Editorial unfair, ‘rotten dough’ not MNLF’s fare

The Oct. 12, 2013 editorial of the Inquirer (“Plenty to answer for”) showed bias and prejudice. It appears that true to our suspicion, the Inquirer is a self-anointed mouthpiece of the government.

The editorial contradicts itself: It accuses MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) chair Nur Misuari of being once again “up to his old bellicose tricks” (in reference to the “Zamboanga siege”) but then admits that the professor was acquitted of the November 2011 rebellion charges. In other words, he was judged innocent of the charges and found not guilty. Why then ascribe the “bellicose” action to him?

No impartial and unbiased institution has ever established whose fault the Zamboanga standoff was. On Sept. 30, 2013, the Inquirer quoted Abnasser Ladja: “Tell the government to stop this drama. All of us here are suffering.” Ladja unequivocally asserted that it was the military who burned their houses. Also, Bishop Oscar Cruz said: “Needless to say, no diversionary tactic really worked. In fact, not even the big Zamboanga debacle and calamity diverted the attention of the general public from the pork barrel corrupt and corrupting institution.”

The Inquirer’s Sept. 21 issue cited the report of Brad Adams of the New York-based Human Right Watch, narrating human rights violations and the use of torture (e.g., using cellophane to cover heads of arrested persons) by the Philippine government.

Interviewed on ANC TV, Commissioner Jose Mamawag of the Commission on Human Rights stated that aside from the alleged use of human shields, the MNLF has not violated human rights. Instead, he accused the Philippine government of committing human rights abuses by firing in the direction of hostages. Video footage showed that the government used overwhelming force to subdue the MNLF without regard to the presence of civilians, even using tanks, helicopters and planes.

As to the alleged payoff, the MNLF will never touch money from corrupt politicians. Professor Misuari was not disgruntled with the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro. The MNLF has standing agreements with the government and these were not implemented. The MNLF is only asserting the primacy of these agreements.

Aminah Rasul reported on the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM): “It can be concluded therefore that ARMM regional government had increased mandates, limited fund, as well as heavy dependence on national government—characteristics that do not bode well for development in the area.”

The ARMM experience was designed by the government to fail. It will be so unfair to blame Professor Misuari for its failure.

Why were these facts never presented by the editorial? It is clear that the word “balanced” in the masthead of the Inquirer is but an illusion.

—V. EMMANUEL C. FONTANILLA,

legal counsel/spokesman,

MNLF for Mindanao,

3rd Floor, Gonzales Building,
Pioneer Avenue, General Santos City