Terrorism allows no time for debates

Philippine viewers recently saw on National Geographic Channel a sort of recap documentary about the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States, in which close to 3,000 people of different nationalities perished.

Of course, the casualty figure cannot encompass the full import of what happened. Even now, and even to non-Americans, that terrorist attack remains incomprehensible. Indeed, we may never fully grasp what it is that drives some people to blow themselves up just to take others with them.

It is not clear if the showing of the 9/11 documentary was deliberately timed or not. Maybe it is just that the normal conduct of life in this day and age will have to consider terrorism and terrorist acts as part of everyday living.

For at about the same time that the documentary was being shown, three men - an Indonesian and two Filipinos - have just been sentenced to death for one of the worst terrorist acts ever carried out on Philippine soil, the so-called Valentine's Day Bombing.

Elsewhere, people with links to terrorism, some with direct participation in consummated terrorist acts, were either being brought to trial, were being heard, or were being judged, making it appear that terrorism has secured a well-entrenched breathing space in our lives.

In the Philippines, President Arroyo is trying to push more aggressively the passage of an anti-terrorism bill, which, among others, is meant to give her greater powers, a situation that can work either way for her.

For one, there is no argument that the Philippines needs a stronger mechanism to fight the global menace of terrorism. The Philippines, after all, is one of the identified potential targets of some future terrorist attack.

And even if it is not on the immediate horizon of an impending attack, the country has a security situation that leaves so much to be desired. Even if we forget the high technology aspects of the fight, there is still a crying need to update and upgrade our security preparations.

Aside from President Arroyo, the security forces themselves are declaring a high state of alert just in case home-grown terrorists like the Abu Sayyaf and the uncomfortably situation Moro Islamic Liberation Front suddenly get itchy on their fingers.

Of particular concern to the security forces is the recent sentencing of the three Valentine's Day bombers, a development that is likely to fire up the fundamentalism passions of Muslim militants.

Authorities fear Muslim militants may decide to push the envelope and stage spontaneous acts of retaliation, a situation that is very possible given the approach of the holidays in merry-making crazy Philippines.

On the other hand, security initiatives, whether by way of legislation or of law enforcement prerogative, can backfire on the administration of President Arroyo, whose leadership is being assailed at almost every turn.

Any ramping up of security initiatives is certain, rightly or wrongly, to be assailed as part of some sinister initiative by the government to both clamp down on dissent and protect the hold of the president on power.

Even if the need is great to step up security, its heightening will always prove to be fodder for the opposition rumor mill, which has been very effective in whipping up concern even if, on the other hand, the desired aim has yet to be successfully attained.

The best way for the Philippines to go, however, is still to step up security, whether or not there is some ulterior motive on the part of President Arroyo to protect her own self. Terrorism is an act of treachery. We just cannot afford to be caught debating on its merits.