MERGED: MILF-GRP Peace Process, Related Issues and Developments

[PaYaSo]

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not again! nklusot or gipalusot?

[KlaytoN]

Abdusalam and several of his men reportedly slipped through the cordon of the government forces with the troops seizing two .50 caliber machine guns at the encampment.

--- 2 .50 cal mao na ni part sa 5m gihatag?

We don't know. You ask the MILF.

In the real world scenario, sa battlefield there is no such thing as "cordon" in the physical sense. A "military cordon" or the "cordon and search" tactic is only useful when we're dealing with small areas less than 1 hectare in size. For much bigger areas like the one of Abdusalam which is the size of several barangays, what the scout rangers trying to do is to "seal off all possible exit points" of the enemy. Considering that the rebels know more of the terrain than the rangers, the possibility of escape is almost with certainty. Yes they can run, but they can never hide forever..

[gareb]

Mindanaoans, journalists urged to boycott national media

MATI CITY -- Several Mindanao-based journalists are requesting their colleagues in southern Philippines to temporarily halt sending stories to national publications and broadcasting networks that are publishing stories calling for an all-out war declaration in the region.

In a statement circulating through social networking sites and text messages, concerned Mindanao-based journalists also urged all Mindanaoans to boycott corporate media for its "irresponsible and blood-thirsty reportage on Mindanao."

...On his Facebook account, Froilan Gallardo, a journalist from Mindanao, posted: "Panawagan lang ni sa mga (Calling all) Mindanao-based journalists who want a sober coverage of this current madness in Mindanao. Can't we make a stand against our colleagues from Manila whose news agenda clearly promotes an environment of war. Puwede kaya tayo mag sign nang petition or something (Can we sign a petition). After all, Mindanao is our home and surely it will be our families and friends who will be affected. Not theirs. They can go back to the comforts of their lives in Manila after covering the war here while we face the sad reality."

[gareb]

MEDIA GOES TO WAR
Ed Lingao

(excerpts; click on the link above to view whole article.)

I think I have spent enough time in the field to know that the anger of footsoldiers is quite understandable, although sometimes misdirected. The same goes for the frustration they feel after suffering casualties.

However, what I cannot understand is how media screws it up every time. Every time. Is it a problem of ignorance, or arrogance? Or is it simple laziness?

1. this morning, one newspaper used the word slaughter in its lead to describe the death of the 19 troops. talk about loaded words. the troops were not lined up and shot. the firefight lasted more than ten hours. ten hours. this is not the only example. time and again, we would come across the word 'massacre' to describe what happened in Basilan. again, loaded words. we are agitating further those already agitated by using words in the wrong context. why? perhaps because they are sexier? BTW, I read the inquirer.

2.Last night, some marvelous commentators decided to talk about the five million pesos that PNoy gave to the MILF for leadership training. Now, that issue is explosive enough when viewed under present circumstances. The two commentators however chose to lay it out some more. One said, baka naman kinaltas yang 5 million sa budget ng PNP at binigay sa MILF. Or, horror of horrors, baka kinuha sa budget ng AFP? the speculation, ridiculous as it was, came out of nowhere and was basically unsubstantiated, yet it was said on the air. lay on the malice first, and then habulin nalang ang disclaimer - is that how it goes?

3. I understand how some troops want a war to finish everything. That is gut instinct after losing so many men. But the decision is not theirs, so the responsibility for enlightening the public and the body politic falls on us. yet we have just proven plain stupid, uneducated, and unenlightened. So many commentators are agitating for all-out war, as if they had ever stepped onto a battlefield.

Is our anger driven by the supposed treachery of the rebels? Perhaps. Things are so muddled up there, that both the rebels and the army cannot get their story straight. But you can also look at it this way - the army went into Al-Barka, a community of MILF and ASG rebels, and so the fighting started. It looks fine and dandy on the map, especially when you see a neat dot that says ATS. But in reality, there really is no frontline there, no delineation or line on the ground that says, this is where the ATS begins. Quite simply, they live there with their families, not on that dot, but all over that dot. So was it an ambush? perhaps, perhaps not. If you are pinned down because the enemy happens to LIVE all around you, then perhaps it could seem like so. Jim Libiran got into an argument here with someone who tried to overanalyze the fighting there. The other guy insisted that it was a well-laid trap because the MILF supposedly did a pincer maneuver. So much for the armchair generals.

Ahh, so maybe our anger is magnified by the number of casualties that the government suffered. And yes, we should be outraged by the number of dead. But who do we blame then, for the high number of dead soldiers? Think about it. In battle, do you expect your enemy to say, tama na, marami na tayong napatay, atras na tayo? In other words, should we blame the enemy for fighting hard, and then let our commanders off the hook even after they let our troops down? In other countries, a full-blown investigation followed by a general court martial would be in order.

I propose, for our safety and sanity, that everyone now agitating for immediate all-out war be equipped with the latest gadgetry and weapons, and airdropped into Al-Barka so they can live out their deepest fantasies in the mud and coconut trees of Al-Barka. The mediamen can bring all their alalays and their makeup kits if they wish. After all, we all want to look good doing our stand-ups, don't we? Oh and they can bring their writers too, since many of them can't write sensibly even if their lives depended on it. Don't bother to bring your expensive cellphones and blackberries; walang signal dun. Don't bring your IPads, especially if you intend to stay for several days; walang kuryente dun para mag charge. ang angry birds dun, ibang klaseng bomba ang iniitsa. Bring sunblock, bring bug spray. Bring hairspray na rin.

Oh before I forget, let Erap take the lead too. In fact, he is welcome to dress up again in his army uniform so he can prance around the hills of Al-Barka while the rebels nip at his heels and show him what it really means to be a tough guy.

[PaYaSo]

yeah sometime we have to filter out wrong publicity to this mess. it only encourage anger that could lead to war and multiple deaths.

sometimes writers tend to over sensationalize their reports just to sell their article w/o thinking what impact it does to the population inside and outside mindanao.

[KlaytoN]

UTAK WALANG BAYAG

versus

UTAK PULBURA


Choose your destiny...

[gareb]

yeah sometime we have to filter out wrong publicity to this mess. it only encourage anger that could lead to war and multiple deaths.

sometimes writers tend to over sensationalize their reports just to sell their article w/o thinking what impact it does to the population inside and outside mindanao.

i was laughing at ed lingao's invitation for other commentarists and journalists to come and visit Al-Barka

[gareb]

UTAK WALANG BAYAG

versus

UTAK PULBURA


Choose your destiny...

only by bearing guns can one show that he is tough?

[salbahis]

they should have not replace the marines on Al Barka, the marines are more familiar with basilan...

[gareb]

they should have not replace the marines on Al Barka, the marines are more familiar with basilan...

mao bitaw. louy kaayu ang mga sundalo.