Terror Threat in RP, What Else is New?

Terror Threat in RP, What Else is New?
By Erick San Juan


From Wikileaks to Maplecroft to FTI-International Risk to travel (terror) alert
advisory from different countries, the list seems to be growing as the perceived
secessionists and bandits in the south persisted in the midst of the US troops
in their “virtual military bases” there. Thanks to the Visiting Forces
Agreement!


So, what else is new? As if the lives of our fellowmen in the south has gone any
better with the presence of the American troops when we speak of peace and
order.


Why do we still have the secessionists and bandits? And why the persistent
“brand” of the south as the training ground for the world’s mythically famous
al-Qaeda and Jemaah Islamiyah?


Added to this are the people within the supposed loop of responsible agents who
take care of our national security, who are the ones creating fear among our
citizenry, by adding fuel to the fire on the terrorism myth and placing the
perceived threat in the limelight. So we hear such reactions from our neighbors
and supposed “allies” in the process.

We are glad that the palace through Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda,
corrected the FTI-International Risk (a security consultancy) report that the
Philippines is lagging behind its neighbors, such as Thailand and Indonesia, in
containing the terror threats.

"We disagree that we have overtaken Indonesia or Southern Thailand. Remember
that our pool of recruits is a lot smaller than that of Indonesia," he said,
adding that the government "monitors all threats, whether in the south or in the
city. But again, it is not as grave as it has been assessed."

The Philippine government is waging war against different armed groups such as
the Abu Sayyaf, the left-wing New People's Army and the secessionist Moro
Islamic Liberation Front.


But the government should not be contented in just releasing press (praise)
statements, they should be coupled with action – that is what this country
needs. Enough with rhetorics and deceits. Lets call spade a spade. Once and for
all, PNoy’s administration should decide on the fate of the Visiting Forces
Agreement (VFA). Why? because it’s the paradox of so many years past since the
Americans set foot on our soil. They are here and so is the threat of terrorism.
That is a big B.S. !

As an observer and analyst of events unfolding in our country, the terror threat
is just the tip of the iceberg, what I fear most (and a number of Filipinos who
understand the real situation) is the balkanization of Mindanao and eventually
the "salami"-zation of the Philippines. Meaning, gradually subdividing our
nation state into different protectorate units like what happened in
Yugoslavia. If this terror myth will persist and so is the presence of Uncle
Sam’s troops in the south, we are really heading for a big trouble and the
mutually assured destruction (MAD) of the republic is not far behind.

Every Filipino should be vigilant and specially cautious for the possible
confluence of events in this land. We must remind this administration that if
the president is really for the common good, now is the time to decide – are we
really getting what is due us from this so called “treaty”?

God help us especially the present leadership of PNoy!