An old English adage tells us that when one has nothing intelligent to say,it is prudent not to say anything.In a recent entry I took aim at the MILF's interminable delaying tactics that have pushed the much awaited resumption of the GRP-MILF Peace Process from"After Ramadan"to "Who Knows When."I also discussed the central issue causing these delays,in the form of the individual serving as Facilitator of the Talks,Datuk Othman bin Abd' Razak of Malaysia.However I haven't really gone beyond the raison d'etre for Othman's biased positioning in favour of the MILF.In any event,Chairman of the MILF's Peace Panel Secretariat,Jun Mantawil has been so kind as to do this for me via his extremely caustic denigration of columinst Jarius Bondoc of the Mania daily,"Philippine Star."I would actually call the paper a tabloid but in the context of Philippine Journalism there isn't much disparity between the mainstream papers.
Bondoc ran afoul of the MILF by daring to support the government's lobbying for the removal of Abdurazak.In his column entitled,"Malaysian'Mediator'Marred Phl-MILF Talks,"that appeared in the December 17th issue of the paper,Bondoc makes a couple of valuable,albeit extremely minor points,the most pertinent of which was Abd' Razak's being an Intelligence Officer.Technically speaking, and Bondoc does note this,Abd' Razak is an EX-Intelligence Agent.Currently,Razak's official title is,"Special Advisor to the Prime Minister"but the position is sublimated to the Department of Research at the Prime Minister's Office.The Department of Research is an interfacial entity that is utilised as an Intelligence clearing house. Although Foreign and Domestic Intelligence entities (in Malaysia) report directly to the Prime Minister via a designated representative who is included amongst the Presidential Security Cluster,these representatives filter their output according to the various agendas of their respective agencies.Having an entity of his own to not only interface with, and develop a much better rapport with Security/Intel entities but to also posess the ability to gather in depth analysis (as does the Department of Research) is invaluable.
While there is nothing nefarious about having an Intelligence operative act as a Mediator or Facilitator in a 3rd Party capacity (think General Omar Suleiman of Egypt informally performing this very same function in the Israeli:HAMAS dynamic) there are things that become quite troublesome upon closer inspection;The MILF began life in 1975 as a coallescence of ethnic/tribal dissatisfaction,Islamo-fascist tendencies and a resolute opposition to the Libyan brokered "solution"(Tripoli 1976) within the upper echelons of the MNLF.Its founder,Hashim Salamat,was a member of the MNLF's famed "Batch 90,"who trained on the Malaysian island of Pulao Pangkor,in Sabah State,Malaysia.Though much of the hands on training was affected via ex-SAS (British Special Forces) the bulk of the theoretical facet of training,all equipment and all logistics was entirely handled by...Malaysian Intelligence.
Malaysian involvement with the MNLF was a no brainer.One must remember the threat Malaysia faced (at the time) in the form of a regionally aggressive,hyper-nationalist GRP under then-President Marcos.Basically the Philippine rationale runs along the lines of,"The Sultan of Brunei handed Sabah (and Palawan) to the Sultan of Sulu for the latter having assisted the former during a Bruneian civil war some 400 years ago.Since we,the Philippines,stole Sulu we own Sabah."Of course the geopolitical and historical realities are just a tad bit more complicated than that,yet never the less,there it is at its essence.A good decade before"Batch 90"there had been an intellectual fringe in the Philippines who were enamoured with "pan-Malayanism,"the belief that all Malayans (most Indonesians,Bruneians,most Filipinos and some Malaysians) must unite for the People as a whole to realise the full potential of the collective Malay People (again,very much over-simplified but sufficient enough for our needs in this diatribe).Ergo,if one was a Malaysian nationalist in the early-1970s he would support any cohesive element threatening Philippine regional dominance.At the same time,there were more Sama (Samal) and Tausug Tribesmen in Sabah then in their actual homeland,the Sulu archipelago.Amongst these kindred people was the Chief Minister (equivalent to a Provincial Governor in the Philippines but with far greater powers in governance) of Sabah, Tun Mustapha, a Tausug.
Fast forward to 2001,GMA (former President Gloria M.Arroyo) had just taken power via a coup against her former superior, ERAP (President Estrada) and was desperately trying to shore up support and negate her terrible political vulnerability. Almost immediately after becoming the new figurehead (she had no real power until late 2003) she was willing to do whatever it took to quiet at least 1 of the (then) 6 insurgencies afflicting the Philippines.Recognising the MILF as the perfect candidate (for a number of reasons,not the least of which was the 2000 War launched by ERAP in which the MILF's command structure and extencive infrastructure were obliterated).Naturally the MILF was still reeling from the afore mentioned conflict the year before.The MILF needed an out though,as a way to save face.It realised that coming to the table following such an out and out defeat would leave it in a hopelessly weak bargaining position and so it resisted face to face Talks.
Flailing as drowning people do,GMA practically begged Malaysia to accept its present role as Facilitator of the Peace Process.It accepted of course and in 2003 Razak became Malaysia's man in the hole.Initially there was no real problem with the arrangement because there was nothing of substance taking place.As I inferred earlier GMA did more than just delegate crucial tasks,she segued into abdication of responsibility by giving the GRP Panel free reign.Like anyone just handed a blank check problems soon arose.Without giving a play by play recording of the process,former GRP Peace Panel Chairperson (and concurrent Secretary of OPAPP as well as a retired AFP Chief of Staff) Hermogenes"Jun"Cendana Esperon Jr. was like a bull in a china shoppe).After the Supreme Court handed down a Temporary Restraining Order against the signing of the MoA-AD (Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain) in early August,2008,GMA,et al screamed that they had had no idea, nothing more than the most scant consultation as to the exact nature of the proposed Agreement.Ignoring the fact that this translates into the same gross incompetence that characterised the entire career of a woman who should have never led a Girl Scout Troop,much less a nation in distress... This returns my screed to Razak,and his employer,the Government of Malaysia.
Though most would not know it,the problems with Razak date back to the tenure of former National Security Advisor Norberto Gonzalez.In 2007 Gonzalez affected a formal request to replace Razak via (then) GRP Peace Panel Chairperson (Retired AFP Chief of Staff) General Rodolfo Garcia.Then came the formal request by his successor,Rafael Seguis.Indeed it is ironic that one of the MILF's chief complaints about current GRP Peace Panel Chairperson Mario Victor"Marvic"Leonen is that he went to the media about the entire Facilitation issue given the fact that former Chairperson Seguis did exactly th same thing in late-March,2009.Why then does Malaysia refuse to comply?I have already stated the actual reason,Razak is merely doing his master's bidding.Malaysia has no love for the Philippines,to say the least.On the record Malaysia,under Prime Minister Najib Razak (not to be confused with THE"Razak"I am discussing,Datuk Othman bin 'Abd Razak,and I need to also note that the Prime Minister's actual name,including honourifics,is" Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak") is simply maintaining the policy espoused by his predecessor,former Prime Minister 'Abdullah Badawi (again, sans honourifics).Former Prime Minister Badawi publicly took the position that the original request by former Panel Chairperson Garcia constituted a breech of ASEAN's long time policy of"Non-Intervention."Of course this is ridiculous given the fact that mere Facilitation is perpetually a case of"Interference,"albeit mutually consensual.
The whole"smiley-face"exchanging of pleasantries as Malaysia and the Philippines exchanged formal correspondence regarding Malaysia's continued central role as Facilitator (that took place over the Summer of 2010) hid very strained relations between both nations on at least this subject.President Aquino would have been in hog heaven had Prime Minister Razak and company begged off as the Facilitating Nation,but of course it didn't work out that way.Malaysia takes it upon itself to pay for,and choose all accomodations for both Panels.Though no conclusive proof has been made public the general consensus amongst GRP players is that said accomodations were/are bugged by Malaysian Intelligence.Subsequently key portions of GRP strategy were then dealt out to the MILF on a piecemeal basis.One well known (in certain circles) facet involved the Mineral/Natural Resources Sharing Ratio to have been included in the failed BJE (Bangsamoro Juridicial Entity,the label given to the theoretical MILF-administered territory in Central and Western Mindanao) that was nullified by the Supreme Court intervention over MoA-AD in Autumn of 2008.The final Ratio ended with an amicable 75:25 splitting,with GRP getting the 25%.Initially Razak sought to position the MILF at 90:10 (GRP with 10%) though they opened with a gambit of 85:15 (GRP with 15%),even the MILF couldn't say 90:10 with a straight face.This is how warped Razak's position is within the dynamic.
Some within the Presidential Security Cluster have opined that for Malaysia to be dangling such unacceptable Ratios it would have to be aiming for an end game of de-stabilisation,not simply a biased settlement.Whatever the motivation,and whether Razak is biased,or not,all that matters is that GRP perceives Razak to be working against its interests.A Facilitator acts as a foil for both sides.The simplest way to illustrate it might be to ask readers to picture 2 very young brothers and a caring father.The brothers argue,recrimination merely leads to recrimination and progress is impossible.Enter the father who asks both,one at a time and in each others' presence to explain their position.Not adding anything of his own the father makes gentle suggestions involving listening and communicating to one another,only interjecting himself when 1 brother talks over the other.This is "Facilitation."If instead the father plays 1 son against the other,well you get the point.Even if the father is indeed fair,if 1 of the brothers is convinced otherwise,this "Facilitation" has no chance of ever working.
Another issue on the front burners,vis a vis Malaysia,is the GRP's contention that Razak has been meeting with MILF figures independently of the Peace Process which should be verboten simply from a common sensical point of view.The problem though is the complete absence of a review process for the Talks' TOR (Terms of Reference) as well as a complete absence of TOR for the Facilitation process on its own,something very important in its own right.TOR is a set of guidelines that spell out the process as a whole,incorporating the process framework/blueprint as well as the responsibilities of each participating entity.As the process progresses as a whole it is only common sense that existing TOR should undergo review by both GRP and the MILF.
Also rankling the MILF,Jarius Bondoc was accused of misrepresenting the indigenous status of the Maguindanowan Tribe when he said that its roots lie in Johore,i.e. Malaysia.In truth Bondoc is not too far from being absolutely on point.Both the Maguindanowan and Maranaw (Maranoan) Tribes are rooted in the Iranun Tribe (another Mindanowan Tribe) and only began to differentiate themselves AFTER the vist of Shariff Kabansuan.Kabansuan,born in the Sultunate of Johore was the son of an Arab from what is now Yemen,and a woman of the Royal House of Johore.After Kabansuan's arrival in Mindanao he intermarried with women from at least 2 Mindanowan Tribes and their progeny figure in a number of Maguindanowan and Maranaw geneaologies.So Bondoc was correct,in essence.However his point was that this fact somehow should invalidate any claim of Malaysian objectivity,and that is stretching it to say the least (trying to be kind to Bondoc though I do agree with his central thesis,Malaysia is not engaging itself out of altruism).I would have hoped instead that Bondoc had been taking aim at MILF arrogance and chauvenism as in when they portray themselves as indigenous and their Ilonggo or Cebuano (Bisaya) neighbours as"settlers."Indeed,some Bisaya are more indigenous then the most partisan"Moro."
In other MILF news,life has not been entirely boring for all members of the organisation.As Jun Mantawil screams about the difference between"Mediator"and"Facilitator" (yep,I spared you that bout of intellectual gymnastics) other MILF members have been a bit more pro active.Take the gents in the 113 Base Command...On December 07 a group of fun loving guerillas had taken their motorbanca (local type of wooden boat) and attempted a kidnapping...I mean "fundraising" off of Zamboanga Sibugay Province.Landing on Olutanga Island the would be kidnappers entered Barangay Buhangin Mahaba in 1 of the islands 3 municipalities,Subanipa.Trying to make an easy payday as the same Base Command did back on April 12, 2010 when the 6 members kidnapped Nena Toremocha from her warehouse in Barangay Malinao,in the neighbouring municipality of Mabuhay. Ms.Toremocha, wife of a former mayor of the town was taken to the mainland and held for nearly 2 weeks under sub-Kumander Abral Abdursalam.After her son Reynante dropped off the tidy Ransom on April 25,Ms.Toremocha was released,found sitting unencumbered in an abandoned nipa (bamboo and thatched dwelling) on Narciso Ramos Hiway in the town of Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte Province (the center of 113 Base Command).
Back to the matter at hand,on December 07,the erstwhile kidnappers were interdicted by a CAFGU (Citizens Auxiliary Force Geographical Unit,an Army Reserve restricted to a single municipality within which all its manpower is derived) detachment.In the ensuing fire fight 3 MILF guerillas were killed and the kidnapping prevented from transpiring.
That same day,December 07,in SKP (town of S.K.Pendatun) in Maguindanao Province,yet another of the men wanted in connection for the attack on Maasim,Sarangani Province on August 18,2008,during the 2008 War,was taken into custody. Sub-Kumander (a Junior Officer) Datu Mama Abpa of the 107 Base Command was taken on a Warrant from Alabel (Sarangani Province) Regional Trial Court,Branch 38 and had a Bounty of 600,000 Pesos in effect ($5,000). Naturally MILF Spokesman Von al Haq labeled the action,"an illegal arrest"and demanded Abpa's immediate release.The day I see al Haq or a single ranking MILF member express remorse over the slaughter of non-Muslims in Maasim,or even an apology for the rank robberies that took place there,acts befitting common drug addicts (no offence to drug addicts since many are indeed superior to such miscreants and common thugs),THEN I will PERHAPS feel a modicum of sympathy for arrested MILF guerillas.
Coincidentally a 2nd guerilla wanted in that same Maasim attack,Mando Leonsili of Purok #4,Barangay Katubao,Kiamba, Sarangani Province was also targetted for arrest.Wanted on Warrant #10-21 issued by that same Regional Trial Court,Branch 38 on charges of Murder,Frustrated Murder,Arson and Robbery.As the cordon was placed around Leonsili's home by the 73IB (Infantry Battalion),the wanted man managed to escape (as is almost always the case).Soldiers did recover some low level ordnance (an RPG,3 rounds for it,4 rifle grenades and a PAL rifle with almost fully loaded clip) which for the AFP equals a"successful"operation".The problem here is that SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) involves full notification of LGU (Local Govt. Unit, aka municipal executives down to the barangay level).Not only are many LGU executives vulnerable to compromise via bribery and/or outright coercion,many have blood relations with targetted subjects (a huge risk in rural locations) or can even share membership in a targetted organisation.Leonsili,like Abpa,is with the MILF's 107 Base Command of whom 49 members have had Warrants issued over the attack in question.
Another 2 members of the 107 Base Command wanted in connection with the afore mentioned attack on Maasim on August 18, 2008 were taken into custody on November 28, 2010 when a composite force of the 73IB and CIDG (PNP's"Criminal Investigation and Detection Group") executed another couple of those Warrants I mentioned.Daud Binago and his son Rayan Binago were taken into custody along with a 3rd man who remains under investigation for possible involvement and for the time being epononymously listed as "Anderson."
I need to take time to point out,as I did in a very recent entry on KFR (Kidnap for Ransom),that Philippine authorities very often point their finger at anyone that suits them.A case in point would be that 1 of these Warrants that I am discussing has been taken out against Kumander (Senior Officer) Alo Binago of the 105 Base Command (though the attack he's charged with was executed by the 107 Base Command,Maasim is generally believed to have been conceptualised and planned by the 105 Base Command).This particular Binago is listed as the top man in that attack.The problem however is that he has been imprisoned since July 31, 2006,a fact attested to by his jailers in the Sultan Kudarat Provincial Jail (for among other things,his involvement in the well known kidnapping of a South Korean treasure hunter in 2002).
November 22, 2010 saw PNP (Philippine National Police) CO (Commanding Officer), Chief Director General Rene Bacalzo meet with Secretary of OPAPP (Office of the Presidential Advisor on the Peace Process), Teresita Quintos Deles in Manila as both tried to formulate a protocol with which to have the PNP seek the aid of the MILF in apprehending those former members of the Ampatuan Clan-controlled CVO and SCAA that are featured in outstanding Warrants relating to the Maguindanao Massacre.It is Bacalzo's firm belief that most of these wanted men have joined with the MILF's 105 Base Command or else with KFR/Extortion Groups like al Khobar.Of course Bacalzo is ignoring the platoon sized armed groups that are now roaming that same general area (Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat Provinces skirting Liguasan Marsh) of which ALL members are comprised of his targetted demographic.Task Force Alpha ring a bell General Bacalzo?
November 01, 2010 saw another Binago Clansman who is also a member of the MILF fall into the hands of authorities.Andaman Mukidin Binago,35,was taken into custody by the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) at the Davao City boarding residence he calls home on a Warrant for the "GenSan Pork Market Bombimg."On December 12, 2004 as residents of GenSan (General Santos City, Sarangani Province) readied themselves for Xmas Binago, et al are said to have planted a very powerful IED (Improvised Explosive Device, aka "Bomb") in the city's Public Market.To ensure that only non-Muslims would be killed and maimed the bombers placed their device in the market's pork section.14 people were killed and more than 30 seriously wounded (one of those killed was a Muslim woman,ooooops!).
Binago,who claims he is a simple farmer is also said to be behind the January 30,2007 IED detonation of a Lotto outlet on GenSan's Santiago Avenue in which 6 people died and dozens were wounded.Of course MILF Spokesman Von al Haq denies that THIS Binago is even a member of the MILF.
Although Von al Haq is still handling the media the General Staff member has passed the Spokesman's torch back to Eid Kabalu who was placed on a 6 month suspension on April 12,2010 for having gotten a bit too big for his britches after taking it upon himself to sign a political covenant in the name of the MILF.As if this transgression wasn't bad enough on its own,the covenant with Presidential candidate Brother Eddie Villanueva and his BPP (Bangon Pilipinas Party) was in an election in which the MILF stressed non-involvement even more than it usually does.What did the covenant hope to guarantee?The MILF agreed (according to Kabalu's signature) to fully engage BBP in the Peace Process and would agree to BPP's vision of a Fedaralist-type solution,should Villanueva take the May 10th Election.
On October 14, 2010,exactly 6 months to the day the MILF's Central Committee unanimously passed a Resolution jointly authored by Vice Chairman for Political Affairs,Ghazali Jafaar and Chairman of the Central Committee Secretariat,Muhammad Ameen in which Kabalu's Suspension Order was lifted.Kabalu gained his position,which is formally known as,"Chairman of the Civil-Military Relations Department of the BIAF"(the BIAF,Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces,is the armed wing of the MILF so that there is no actual Spokesman for the MILF,per se) during the War of 2000.His suspension has been a difficult time for him with his brother Nasser Kabalu having been murdered during this same period.
Nasser Kabalu had just been released from the Cotabato City Jail and was walking down a residential street in Purok Sampaloc in that city's Barangay Mother Bagua when a man known only by his nickname,"Abo,"walked up behind him and shot him in the back of the head on September 26, 2010.
Ironically given the stated reason for Kabalu's suspension,on October 21, 2010,just after the MILF Central Committee hypocritically re-affirmed that stated reason in its lifting of Kabalu's Suspension Order the MILF CCCH met with its GRP counterparts at the Cotabato City headquarters of the IMT (International Monitoring Team,a multinational entity who does its best to safeguard extant GRP-MILF Ceasefires).The irony you ask?The 2 CCCH Panels (Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities) inked an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) relating to the October 25 synchronised Barangay and SK ELECTIONS.Entitled,"Guidelines for Mutual Understanding"in which both the MILF and GRP vow to take extra vigilance with regard to the Ceasefire so as to allow safe and orderly elections.Of course the MILF is careful to note that the MoU is ceasefire related so that isn't a"politically"related agreement in the strictest sense.I wonder what Eid Kabalu's perspective on THAT may be.Signing for the GRP was Chairperson of the GRP CCCH Panel,Major General Renaldo Sealana,while for the MILF,its Chairman of its CCCH Panel,Sa'id Sheikh signed on the dotted line.Witnessing the signing was Chairperson of the IMT,Major General Datuk Baharom bin Hamza of the Malaysian Army.The agreement will cover the period of October 23 to October 27, 2010.
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