Ampatuan Arms Cache Build-up Unearth; Where is Intelligence? Where is justice?

 

The Ampatuans is secretly building up brigades of political army that could have become another threat group added to Abu Sayyaf, MILF or MNLF, aside from other existing criminal elements already operating in Mindanao. This was evidenced by the recent discovery, or re-discovery of the arsenal that was kept secret. If this arsenal could have been left out of sight, there is great possibility that the Ampatuan clan could have been another threat in Mindanao.

 

But, one thing that surprise is that: How does it happened that the Ampatuans were able to gather this large number of arms without the knowledge of the authorities? Was there a presidential authority that would allow the ARMM elected officials to do so? How is it that the intelligence community in the area were not able to discover it, not until this grisly massacre occurred?

 

Who is the big or small white cow(s), horse(s), carabao(s), rhinoceros, or whatever monster we can describe that allowed such build-up happened at the very tip of the nose of our authorities? I’m sure that there were gathered intelligence but it was all classified for security reasons. Or, the authorities in Manila are knowing, but they could not move, because the very source of authority that could thwart such build-up kept mum about it or would not listen to critical advises that our military officers are secretly reporting. Whatever is the reason(s) behind such fiasco is up to the conscience of the people who are supposedly responsible in preventing it to happen.

 

Now, I can only imagine how political power can influence military power. People in civilian authority can overpower people in military authority even to the extent of putting the whole country into a total disintegration. Threats in Mindanao exist because someone up in the ladder of authority totally disregarded it, or even allowed the brutal killings of 57 persons which opened up a Pandora box that smells of the rottenness of the people holding power in Mindanao.

 

Or, this cache of firearms was a preparation for the long desire of our Muslim brothers to get separated from the main stream of the corrupt Manila power and gain independence by force. This is not a way-out scenario that we can draw given these events. Or was there any agreement that settles the score of separatist ideals in cahoots with those in the cudgel of leadership? Whatever it may have been, that’s long a way that our domestic watchdog, the NBI, will have to make up or draw with the help of our faithful intelligence operatives.

 

This is one typical example of gross negligence, or let’s say, intelligence failure on the part of the authorities. We don’t really know the real score of this, but a lot scenarios can be drawn out of this event, such that the ARMM is being utilized to build-up a political force that will push our national government to get off Mindanao. There are a lot of “or” and “either” means that we can make in view.

 

At this point time, the National Bureau of Investigation,  with the help of our National Intelligence Bureau, must be given the big task of tracing up what caused this fiasco. The Department of Justice and its operating arm, the NBI, must be re-armed to the teeth so that even “big cows or holy carabaos” will be indicted in the court of law and be brought to justice.

 

I believe that Congress must take legislative action to make our Department of Justice the last edge of keeping up our justice system a soul of independence that not even a President can make up to obstruct justice. There is a need to professionalize the NBI law enforcers, extensive training and many others; it must instill the very high spirit of decency and integrity that we all desire---the spirit of justice.

 

Long before this part of our historical pages, there were a lot of injustices already felt even at the mainstream of our society. It involves people abusing power; and lots of our law enforcers were just a tiny bits and dashes of these laws that our lawmakers have brilliantly been composed; and NBI should have been the big wave of it. And I think they are not today.

 

I believe that the main law enforcer of this grisly killing must be handled by our National Bureau of Investigation who has all the expertise of uncovering hidden motives behind every wall of political influence. Let us allow them to work independently, just like the FBI of the United States, until such time that justice is served. Whatever happens, the spirit of justice lays upon the political sentiment that our Congress can bring; and in the “Office of the President” to exercise a political will to do it, and do it well.

 

I really believe in our democratic system. Though, a lot of loopholes and entanglements can be observe in every step of the way, one day we will realize that we already achieved a great height of our endeavor of becoming a holy and just society that the world can see and believe.

 

Finally, I should like to say, that justice must be served to the victims of this political abuse. We must not allow that patronage will  influence justice; and instead, allow the course of law hammers at the great anvil of the truest meaning of just and holier Philippine society.

 

I still believe we can. I know this is utopia, but we are drawing into it.