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Opinion

Unholy alliance?

THAT DOES IT - Korina Sanchez -

The MILF has threatened war in case the government does not make good its promise to return to the peace talks. Ebrahim Murad, chair of the MILF, has even gone as far as mentioning the number of weapons they have amassed over time, which is 60,000.

A military boo-boo, or a frog trying to make itself look a lot bigger than it is if you ask me. But what's disconcerting is his claim that some, if not most of the arms in their arsenal came from military sources.

Talk has always been rife of an unholy alliance between the rebels and the military. A tacit agreement between the two warring parties to perpetuate the conflict as it provides "opportunities". The statement regarding the source of the weapons of the MILF may be the beginning of the end of that agreement.

Indeed, the conflict has gone on for decades, even when the AFP vastly outnumbers and outguns its adversary. War, as it turns out, could be very good for business indeed.

And proof of this was provided with the discovery of thousands of guns and ammunition buried within the Ampatuan properties, that still bore their origin - the Department of Defense.

Since it is highly unlikely that the military would bury these weapons, we can safely assume that they were either given to the Ampatuans, or sold to them, with the latter being the most likely scenario.

Days after the seemingly endless discoveries of arms caches in Maguindanao, the AFP vowed through its spokesperson that they would get to the bottom of this. It's been months since those days, and we have yet to hear anything even resembling an investigation into the matter.

 Is it because a "big fish" on the side of the military is involved in the sale of guns to the enemy? Is it because an arms cartel exists in the South, much like a drug lord who constantly supplies the contraband on the streets?

Whatever the truth may be, this administration should not be threatened by anyone, much less the MILF. A band of terrorists, who have resorted to criminal activities in the guise of freedom fighting.

The MILF would do well not to threaten this country. If there is any truth that they have indeed attained their weapons from the military, then they are shooting themselves in the foot. Perhaps they should aim higher, so we can all have peace.

vuukle comment

AMPATUAN

AMPATUANS

ARMS

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

EBRAHIM MURAD

EVEN

MAGUINDANAO

MILF

MILITARY

WEAPONS

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