It’s mass control, st*pid!

THAT’S the overriding objective of the order on putting barriers for motorcycle angkas. It’s part of the tri-policy of lockdown and physical distancing, whose overall purpose is to stir mass fear and submission to easily control and monitor movements of people--a specialty of the generals of Duterte in control of national Inter-Agency Task Force and the Department of Interior and Local Government, all veteran of the combat, psy-ops, and intelligence operations versus insurgency and mass movement for decades.

No civilian officials or normal thinking persons, with an unimpaired sense, would allow a couple, sleeping together most of their lives, be divided by a barrier when riding together on a motorcycle despite wearing helmets and facemasks.

Despite its being nonsense, dangerous and added expense for riders, why still impose it? Stir mass fear and submission to easily control people.

No same officials or persons would also disallow people to interact physically or converge in public, provided that they wear their health-protective gears because human relations and interactions are what make human societies dynamic, vibrant and productive.

Even if with restricted interactions due to viral diseases or Covid pandemic, so-called people can be instructed, and that can be enforced with safety precautions and health protocols.

In all disasters and calamities, people always cooperate when called for, no need for use of force and forms of control.

So why still insist? simply obvious--stir mass fear and submission to easily control people.

This in fact explains why despite the hardships and sufferings of the people displaced not by Covid but by government mass control mechanisms, most people are restive yet won’t make defiant actions.

Complaints and grievances are everywhere but nobody would dare defy state security forces for fear of “tokhang” like responses.

Instilling mass fear, invoking the so-called discipline with the threat of violent force, people tend to accept suffering, hold their contempt, thus, making them submissive and easy to control.

The passage of anti-terror law is a perfect weapon to further trample on people’s rights. Anyone can be searched and arrested without warrants, for simple suspicion of being trouble rouser or sower of confusion.

The activists of the old days have this counter exhortation versus mass fear and control--”Kung hindi tayo kikibo, sino ang kikibo? Kung hindi tayo kikilos, sino ang kikilos? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan?!”