It's ridiculous that there are some who criticize our soldiers for acting too hastily, fighting a war when there are ongoing peace talks. The southern campaign is a war that must be fought, and resolved quickly in favor of the Republic. Criticizing the war does not help. Only the full support of the people of the Republic for our fighting forces will help to quickly resolve this war.
Those who say the war jeopardizes the peace process do not understand the situation in Mindanao. They do not understand that there are different groups active in the South each with different approaches and objectives. Most of these groups want peace and development.
They want their fair share of the 7.5% GDP growth, the highest in twenty years, that we, as a nation, have just achieved. They want prosperity like their Muslim brothers in Malaysia, and they know that to have that prosperity, there will have to be a negotiated peace.
The opponents in this campaign are not those with whom we are having peace talks with.
General Esperon has made this very clear, and reports in the field confirm, that he and our fighting men are exercising every precaution to avoid non-combatant casualties.
The war is with the Abu Sayyaf, the radicalized bandit group of less than fifty fighters that has consistently shown total disregard for civilians, foreign tourists, and our soldiers. This is the group that massacred almost an entire town, Christians and Muslims alike, in Zamboanga in 1990. This is the group that raided Dos Palmas, and Sipadan Island in Malaysia.
This is the group that engaged in numerous kidnappings, the proceeds of which were allegedly used to fund the 9-11 attacks in the United States.
They are not well regarded even among fellow muslims. The MNLF and MILF, our partners in the peace process, distance themselves from Abu Sayyaf.
Their only ties are with the equally radical Al-Queda, and their Indonesian counterpart, Jemaah Islamiya, perpetrators of the deadly Bali bombings.
Their ties reveal who they are, these are groups without negotiable issues, instead they are driven by delusions of an apocalyptic future, where peoples of the world: Muslims against the West, Muslims against fellow Muslims, fight each other, and from this anarchy will they emerge victorious to rule the world. Whatever is left of it after their madness.
We wish the military Godspeed in eradicating and capturing these deluded, and dangerous, bandits who have no regard for others, be they Christian or Muslim. They have no place in our Republic.
The MNLF and MILF, on the other hand, are presenting negotiable issues: Autonomy (since granted under the ARMM), muslim ancestral domains, Sharia communities and societies in their homelands, with schools, hospitals, and Sharia civic institutions. These are reasonable, tangible issues that can be negotiated in an environment of peace and prosperity.
Let's hope that the President returns from Malaysia with billions of dollars in pledges for development in Muslim Mindanao. Malaysia manages a large portion of the estimated $800Bln in assets looking for Sharia compliant investments.
There is plenty that aid from fellow Muslims can deliver in terms of building the social infrastructure of underdeveloped Mindanao: Madrasah schools, mass housing, hospitals, roads, irrigation, and communications can be built with investments and technical assistance from our progressive Islamic neighbor.
The war with the Abu Sayyaf has cost our armed forces over fifty brave lives. These soldiers are fellow Filipinos like you and me. They had dreams for themselves and for their families. They've sacrificed their dreams to defend the Republic.
Whenever we hear of tragic news, such as a major typhoon, a landslide, or earthquake, we Filipinos get together and help each other in whatever way we can. These soldiers have families, and children in school. They had dreams for their children, and it is now up to us to fulfill them.
Our brave fighting men deserve no less. When they put themselves at risk to defend the Republic, they should be confident that people of the Republic stand behind them to help fulfill their dreams for their loved ones.
