The Road to Peace, a Piecemeal?

By Erick San Juan

MILF REBELS

After pacifying the netizens of the cyberworld (for the meantime) due to the temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court on the Cybercrime Law (R.A. 10175), the PNoy administration has ‘pacified’ the warring factions in the south through its so-called Bangsamoro Framework Agreement. But for how long?

As what Ninez Cacho-Olivares of the Daily Tribune wrote “So why should this piece of paper be hailed to high heavens by foreign governments and the yellow propagandists of Noynoy or even by the MILF, especially when there have been many previous peace agreements with specified terms and conditions from the time of President Ferdinand Marcos, to Presidents Cory Aquino, Fidel Ramos and Gloria Arroyo, all of which failed to bring about peace?”

A very good question that PNoy and the people in his loop should consider seriously now that certain sectors were not pacified with this agreement. What else is new with this ‘framework’ anyway? Framework is the skeleton and the unknown annex is the meat. What could be politically right, could be legally wrong. Even Dick Pascual of Philippine Star twitted that we can’t fix a broken system by breaking it more. He added that the agreement is only between Malacanang and the MILF.ARMM was created by our congress through RA 6734 based on our constitution. It can’t be abolished by mere executive order. Some say it is somehow related to Gloria Arroyo’s MOA-AD (BJE) that was ruled by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional back then.

After the propaganda hype has died down and the agreement was signed, sealed and delivered to the parties concerned, what’s next?

WIIFM

A lot has already been written and so many comments went around through the internet and text messaging, the bottom line here is the good old question by the main players – WIIFM, translation, what’s in it for me?

The elusive road to peace is not as straight as the ‘daang matuwid’ of PNoy, the receiving end, the Bangsamoro political entity through the MILF will tread the long and winding road to peace until 2016 (or thereabouts) because the ‘framework agreement’ says so. The week-long (since its announcement) jubilation culminated at the signing in Malacanang is only the beginning. And the major players will not just wait and see until it becomes a law without us benefiting from it.

Lest we forget that there will be elections next year here and in Malaysia. Thus, it is a good copy for more ‘pogi points’ so to speak to win an election.

Another important reminder, the different analysis from various analysts and respected writers like former Senator Rene Espina and Erik Espina of Manila Bulletin, Jemy Gatdula of Businessworld, etc. have pointed out the flaws and crucial points that the ‘framers and fixers’ of the Framework Agreement had (deliberately?) overlooked that might be essential in the coming deliberation process. Which in due time will encounter difficulties and make the whole undertaking painfully longer than expected. And will not be under PNoy’s term? What a masterpiece. Who said that PNoy is dumb? Just asking.

Ferdie Pasion, an activist blogger said that, Kosovo and East Timor right after attaining sub-state status, declared independence with the international community immediately giving them recognition. With this in mind, as for the time being, the present leadership assured everybody happy after the ‘historical event’ and the road to peace (even by piecemeal) has taken a step forward. But two steps backward… When it comes to peace in the Asia-Pacific region.

As the euphoria escalates among the Muslim world, the US troops has also intensified its presence in the country. Alongside with the ongoing PHIBLEX that will end on October 18, there is the ongoing military buildup in Subic. It is just like “painting in the west (peace) and possible fighting in the east” scenario in the offing.

As I have written in my past articles, the role of the Philippines in Uncle Sam’s pivot to the Asia-Pacific region is very vital. As far back as the time when Halford Mackinder’s Eurasian heartland’s map was drawn, our country has an important role in their plan to encircle China (or some geostrategists will say ‘containment of China’). Sadly, the present leadership seems to be unaffected by the recent developments and some pundits branded the PNoy administration and his key officials to be witting tools for the global elite’s plan to be implemented here.

As I keep on repeating for the nth time, the program is on, the drive for a global war through a regional conflict can be delayed but it cannot be stopped. We are witnessing a world repeating a bad part in human history, in order to save a dying economy, the world will need to start a war. Because of stupidity amongst war freaks, for them – war is imminent. And if we will tag along with such stupidity, we will all be part of a mutually assured destruction. And the world will destruct by piecemeal.