No Mas

A year ago, hordes of devils descended upon a group of hapless journalists and old folks. Armed to the teeth, these devils plowed everybody down, castrated some, mutilated women and tried to burn every body they violated. Most of the victims bore not just bullet wounds, but some women even bore stab wounds in their private parts. After the gruesome act, the devils laughed their way to obscurity.


But the True and Living God, just and merciful, heard the cries of the victims and one by one, these devils fell into the hands of the Law. The question is, after a year of trials and hearings, do we expect justice to be meted upon the victims of this heinous crime?


These devils tried to use their contacts with the previous administration. They also tried to downplay the incident. But God truly works in mysterious ways. All but some were arrested and  are now facing trial.


And the stories just got more brutal.


A human rights group revealed several other gruesome crimes allegedly committed by the Ampatuans in Maguindanao. The Ampatuans were so brazen, they were able to hide these crimes for years, without us knowing it. With a new governor in place, several of the Ampatuan's secrets are beginning to unravel.


These are stories of brutality, of plain and sheer banality and of cruelty beyond words. 


This happens when the central government loses control over a territory and when the central government allows its allies full control over the resources, and people, of a particular territory. The Ampatuans, mind you, are not an exemption. Fact is, warlordism exists in every damned parcel of land in these places!


Mindanao is particularly interesting because of the sheer number of people, all claiming to be gods there. In Basilan, several warlords fight for dominion in the island, same goes in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. In several parts of the mainland, we have both Muslim and Christians fighting for the same political territory, abandoned by the Central government. This happens in a very weak state such as ours.


No more, says several human rights groups. But, until pre-Islamic practices exist, until this pseudo-royality system still continues to animate the minds of Muslims, there will never be a time when cruelty against men will cease to continue. 


Pious Muslims should stand up and resist pre-Islamic practices there. There will never be peace in Mindanao if Muslims continue to exercise practices contrary to the teachings of Islam and of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).


Muslims should eradicate people like the Ampatuans who not only besmirched Islam but created so much harm and havoc in Maguindanao that the province continues to suffer hardship due to years of neglect and violence. 

A believer of God is a fighter for Justice

What is the responsibility of every single individual who professes to worship GOD? It is to obey God's commandments. And what is the commandments of God? To love him with all of one's might and with all of one's strength and love other people as well. Who are the people whom a believer must love and support? These are those who are poor, orphaned and widowed. How would one love them? By helping them and casting wickedness and fighting off poverty and the causes of their miseries and afflictions.

In just one paragraph I wrote what God wants us, believers to do--love one another by casting off wickedness and fighting the evil that surrounds us. That is a responsibility which we must not shrink of. For Justice, belongs to God and as believers of God, one must stand up and fight for the Cause of Right.

Be it Christian or Muslim, every believer of the One True God adheres to this. The Cause of Right is the right and most righteous Cause of All. It transcends all causes.

If Manny Villar wants to cure poverty, then, we must support him.

If Noynoy Aquino believes that we should fight off graft and corruption, we must be behind him.

If Richard Gordon wants to transform this country and for it to be great again, then, we must help him.

If Joseph Estrada wants to bring back power to the poorest of the poor, then, his Cause is just and worthy.

If Bro. Eddie Villanueva wants God to be at the center of our government, then, let the true worship of God be our Cause.

And if Gilbert Gibo Teodoro's cause espouses all of these, then, what would prevent us from supporting him with all our might and strength?

Part 2: The Arlyn dela Cruz Kidnapping

In Part two of the interviews, Philippine journalist Arlyn dela Cruz talks about the root causes of the Sulu problem. She explains why people in Jolo continues to defy government forces in their island province.

Arlyn talks from experience, she having covered Sulu since the beginning of the Abu Sayyaf Group or the Al Harakatul Al Islamiyah. Arlyn explains that those Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members are doing propaganda campaigns to highlight the sad plight of the Tausugs, the majority group in Jolo, Sulu.

For centuries, Bangsamoros have been fighting for a separate homeland. Tausugs are part of this Bangsamoro homeland. In the 1970s, a young Tausug professor by the name of Nur Misuari established the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). This force grew and led the anti-Marcos armed rebellion in the South which killed hundreds of thousands of Filipinos. In the 1990s, Misuari entered into negotiations with the Ramos administration. Some parts of Mindanao were turned into the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). ARMM was an experiment in self-government.

Lack of support, scarcity of funds and unfulfilled promises from the national government weakened the ARMM. With the weakening of ARMM, Islamic dissident groups reinvigorated the Bangsamoro movement in Mindanao. A branch from the MNLF broke off and became what is now known as the ASG or the Abu Sayyaf Group (formal name Al Harakatul Al Islamiya or the Bearers of the Sword).

The ASG was founded by an USTADZ, an Islamic scholar named Abdurajak Janjalani, who fought side by side with the Afghans in the Afghan-Russia war. When the Russians were annihilated, Janjalani went back to his native Bangsamoro land and formed the ASG, along with some Muslim engineers and Islamic scholars.

The elder Janjalani was killed by police in Zamboanga, believed to have been betrayed by a Muslim convert, Edwin Angeles (also killed in Zamboanga City). The brother of Janjalani assumed the leadership and led the ASG's most famous hostage capers. He has since been killed by government forces, along with original ASG members such as Commander Robot, Commander Abu Sabaya and others. Only Dr. Abu remains.

ASG has a new emir by the name of Yasser Igasan, a staunch believer of Islam and a very religious man. Igasan is said to have assumed the leadership of the group and made it closer with the regional terror group, Jemaah Islamiyah.

Arlyn dela Cruz saw the birth of the ASG and was there as a close spectator when it grew into what it is now---the most feared, and the most dreaded jihadist group in the entire Asia-Pacific region.

US Marines and How They

A friend just sent this photo. Is this the way the United States want the War on Terror conducted? By running roughshod over another country's religious beliefs and sacred worship sites? US President Barack Obama should review the current military campaign against terrorism. How can the world re-define or re-imagine their view of America if these soldiers are not culturally sensitive about their perceived enemies?

An Appeal to Release the Red Cross Volunteers

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah!

Bismillahi Rahmanir Raheem

It has been months since the Al Harakatul Al Islamiyah or what we popularly know as the Abu Sayyaf Group kidnapped the three Red Cross aid workers in Jolo, Sulu.

There are reports that the military has engaged the ASG members in a gunbattle. An alleged wire report says that newly designated ASG spokesperson Al Bader Parad has been wounded.

I appeal to our Muslim brothers holding these three aid workers, especially to Ustadz Yasser Igasan, the new Amir of the Al Harakatul Al Islamiya to release them immediately.

You are placing innocent lives in danger. If you want to engage the military into open confrontation in the name of the Banner of Islam, then, do so without compunction.

However, not at the expense of these Red Cross aid workers who simply were there in Jolo, Sulu to take care of the welfare of our fellow Muslim brothers and Muslimah.

It does not bode well for the Banner of Islam to be associated with such activities. Better if the Slaves of Allah kidnap combatants; not those involved in humanitarian work.

If any one of you could point to me any Surah in the Noble Qu'ran or even in the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that justifies these, then, let him come forward and say it openly.

The Banner of Islam is pure. It is a struggle against evil. It does not justify any action taken against innocents.