court..si Harry Roque ay naka bantay na at nasa magandang upuan..tiriring Miriam is pawala na..siraulo is very quiet..something to watch!
sorry mali ang spelling…cuidate:
I was wondering why she put the guy to head the peace process as nobody wants to make peace with him – not even his bunkmate…hindi pala peace ang habol…hehehe
Esperon’s goal is perpetuation of Gloria Arroyo in power thinking that with that they can live happily ever after.
Yehaaaaa!!!Gloria and her Ass forever and ever beyond 2010!
Cuidate indeed…She has a very good batting average of getting what she wants, making obviously wrong things appear right – legally speaking, to a point that I wonder if she can even get away with murder if whe wants. If there is no evidence and no witnesses, even if someone goes missing you can go to the highest court in the land and if you’re not careful you’d think that the victim never existed to begin with…
Naku chi. ‘Yan. ‘Yan ang epekto ng papungay-pungay na titigan habang nagsusubuan ng sipit ng lobster sa boodle fight! Naapektuhan na ni medusa si engot kaya naman heto nagpapantasya sa sipit-sipitan ng bulilit, naykupo!
Totoo kaya ang sabi sa ABS may tulog daw si Ampatuan kay Isnaji dahil na-underdog ang huli kaya gustong ipa-postpone ang ARMM election? Si De Castro ang makakasagot niyan.
Chi,
Hindi si Ass ang nakita kong katabi ni Garutay. Iyong nag-alok ng half a million pesos kay JLo ang nakita ko. Mukhang on pa rin ang balita kaya kuntodo pa-sexy si Garutay hindi naman bagay kasi unano nga.
At the forum by the FSGO (Former Senior Government Officials) at De La Salle this morning, Lito Banayo, former head of the Philippine Tourism Authority and now Malaya columnist, said Arroyo using the peace process as a means to extend her stay in power is disturbing.
But in a way it’s good because this could be the tipping point. She would be alienating those who say that she is bad and corrupt but let her finish her term until 2010.
The people who are disgruntled with her now will become angry. They will say, hinahayaan ka na nga hanggang 2010, gusto mo pa lampas pa. Sobra ka na.
Ay naku, sana nga ganun ang reaksyon ng mga tao.
Naku chi. ‘Yan. ‘Yan ang epekto ng papungay-pungay na titigan habang nagsusubuan ng sipit ng lobster sa boodle fight! Naapektuhan na ni medusa si engot kaya naman heto nagpapantasya sa sipit-sipitan ng bulilit, naykupo! – Tongue
Hahaha! At pinasisipit-sipit naman siya ni bulilit para maging lalong ulol.
I agree, Ellen. May “tipping point” ang lahat.
KWIDAW!!!
It is already a given that Gloria Esperon will find every available trick and means to hoodwink the Filipino people.Gloria Esperon will surely be successful in their scheming ways because the people has already forgotten how to “act” on their “dissatisfaction”.
Gloria is used and addicted to getting anything she wants and with so much ease so unless the people do a “cuidate” and become active again and join in mass actions she will soon be the unelected president for life of all Filipinos.
Gloria and her “think tank” (probably extremely well paid) knows all too well the Filipino psyche, as long as they keep us “off balance” or preoccupied with our daily struggles to survive, to feed our families, to constantly battle to make ends meet, exist on a day-to-day basis – she is free to maneuver her machinery. She’s an economist, so is her tuta Recto, and apparently very good at it, for as long as they can keep the Filipinos’ heads just slightly above water (sometimes sinking below), its easy for them to throw a lifeline and appear heroic…Any semblance of anarchy, economic crash, political instability, etc. will actually be good for them…but then again, we’re lucky some people can still make sense of whats been going on, inspite of our struggles, we are still aware of the real situation. Who says the government cannot influence our standard of living? Taxation can be a very effective tool for controlling wealth, or even impoverishing a people.
Guys,
To her credit, she is good at it – screwing our little puckered holes inside out and offers loose change hoping to hear us say “thank you”. I don’t blame people who voluntarily fall victim to that. What bothers me is when people who have the means to stop it, allow it.
Someone ought to give it to her. Whether 5.56 or 7.62 or a full 9.
What bothers me is when people who have the means to stop it, allow it. – Tongue
Ayaw kasing maputol ang palaylay at kuyakoy!