Strong moral president

Terrorist atrocity is what the Ampatuan clan members and goons perpetrated three years ago.

But we must not forget that terrorism has been one of the enduring characteristics of our electoral democracy (which is a term we use to differentiate it from an authentic and complete democracy without the need of an adjective). We have had terrorist activities from the very first elections of our Republic after we got back our independence from the United States in 1946. Powerful political clans and groups have been committing terrorist violence against their opponents and the electorate. They have been committing atrocities with impunity.

These powerful clans have persisted for decades because national political parties and alliances need them. And their principles do not preclude embracing political clans that are experts in terrorism.

The President can still make a difference. He can give the order to terminate all these terrorist clans and groups. He will have to do more than claim, as a Palace press release issued yesterday, that his government is actively disbanding private armies.

He has to be the strong moral president our country needs.