Explosions everywhere

In a span of two weeks all kinds of explosions  literally and figuratively 

shook the country starting with the carnap-slaying of Emerson Lozano and Venson Evangelista, the murder of Palawan broadcaster Gerardo Ortega, the bombing of a passenger bus in EDSA that killed five people and wounded 13 others followed by another bus bombing in Buluan, Maguindanao, and now the highly-explosive revelations at the Senate hearings on the Garcia plunder case.

With one American fatality, US FBI agents are looking at terrorism as the most probable angle in the EDSA passenger bus bombing, with the same modus operandi and the improvised explosive device used bearing strong similarities to the 2005 Valentine’s Day bombings where passenger buses exploded one after the other in Makati, General Santos City and Davao City as if in sync  all of them believed to be the handiwork of Abu Sayyaf terrorists. These rogues have no regard for the sanctity of human life and are ruthless, as seen in the bombing of a chapel located inside a police camp in Jolo, Sulu during a Christmas Day mass in December last year.

Now we can see why we should not be easily offended when countries like the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia issue travel advisories for their citizens. After all, these advisories, if properly digested, are based on credible intelligence information. Lives were senselessly lost in the EDSA bus tragedy, shattering the hopes and dreams of young people who only wanted to look for a job and make a living. Omar Patek, an international terrorist high on the list of the Central Intelligence Agency, is suspected to be behind the bombing. 

Aside from the “shock and awe” caused by the EDSA bus explosion (evident in the way people are packing the MRT and LRT like sardines because of their fear of buses), the country is also being rocked by disturbing news that high-ranking officials in the Philippine National Police, the LTO and other government agencies are allegedly working in cahoots with carnapping syndicates. The other day, reports came out alleging that LTO chief Virgie Torres was involved in the falsification of car registration papers. A PNP official who used to be the Region 3 commander of the Highway Patrol Group was also tagged as the protector of the Dominguez brothers, suspects in the brutal murder of car trader Venson Evangelista. Talk among car dealers is that carjacking syndicates connive with LTO officials in registering “hot” vehicles, while corrupt policemen serve as their protectors and “industrial partners.” 

But the biggest explosion yet came from the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing last Thursday with the bombshell coming from former Army Lt. Col. George Rabusa who claimed that fo rmer Defense chief Angie Reyes received P50 million “send-off money” when he retired as AFP chief in 2001, personally delivered by Rabusa and then-military comptroller Gen. Jacinto Ligot. Reyes also allegedly received a “discretionary fund” of P5 million a month during his stint as Defense Secretary or P100 million in 20 months.

There’s been a lot of talk about Rabusa’s revelations for a long time but no one expected it to come this soon. The ultimate revenge came from both senators Antonio Trillanes and Jinggoy Estrada. Trillanes spent seven years in jail for taking part in the 2003 Oakwood Mutiny where soldiers denounced the alleged corruption in the military while Jinggoy spent time in jail with his father when they were both charged with plunder after then-AFP Chief of Staff Angie Reyes turned against former president Joseph Estrada in EDSA Dos. Now both Estrada and Trillanes are senators, with the shoe on the other foot as they both repeatedly rebuffed  and even lectured  Angie Reyes. 

This Senate hearing and the revelations that took place have literally shaken the Armed Forces with a lot of potential explosions that soldiers may be preparing for yet another round of destabilization moves. Exposés such as this will not serve any purpose if it is left hanging and is not brought to a successful conclusion.

On the other hand, law enforcement agents are hampered by so many things from effectively carrying out their jobs. Aside from the lack of funding and equipment, they do have to contend with bleeding heart groups who seem to think that only criminals are entitled to human rights, criticizing attempts to strengthen laws against criminality as an infringement of civil liberties. But of what use are civil liberties if people live in constant fear and can’t even enjoy a “walk in the park?” 

Terrorism and criminality are realities that everyone must face today. The world has changed radically since 9-11 and the Philippines has already reached the 100 million population mark with close to 35 percent living below the poverty line. This country is vulnerable now more than ever with terrorism, corruption and criminality because of the plague of P’s  poverty, population and too much politics. There are some suggested solutions to address terrorist activities like having pre-paid sim cards registered to make it easier to trace the owners of cellphones used as detonating devices. Government should also think of ways to make GPS technology more accessible to car owners to make it more difficult for carnap gangs to operate.

Aside from terrorist bombings, explosions like the one seen in Thursday’s Senate hearing can be potentially lethal because already we hear of a growing discontent brewing among enlisted soldiers and other sectors of society  perhaps similar to what we have seen in the past. There is no question  these types of explosions must be given priority solutions.

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