The MILF Blinks

Written on Friday, August 8th, 2008 at 5:06 am | by Ding G. Gagelonia

Breaking reports on the on-line editions of the Philippine Daily Inquirer are now reporting the Moro Islamic Liberation Front will “reposition” it forces out of 9 disputed villaages in North Cotabato ahead of the 10:00 am deadline declared by government yesterday.

Speaking evasively, Gadzali Jaafar, the MILF Political affairs chief the move was “”simply to implement their own earlier resolution last August 2 to reposition forces.”

So Jaafar is trying to save face, lamely making it appear this is not in resaponse to the threat of police action by government forces, all 3 battalions, which were mobilized yesterday on orders of Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno, with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro beside him.

So the tensions are expected to ease up on the North Cotabato frontline while “the issues is investigated by the two sides’ ceasefire committee.”

Let’s do hope so as the issue of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity remains at the core of the current crisis.

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About The Author: Ding G. Gagelonia is a journalist of some 30 years, having worked in both radio and TV news and public affairs since his teens. Ding Gagelonia now writes independently and does corporate communications consulting. He has two kids, Felice and Luis. His journalist blog is at midfield.wordpress.com

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21 Responses to “The MILF Blinks”

  1. the jester-in-exile on August 8th, 2008 5:30 am

    i’m inclined to think that that’s nothing more than wordplay on the part of the MILF.

  2. Ding G. Gagelonia on August 8th, 2008 5:48 am

    Yes, Jester, it’s total forked-tongue word play.:) “Reposition” now and sow terror another day.

  3. Nick on August 8th, 2008 6:23 am

    Call it whatever, they won’t be there come 10am, that was the intended result.

    We’re getting too used to such actions by The MILF, they should not even be able to make such actions in the first place. What they provide is instability in their own region.

  4. cocoy on August 8th, 2008 6:34 am

    agree with jester. agree with ding. agree with nick.

  5. the jester-in-exile on August 8th, 2008 7:53 am

    on my blog i have a theory why nick may be right, especially if the instability is created deliberately.

  6. J on August 8th, 2008 10:43 am

    Why don’t we just crush this MILF?

  7. TonGuE-tWisTeD on August 8th, 2008 11:36 am

    Ding: “Yes, Jester, it’s total forked-tongue word play.:) “Reposition” now and sow terror another day.”

    So is the term “self-determination”. Tomorrow it may also mean “independence”.

    And as you were asking in Nick’s entry why MILF and other secessionists don’t call themselves “Filipinos”, it’s their obsession with misleading, loaded, and divisive semantics that causes this large distrust by an overwhelming majority of Filipinos (oops). Their claim that Moroland was never annexed by Spaniards which named the rest of the archipelago after their king Felipe, hence they are not “Filipinos” which word is generally recognized as referring to “the brown people residing in that Far Eastern 7,100-island archipelago”. Recognized by the whole planet, in fact, except by these Moro warriors.

  8. Jeg on August 8th, 2008 12:08 pm

    Not to condone those MILF creatures, but pray tell, what is wrong with self-determination? What is wrong with independence?

    If they want to secede, fine with me. Sit down and talk about it. Convince the people of Mindanao that it is best, then secede from the north. This can still end with a win-win. I dont understand the hostility to the idea of independence per se. To the methods employed to achieve it perhaps, but not to idea of self-determination for the Moros and others who may want to join them.

  9. J on August 8th, 2008 12:37 pm

    jeg: independene is okay if the Moros there, along with the Christians settlers, want it. But I don’t think they do.

    We should not assume that the MILF represents the Moro people.

  10. benign0 on August 8th, 2008 12:43 pm

    I think it’s still being a limpdick to be in any kind of “discussion” with bandits, much less “honouring” anything promised or agreed with them whether they be ceasefires or any such bullshit.

    As J said in a comment in another post:

    I see no logic in negotiating with the MILF after we have made a deal with MNLF. So what if another rebel group pops out after this deal, will we negotiate with it and make a deal too?

    A retreat or a blink on their part is a sign of a weakness and a sign that the time is right to go for the jugular.

    We either step up to that and raise the stakes or forego this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and go back to being the limpdick chickenshit nation that we are — with a bunch of bandits camped in our backyard thumbing their noses at us.

  11. DJB Rizalist on August 8th, 2008 12:47 pm

    “REPOSITION” is an admission that they were illegally in position to begin with. Expect the MILF to foment violence to bring on a failure of election, which is a major monkey wrench in the timetable to 2010. The ARMM elections must not fail

  12. Jeg on August 8th, 2008 12:53 pm

    But I don’t think they do.

    J, you mean the Christians, right? MLQ3 points to this post by Rufus Rodriguez. There are Christian secessionists too. There is a history in Mindanao of peaceful cooperation between Christians and Muslims.

    Yes the MILF only represents the MILF and the government knows it. I dont know what the government’s game is. Some have surmised it is part of Arroyo’s plan to remain in power, but we’ll see. It may also be that Arroyo is just playing a part in a grander scheme.

    Or it could be that the government is just stupid.

  13. Jeg on August 8th, 2008 12:57 pm

    Benny, Bencard has expressed willingness to be a geriatric Rambo in a war with the south if given the chance. Are you willing to do the same.

    Pfsh! Internet macho types. It’s easy to display your cyberballs when it’s not your ass on the line.

  14. benign0 on August 8th, 2008 1:13 pm

    Expect the MILF to foment violence to bring on a failure of election, which is a major monkey wrench in the timetable to 2010,

    Which is why they should not be allowed to walk away from this whole thing in one piece.

    There are certain enemies that just simply shouldn’t be allowed to survive even in a severely weakened state. No matter how little is left of them, they will come back to bite in some new shape or form.

    It’s kind of like why what amounts to an overkill of antibiotics needs to be prescribed everytime we need to fight even the smallest bacterial infection. It’s because a single surviving bacterium WILL come back to infect with a vengeance, and with a newly acquired resistance to the original drug.

    It’s one thing to have a limp dick, but what is really laughable is if it gets bitten off as well.

  15. benign0 on August 8th, 2008 1:36 pm

    Benny, Bencard has expressed willingness to be a geriatric Rambo in a war with the south if given the chance. Are you willing to do the same.

    Dude, let’s say I am not willing to (because obviously i have voted with my feet years ago). Does that little fact change the quality of the point I make?

    The Philippines has a VOLUNTEER army. They put their hand up to fight if and when ordered to. I suggest you direct your question to those who have chosen that career.

  16. Jeg on August 8th, 2008 1:57 pm

    Dude, let’s say I am not willing to (because obviously i have voted with my feet years ago). Does that little fact change the quality of the point I make?

    Fair enough benny. The quality of the point you make? You mean your comparison of human beings to bacteria? No benny. It doesnt diminish the quality of the point youre making one bit.

    The Philippines has a VOLUNTEER army.

    Yes. It’s a tragedy that theyre used as anti-biotics. If only their commanders-in-chief since this whole thing started had the moral decency to at least ASK Congress for permission. As it is, the deaths of Filipino soldiers fall solely on their hands.

  17. Jeg on August 8th, 2008 1:59 pm

    Note: Im not blaming Gloria for the whole mess. She just inherited it after decades of mis-handling. When she got to Malakanyang, the Mindanoans were already armed to the teeth.

  18. cvj on August 8th, 2008 4:10 pm

    Internet Macho does have a good ring to it, and in that department, mukhang walang tatalo kay Bencard.

  19. J on August 8th, 2008 8:33 pm

    I have to agree with benign0 on this. Indeed, the MILF don’t represent the people of Mindanao, which rejected them in three previous plebiscites. The MILF has been obstructing the ARMM. It is the MILF that created the problem there in the first place. Why do we need to strike a deal with a group whose goal is contrary to the principles of our nation? Especially after we have already made great concessions previously to another rebel group?

    The MILF should disarm voluntarily. Or the full might of the Armed Forces of the Philippines should disarm them forcefully. They should swear allegiance to the Philippine flag. Then we talk about their grievances.

    If they refuse to do so, then let’s stop talking and start bombing.

  20. Bencard on August 8th, 2008 8:47 pm

    cvj, jeg, how can i be an “internet macho”. i don’t even know how to make a face, or a link, or a bold quote, unless i ask my son or daughter for help (which i decided not to bother them about). lol. i surrender to the i.t. specialist.

  21. Bencard on August 8th, 2008 11:29 pm

    jeg @ 12:08 pm, “…what is wrong with self-determination? what is wrong with independence?”

    self-determination and independence can only be achieved by the will of at least the majority of the entire citizenry, not by some small, rag-tag band of rebels who have not proven their “right” to it, at least, in the old-fashioned way - complete victory in an “all-out” war for that purpose. until then, such rebels will remain just a band of brigands, amenable to the penal laws of the land.

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