DISMAYED by his “teka-teka” attitude on the carnage of 19 soldiers in Al-Barka, Basilan, followed by a series of attacks by the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the opposition urged President Aquino to immediately convene the National Security Council (NSC) to “rationally and effectively” address the continued atrocities of the MILF against government forces and civilians.

And if the President is not aware of it, House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman reminded him of Executive Order 115 issued on December 24, 1986 by his mother, the late President Corazon Aquino, reorganizing the NSC, “purposely to formulate and adopt policies, programs and procedures on all matters pertaining to or affecting the national security so that judgments and actions thereon by the President may rest on sound advice and accurate information.”

“The President must not rely on the bungling assessment of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process and the amateurish pronouncements of Presidential spokesmen,” said Lagman in a statement.

The NSC is composed of the President, the Vice President, the secretary of Foreign Affairs, the executive secretary, the secretary of National Defense, the secretary of Justice, the secretary of Labor and Employment, the secretary of the Interior and Local Government, the national security adviser, the chief of staff of the Armed Forces, and such other government officials and private citizens as the President may designate from time to time.

Lagman made the reminder even as he noted that after 16 months in office, Mr. Aquino has yet to convene the NSC despite the occurrences of serious events threatening or involving the national security.

Review peace talks

RELATEDLY, Lakas-Kampi-CMD Rep. Maria Milagros Magsaysay of Zambales said Mr. Aquino should rethink peace talks with the MILF and reassess their sincerity following the series of attacks carried out by the group against government troopers despite the existence of a cease-fire agreement between both camps.

We need proof that the MILF is sincere in wanting peace in Mindanao. If their leadership does not condone the actions committed by their regional commands, then they must surrender these men so that they may face charges for their attacks on the military, said Magsaysay.

“It is high time for the President to reassess whether or not the government could trust the sincerity of the MILF in pursuing the peace accord in Mindanao because it would seem that their actions negate their pact with the government to resolve issues in a peaceful manner. Even before last week was over, there were three more attacks in Zamboanga Sibugay and Lanao del Norte that were clear ambush on the military and police forces. What is the MILF leadership doing about this?” she asked.

Magsaysay said that while the government forces continue to walk on eggs following the President’s public declaration of “dissatisfaction” with the military, members of the Armed Forces and the police continue to lose morale because of the continued losses on their ranks, while some may even feel betrayed that the President does not even care about their plight in the troubled South.

The President must be more sensitive to the situation of the military. The loss of the military is also the loss of the government. By humiliating the military by publicly criticizing their actions, not only did the President show a lack of sympathy for those who have lost their brothers but rather showed the other party that the Commander in Chief could not care less about his own people. This gives them the strength and the guts to commit more atrocities because no matter what they do, the government will take their side because of the peace agreement. We understand that this is a very sensitive issue with a lot hanging in the balance but the government must take care that our side is not left as the only one who cares about peace. It takes two to tango after all,” Magsaysay said.

Expect action—Binay

VICE President Jejomar Binay assured on Monday that the government will go after Moro rebels involved in the ambush of government troops in Zamboanga Sibugay and other parts of Mindanao over the weekend.

“Basta makakasiguro kayo na magkakaroon ng action,” Binay told reporters. “There will be more orders and more action plans taken by the government in light of what has happened. The firefights have increased. These incidents need to be considered. What I can tell you is that there will be lot more action coming from the President.”

He said pursuing peace talks does not mean that government should not pursue those responsible for the ambush in Zamboanga Sibugay, which resulted in the death of soldiers and policemen.

“We have to go after the perpetrators of the Zamboanga Sibugay ambush. In Basilan, the MILF claimed they were attacked but it’s a different case in Zamboanga Sibugay.  It appears that no one entered their area so it looks like an ambush. We must go after those behind it and put them behind bars,” Binay pointed out.

In the same interview, Binay voiced support for President Aquino’s decision to pursue peace talks with the MILF even as he asserted that “a thorough review of the terms of the cease-fire accord is urgently needed.”

“I fully support President Aquino’s stand to find a peaceful solution to our problem in the South. But I believe we need to revisit the cease-fire agreement. There might be a lot of loopholes, that’s why we cannot pinpoint who is at fault,” Binay said.

He explained that it was understandable if soldiers feel demoralized in the wake of the recent clashes in Mindanao. “It is part of Filipino culture that we get hurt when we experience the death of a loved one. With that point of view,
we have to give leeway for emotional reactions.”

(With E. Torres, Z. Solmerin)