Buluan vice mayor Toto Mangundadatu successfully filed his Certificate of Candidacy for the gubernatorial post in Sharif Aguak Maguindanao. This came a few days after the massacre which led to the killing of his wife and 61 others (latest update on the Maguindanao massacre: 62 people killed). Accompanied by former defense secretary and now presidentiable, Gilbert Teodoro, Mangundadatu says the filing is just one small step towards the liberation of the Maguindanaoans. " This is freedom day" says Mangundadatu.
It probably was freedom day, since the Central Government has decided to place the entire ARMM under the DILG and the government is slowly dismantling the Ampatuan evil regime.
If you look at it though, it was probably "freedom day" for the Mangundadatus, but NOT the Maguindanaoans. The Mangundadatus can claim "freedom" because the government is doing what they failed to do---dismantle and neutralize their political enemy.
What would happen in Maguindanao is true to the rest of Mindanao should a peace pact is signed---the transfer of power from a non-Muslim hegemon to a Muslim warlord.
If Mangundadatu wins, it will just be a transfer of power from a warlord to another warlord. And that is not the solution to the Mindanao problem. For the people of Maguindanao will still be enslaved by powers controlled by the Central Government.
The only time that the Bangsamoros can really claim "freedom" is the day they, the Bangsamoro People, defeat these warlord clans, put them all in jail and establish an Independent Democratic State. If the Bangsamoros create their own Bangsamoro Islamic Liberation Army and pacify these areas controlled by armed and lawless elements, then, that would surely be Freedom Day.
I have one advice to our fellow Muslim brothers and sisters in Bangsamoro land---turn towards Allah SWT. Allah will give you peace. Struggle under Allah SWT's banner.
The Maguindanao Massacre on November 23, 2009 is an erruption of an all-time severe infection in our nations's integrity in the aspect of implementation of laws. But mind you, Maguindanao is only a kiddie in terms of lawlessness if you compare it with Marawi City. It is in these places where big-time Philippine military gun-runners can easily find user-end buyers. It is in these places where counterfeit official documents are being manufactured (i.e. election returns, Philippine monetary currency, American monetary currency, copyrighted discs, etc.). The gangsters and terrorists in these places are being untouched (soft word of "protected") by the only institution in this nation who have monopoly over national peace and order. - JOHN PETALCORIN, GM REIBS.com
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