As I See It
High court should vacate Meralco decision
By Neal Cruz
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:25:00 08/22/2008
MANILA, Philippines—They’re at it again. Now that government troops are chasing the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels to their lairs, the bleeding hearts are again calling for a ceasefire and peace talks. Even MILF chairperson Al Haj Murad is calling for peace talks—this, after his followers killed scores of civilians and soldiers, looted and burned their homes, and sent thousands of families fleeing for their lives. The attacks, he said, were not sanctioned by the MILF, and he wants to be the one to mete out punishment to the attackers. Yes indeed. He probably would issue a press release chastising Commanders Bravo and Kato and then give them medals for a job well done.
We’ve gone through this many times before. After the rebels launched their raids and the military struck back and the rebels were on the run, there were calls for a ceasefire, and while peace talks were going on, the rebels regrouped their forces, stockpiled arms and ammunition and planned their next attacks. Then when they didn’t get what they wanted, they attacked again, like what they did last week in the provinces of Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, Sarangani and Basilan. Then the MILF said the attackers were “lost commands” and called for a ceasefire and a new round of peace talks.
Right on schedule, it’s happening again. Haven’t we seen through this ploy yet?
Sure, it’s good to be on the side of peace, but can’t you see that the MILF rebels are not for peace? There will be peace only if the Christians give them everything they want, like the whole of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan. If not, it is war!
Former president Joseph Estrada is right: Enough of talk, crush the MILF and the Abu Sayyaf. Estrada almost had the MILF crushed. Government troops had captured the MILF camps, including the biggest one, Camp Abubakar, when he was deposed by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who then gave Camp Abubakar back and resurrected the rebels. Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) leader Nur Misuari was almost forgotten in some foreign country when President Corazon Aquino, after deposing Ferdinand Marcos, sent for him, took him back home and thus revived the MNLF and the Moro rebellion.
The MILF also took advantage of the good heart of President Fidel V. Ramos. While soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were constructing irrigation canals for Camp Abubakar on orders of Ramos, the MILF converted the canals into bunkers and used these in attacking the soldiers. When are we going to learn?
Even Misuari, chairperson of the MNLF that started it all, is puzzled. He said he couldn’t understand why the government negotiated with the MILF when it already has a final peace accord with the MNLF signed in Tripoli in 1996. “The MNLF is the official representative of the Bangsamoro people in the Organization of the Islamic Conference,” he said. As a result of that Tripoli Agreement, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was born. The ARMM is self-governing with its own territory and elected Muslim officials (it just held its last elections), exactly what the MILF wants except that it wants a bigger territory that includes Christian communities and more powers not allowed by the Constitution.
The MILF was a breakaway faction of the MNLF. After the peace agreement with the MNLF, the MILF launched its own rebellion, also had peace talks with the Philippine government and almost had its own territory and government. After the MILF gets them, maybe the faction of Commanders Bravo and Kato will launch their own rebellion and demand their own territory. After them will come the Abu Sayyaf and other bandit groups.
There is already a similar semi-autonomous region for Cordillera tribes. Maybe they will demand a bigger territory, too. After them will come the Ilocanos, then the Cebuanos, the Ilonggos and the Warays and the Kapampangans. There will be no end to it until the Philippines is nothing but a cluster of small fiefdoms just like Europe in the Middle Ages. When will we stop all this foolishness?
* * *
The longer the investigation into the Court of Appeals scandal unravels, the more dirt comes out and the reputation and credibility of the CA, the next highest court of the land, drop lower and the people’s faith in the justice system is dealt another blow. Also, it is becoming more evident that the decision on the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) case was not the result of an objective weighing of the evidence and a mature deliberation of the facts. Even the more stodgy members of the Supreme Court should see that that decision penned by Justice Vicente Roxas should be vacated and new hearings conducted by a new set of justices so that a more credible decision can be promulgated.
For what is coming out of the hearings are like the creatures that flew out of Pandora’s box. Unfolding before the public is the grim reality of how ethics in public office has hit rock bottom. As if the blunders of the executive and legislative departments are not enough, more chilling allegations of anomalies committed by our honorable judicial magistrates are being exposed. Today it is Justices Jose Sabio and Roxas who are in the glare of the spotlight. Who knows who will be in their places in the future?
Let’s look at Sabio now and then at Roxas in the next column. To say that there was nothing illegal or improper in Presidential Commission on Good Government Chairperson Camilo Sabio calling his brother, Justice Sabio, to influence his decision on the Meralco case is disturbing. It is even more disturbing that Justice Sabio did not find anything wrong with this either. But by Justice Sabio’s own admission, his brother is criminally liable for trying to influence and attempting to interfere with the judicial process of no less than the second-highest court of the land.
(To be continued)
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