While the whole nation has either been lulled into sleep by an assurance that everything is alright, or distracted by too many diversionary debacles, adversities and vicissitudes, a disguised gift of a mysterious Trojan Horse is being sent to us wrapped in a white linen called "peace process," and delivered by two seemingly harmless women who claim to be our negotiators for peace. If not for "a blessing in disguise" called the Mamasapano tragedy, we would not have realized that there are ''scorpions'' inside that wooden horse from Troy, scorpions which could destroy the integrity of our territory, and undermine our sovereignty.
First of all, this proposed law is a landmark step towards dismemberment of our Republic. It seeks to create a "BANGSA'' within our '' bansa'' or a nation within our nation. It seeks to compromise the indivisibility of our national territory. In the name of their claim for self-determination, the MILF aims at establishing a state of its own, not unlike the so-called state of Palestine, which the United Nations did not allow. President Erap, even if he is derided as clueless on the intricacies of political science, has stated firmly that, as President of the Republic, he took an oath to defend the nation and uphold its sovereignty. The BBL is an act of treason. That is why Homobono Adaza et al charged the President of such high crime.
Second, the BANGSA MORO that is sought to be created will have all the elements of a State: people, territory, government, and sovereignty. Not only that, they would be empowered to expand their defined territorial domain, until perhaps the entire Mindanao will ultimately belong to them, including Palawan, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-tawi, and that portion of Sabah, which is owned by the Sultanate of Sulu. The presence of Malaysia in the peace process, and the attendance of Prime Minister Najib Razak in the signing of the Bangsa Moro framework agreement, was a virtual recognition of yjat '' bangsa'' by a sovereign state.
Third, under the proposed BBL, the Bangsa Moro will have its own police force appointed by its chief minister (a nomenclature almost synonymous to a prime minister). It will have its own COA, COMELEC, and Civil Service Commission. Worse, its form of government will be parliamentary while ours is presidential. In other words, it will have a separate government, distinct and separate from ours. And yet, we are the one that will finance it. When we enter their territory, we are required to "coordinate" But they can enter Manila, Cebu, and any piece of our land freely and without restraint, nor any protocol of coordination.
Lastly, the BBL is just a concoction of the MILF alone. It will not be accepted by the MNLF and the BIFF and the hundreds of other factions in Mindanao. The MILF has not been granted the status of a sole and exclusive bargaining agent of all the Moro people. We were misled into negotiating with a small minority, aided by foreign interventionists. The unkindest cut of all is that we have unwittingly allowed outsiders to be a part of the peace process. The greatest irony is that when Secretary De Kia wanted a copy of the MILF Investigation report, she was, in cavalier fashion, told to get a copy from the Malaysian government.
This Trojan Horse is so deceptive and devious that even our brilliant negotiators were unable to discern its hidden purposes and tactics. It is a source of extra-ordinary mystery that the president was misled into embracing its contents and its long-range objectives. In the words of Erap, you can never trust the MILF or the MNLF. Their ultimate goal is independence. Just as China insists that Taiwan is not a separate state, we should never allow the Bangsa Moro to secede. The UN has sustained that position and insists on the One-China policy. We must also insist on ONE NATION, just like One Cebu. This is non-negotiable. Not even in the name of peace.