Mamasapano ‘Striptease’

We are now engulfed in various investigations in all levels due to Mamasapano. We would have been spared the agony and the excruciating “self flagellation” if from the start, there was factual disclosure of what actually happened. What we have been seeing so far is a “striptease” show where there is slow, piece-by-piece unrobing and unbaring of the truth.

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TELENOVELA—While the whole “truth-seeking  exercise is becoming like a telenovela serial that everyone is on edge  to know what’s next, unfortunately, the peace process is getting a bad beating. It is now so wounded that resuscitating it should be the priority of everyone. The question is how? Frankly, like many of us, I am myself puzzled.

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WILL BBL PASS?—We are all watching from the sidelines how Mamasapano and the BBL will play out. So far, there is resistance even from Congress to move forward on the BBL. The original timetable of approving the law by March 2016 will not be met for sure. In fact, the negative spin that came after Mamasapano puts even under cloud whether or not BBL will pass Congress at all.

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FALL BACK—Certainly, if BBL is passed, it will be heavily amended (some call it “watered down or mangled”). Whether MILF will accept it is something else. But if things do not work out for BBL, a shift to federalism that will give Filipinos, including the bangsamoro their rightful place and charter their own destiny, can be the fall back position.

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GAINING GROUND—Mayor Rody Duterte is barnstorming several key areas in the country selling the idea of “federalism” as key to the country’s future. From what I gathered from the ground, his campaign is gaining traction wherever he goes. His “listening tour” is also for him to gauge whether he has the chance of gunning for the presidency next year. All of this is being watched closely. But whether he finally decides to run for the top post or not, he has succeeded already on spreading the seeds of federalism.