The horrors of the Jan. 25 encounter between elite police commandos and elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) did not end with the gruesome death of nearly 50 policemen. In an instant, the incident has clouded the prospects of the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in Congress, and the challenge is now on government to prove its commitment to peace and social reform initiatives for Mindanao, while ensuring that justice for the dead will be swiftly dispensed.
To be sure, the bloody event has affected the attitude of Congress toward the proposed law, and this is best shown by the suspension of public hearings on the BBL by Sen. Bongbong Marcos, as well as by Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Jayvee Ejercito’s withdrawal from sponsorship of the bill. Fortunately, other members of the Senate believe otherwise, saying that this latest act of violence should inspire, not discourage, legislative efforts to ensure peace and justice long sought in Mindanao.
Senate President Franklin Drilon said that the incident must not stand in the way of efforts to bring lasting and genuine peace and development in Mindanao and called for a comprehensive probe into the tragedy. Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the Senate committee on public order, has vowed to conduct an investigation on the matter. Sen. Miriam Santiago, who has been actively involved in the debates on the BBL’s constitutionality, said that legislative inaction “will be counterproductive,” and that “the hearings should continue with even more vigor.”
The statements of Drilon, Santiago and Poe are welcome amid the understandable outrage over the atrocity, and the disaffection of many with the ongoing peace process. Those behind the Jan. 25 massacre should face justice, and all parties must be made accountable for their actions. However, this should not come at the cost of the peace process—the very thing that can help end the cycle of violence and injustice that inflame insurgencies in this nation. We can only hope that Congress—and the Philippine government as a whole—will do the right thing, and uphold the cause of peace and democracy, which is greater than any act of barbarity.
—ORLY JAVIER MANOLO,
orlyjaviermanolo@gmail.com