No illusion of peace

President Rodrigo Duterte has unilaterally declared the cessation of the peace negotiations between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). The flimsy reason he gave is the series of tactical offensives launched by the New People’s Army (NPA) in the countryside.

In the absence of a formal ceasefire agreement, it’s business as usual. Government forces continued to launch military operations killing a number of NPAs while the latter continued to launch tactical offensives killing police and military personnel. So, what’s the fuss? In this business of civil conflict, everyone is fair game.

It’s a pity that this unilateral declaration came in the heels of the crucial stage of the peace process wherein the bone of contention of rebellion which is the social and economic reforms are being ironed out painstakingly by both peace negotiating panels. Also, the negotiators are in the process of forging a formal ceasefire agreement that will temporarily still the guns from both sides.

Duterte has shown his true colors thus exposing his pro-people and pro-poor stance as a mere camouflage to hide the truth of his being a puppet of the ruling elite. He may be a leftist by heart but he cannot antagonize the rightist elements within this government without facing the threat of being booted out of power. He may antagonize the US government will all his breath but at the end of the day his survival depends on US support.

Even in the beginning of the Duterte regime, I harbor no iota of illusion that a just and lasting peace will be realized under the present dispensation. Duterte is only a pawn in the game and a puppet on a string being pulled by those masters of war hiding inside the Pentagon. So, what else is new?--

On fire incidents

I have noticed that every time fire hits a certain area, it burns a whole bunch of houses and so many people get displaced. Were these houses given a building permit?

This problem can be solved if government officials do their jobs correctly. If a building permit is issued, did the concerned government inspector check if the setbacks and fire lanes are correct? Or are these people giving permits just to collect money?

And if these structures had no permit, who allowed them to build them?--

A warning?

There seems to be a message sent by authorities in the killing of the Parojinogs and their people in Ozamiz City, and this is that if a narco-politician does not change, then he will die?

Or won’t he? It seems like even if you repent you could still get killed. Didn’t the late Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa repent? He was killed anyway.--