Let there be peace

It’s woefully disturbing that from news reports of scattered clashes between the AFP and the Abu Sayyafs and/or Muslim rebels, against the AFP and the PNP as well as the so-called dwindling NPA forces, it’s the government forces always at the worst receiving end.

 One guerrilla warfare employed by Muslim secessionists against the AFP is the ambuscades of government forces riding on military trucks. With trucks or even tanks being blown by landmines or roadside bombs, the AFP elements are easy prey. Trained guerrillas as they are, the rebels fade into jungle cover often unscathed.

 The casualties are definitely on the government side, although the military or the police issue post-battle SOP that their enemies also sustained fatalities and injuries “as shown by bloodstains left in their trail.” Many do not believe this at all, but merely shrug their shoulders to such SOP as a means to revive the sagging morale of the troops.

 Of latest vintage is that lopsided clash between the Marines and the Abu Sayyaf led by one-armed bandit Radulan Sahiron somewhere in the jungle fastness of Patikul, Sulu, as the Marines were about to surprise the Abu Sayyaf in their camp. It turned out that the Marine maneuver had been detected by the rebels. Seven marines were killed and 21 wounded. Of the seven, two were cruelly beheaded. Feeling the anger over such inhumanity, President Noynoy Aquino openly vowed to retaliate in kind to the Muslim perpetrators.

 For curiosity, how were the Marines brought to the particular area in Patikul? Was it by 6 x 6 trucks up to or already near the Abu Sayyaf encampment? Remember the military maxim that even jungles and trees have eyes and ears. Anyway, that the Abu Sayyaf encampment had been already in positions or vantage points even before the Marines could start the attack, only betrays that their planned attack had been breached of its secrecy.

  Now, if Washington has offered $1 M for the head of Sahiron, and $5 M for Ismilan Hapilon and Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marvan now hiding in Sulu, could not the US military launch its pilotless “drones” that they’re using in Afghanistan to take out enemy leaders? At this stage, both the Philippine and the US military could have up-dated aerial maps of the topography of Muslim hideouts in Mindanao, Basilan, and Sulu. To eliminate once and for all Abu Sayyaf bombings, kidnappings, ambuscades and a litany of crimes, one strategy is to take out their leaders.

 But the grim reality is that the AFP and PNP are inexorably gradually sapped or reduced in numbers in guerrilla type clashes of hit-and-run, ambuscades of military/police patrols, raids of military or PNP outposts, assassinations. One wonders if company unit buglers who blow the taps for every soldier or policeman who dies in line of duty, could sustain the stressful or nerve-wracking duty.

 “Giut-ot sa hinay-hinay ang atong kasundalohan ug kapolisan,” except the generals and higher-grade echelons. In fact, it’s about yearly that recruitments for replacements for the dead and the retirees are being made… There’s a joke going on among ignoramus NPAs and Muslims that it has taken very long for the government troops to surrender in order to have peace.

 Seriously, the main onus for peace nationwide is resolution of the dragging conflicts with the Muslims and the NPAs. The right step is to pursue the long-delayed rapport with the MILF led by Al-Haj Murad Ibrahim. The Tokyo meeting of Pres. Noynoy Aquino with Atty. Marvic Leonen and Murad and company, may hopefully usher in settlement with the MILF. Hopefully as well, the Philippine panel is not giving away any territory in absolute cession.

Perhaps, the MNLF and the NPA could later be persuaded to follow suit. At least with the MILF and the MNLF no longer on war footing with the government, as well as the NPA, the government could be more effective in its war with the Abu Sayyaf, the bandits, the gun-for-hire and robbery syndicates, and other criminals.