Starting off on a wrong foot

THE SNAFU created by the appointment (or non-appointment, dependent on whose view) of some individuals to the newly-constituted Bangsamoro Transition Authority is something more than meets the eye. There were reports that some individuals, who were first named to the body, were eventually taken out of the list as they were reportedly going to be replaced by those with political backers. The reports said there were no problems with the nominations of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, but the government has fumbled in naming those it wanted to be part of the authority as there were those who were jockeying for position. The mess even led Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr., based on the report of news agency MindaNews, to announce that his office would apologize to those who were included but were eventually booted out. It has yet to be known whether the apology is just a lip service or whether it will carry weight and rectify whatever errors that have been created by the seeming failure on the part of the government in adhering to its obligation of identifying individuals who should become part of ensuring that the new Bangsamoro entity will become better than the previous one. Unless the government is able to rectify the errors, there is a very high chance that the new entity will never become a better one. Politics is a deadly animal; it usually kills a good goal.