DANGEROUS ILLUSIONS
by Gregorio V. Bituin Jr. from his column LINKS
The Featinean publication, February 1996
page 22, continued on page 25
I was in Basilan and Zamboanga for two weeks two years ago in the company of some Franciscan and Muslim friends. We stayed mostly in Lamitan town in Basilan. The Abu Sayyaf was popular in those days when Franciscan missionary, Bro. Gus, OFM, was abducted. I learned that most members of the Abu Sayyaf are sons of MNLF commanders and combatants who died in the war in Mindanao during the Martial Law years. Some say that the Abu Sayyaf (which means "shining sword") was formed to avenge their parent's death.
Early this year, we are raged by grand illusions which some "powerful" leaders say will trigger our country into an economic boom. They are the EVAT, the anti-terrorism bill (this was shelved according to the latest news) and the demolition of shanties of our countrymen. These grand designs, they say, will make our country an industrialized nation by the turn of the century. These are dangerous illusions if these will be at the expense of the poor.
Anyway, let's go back in history. Do you remember who admitted with regret to the Filipino people a few days after the EDSA revolution that he engineered his own ambush that became one of the reasons for declaring Martial Law? He was the Minister of Defense during Martial Law as well as the godfather of an elite troop who killed fifty-three (53) civilians in 1987 and almost a hundred in 1989 during the coup d'etat. Today he defends that with the passage of Senate Bill 1353 or the anti-terrorism bill which he authored, peace and order will be restored and that will greatly attract foreign investors to our country. His bill is now junked, but Malacañang has a harsher version. In the new version, illegal possession of firearms will be sentenced to life imprisonment. How about the planting of evidence by the police? How will you defend yourself? They are so powerful and you're defenseless in their choiced situation. Doesn't this remind us of returning to Martial Law?
Terrorism was rampant during the Martial Law days. Most of its implementors were suffering from blind obedience. As most of them always say, "Obey first before you complain," and "That's an order!" Even if many victims will die of torture. Even if there is no justice just to obey their superiors! An obedience syndrome created by the fascist regime for the sake of "democracy". A democracy only for the elite. No wonder why most of them think and act like a walking doll! Yes, blind obedience is really very- very dangerous.
Even the EVAT terrorizes the poor. How come the 12% equitable tax in hotels became 10% while the 3% or 4% taxes on consumer goods also became 10%, as one congressman noted? Where is justice for the poor? How come that basic goods and services as well as medical, dental, hospital and veterinary services are now covered by EVAT? Poor families who eat thrice a day may probably eat only once. Their inefficient tax collection cannot be corrected through EVAT since doing so will be at the expense of the consumers. It seems that the EVAT is just a scapegoat of the BIR on the on-going tax evasion problems caused by some rich capitalists.
At the Smokey Mountain demolition, a child and one of the residents were killed when demolition men opened fire. Another was wounded in the hand. A team of policemen together with a demolition team forced the residents to evacuate and demolished their shanties. Is this not terrorism? Why should a demolition team always carry high-powered firearms in their operations, when in fact they will not go to war? And Smokey Mountain is not even a war zone!
The Muslim residents in Quiapo whose shanties were also demolished will be relocated somewhere in Taguig where there is only one comfort room for almost a hundred families. According to some reliable sources, there are many scheduled demolitions this year.
Are we in a democratic country? Or do we just perceive it as democratic without really knowing the meaning of democracy? Is our democratic system only for the powerful and the elite? Is justice only for the rich? I think an oppressive capitalist education fed us with wrong information. We are popularly known as the only Christian nation in Asia but mist of the implementors of Martial Law, as well as our leaders and demolition men are Christians. Even the Gomburza were not spared because of some foreign friars.
I didn't say that I'm against social progress. But if that's what you think I'm saying, I don't care! That's what you think. Ang that's your choice. But I want to defend my position. I'll ask you, do we need social progress at the expense of the lives of our poor countrymen? Do we need social progress just to say that we are an industrialized country like our neighbors? Do we need social progress for the sake of progress alone without justice for the oppressed? Do we need social progress for the sake of the capitalists who handle most of our industries? Do we need social progress for the sake of profits alone? Some leaders say that sometimes we should sacrifice some things to be industrialized. Sacrifice what? The life of the working people, the poor? They have sacrificed a lot! Then another mga pahirap sa bayan will be added to their sufferings. Enough is enough! The grand designs of some of our "powerful leaders" are dangerous illusions, indeed! It can attract foreign investors but not us. We must get rid of them before these illusions will turn into a nightmare!
Aaaahhh... democracy. If that's what we mean by democracy, then it's better to destroy it! We need to abolish this oppressive system if it will only destroy the future of generations to come! It seems we are not in a democratic society in its real sense, but are under an exploitative capitalist system which disguises itself in the name of democracy!
What we need is SOCIAL PROGRESS WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE. We need social progress to ease our sufferings and to have a better society to live in. We need social justice to be fair to all concerned, we, our enemies, to the environment we live in, etc. If these two will triumph, maybe, well, maybe, these evils of society will go to hell with their inventors.
But social progress with social justice will not just come to the fore. We must struggle for it! We must struggle for it because we know that the oppressors will deny us of justice. We must struggle for it because we know that future generations need it. WE MUST! Yes, we must, for this will be our greatest legacy to the generations to come.
Answer to chess puzzle (W: Kd3, Re2; B: Kd1; White moves and mate in three): (1) Rook moves at any square from e4 to e8. Black's only move is Kc1. (2) Rook must move to b-file to force the enemy King to go back at d1. (3) Rb1 mate.
To my comrades: We must study and work harder and sharper. To the graduates: Congratulations. I hope you have given your beloved parents the joy they deserve. To my fellow student writers: A proposed Campus Journalists Organization (CJO) is preparing for an NCR-wide Student Press Congress in preparation for a proposed National Student Press Congress next school year. Just call us anytime. According to Mark Twain: Courage doesn't mean absence of fear but resistance of fear, mastery of fear. Never let a problem become an excuse. So long for this issue. I'll be back.
by Gregorio V. Bituin Jr. from his column LINKS
The Featinean publication, February 1996
page 22, continued on page 25
I was in Basilan and Zamboanga for two weeks two years ago in the company of some Franciscan and Muslim friends. We stayed mostly in Lamitan town in Basilan. The Abu Sayyaf was popular in those days when Franciscan missionary, Bro. Gus, OFM, was abducted. I learned that most members of the Abu Sayyaf are sons of MNLF commanders and combatants who died in the war in Mindanao during the Martial Law years. Some say that the Abu Sayyaf (which means "shining sword") was formed to avenge their parent's death.
Early this year, we are raged by grand illusions which some "powerful" leaders say will trigger our country into an economic boom. They are the EVAT, the anti-terrorism bill (this was shelved according to the latest news) and the demolition of shanties of our countrymen. These grand designs, they say, will make our country an industrialized nation by the turn of the century. These are dangerous illusions if these will be at the expense of the poor.
Anyway, let's go back in history. Do you remember who admitted with regret to the Filipino people a few days after the EDSA revolution that he engineered his own ambush that became one of the reasons for declaring Martial Law? He was the Minister of Defense during Martial Law as well as the godfather of an elite troop who killed fifty-three (53) civilians in 1987 and almost a hundred in 1989 during the coup d'etat. Today he defends that with the passage of Senate Bill 1353 or the anti-terrorism bill which he authored, peace and order will be restored and that will greatly attract foreign investors to our country. His bill is now junked, but Malacañang has a harsher version. In the new version, illegal possession of firearms will be sentenced to life imprisonment. How about the planting of evidence by the police? How will you defend yourself? They are so powerful and you're defenseless in their choiced situation. Doesn't this remind us of returning to Martial Law?
Terrorism was rampant during the Martial Law days. Most of its implementors were suffering from blind obedience. As most of them always say, "Obey first before you complain," and "That's an order!" Even if many victims will die of torture. Even if there is no justice just to obey their superiors! An obedience syndrome created by the fascist regime for the sake of "democracy". A democracy only for the elite. No wonder why most of them think and act like a walking doll! Yes, blind obedience is really very- very dangerous.
Even the EVAT terrorizes the poor. How come the 12% equitable tax in hotels became 10% while the 3% or 4% taxes on consumer goods also became 10%, as one congressman noted? Where is justice for the poor? How come that basic goods and services as well as medical, dental, hospital and veterinary services are now covered by EVAT? Poor families who eat thrice a day may probably eat only once. Their inefficient tax collection cannot be corrected through EVAT since doing so will be at the expense of the consumers. It seems that the EVAT is just a scapegoat of the BIR on the on-going tax evasion problems caused by some rich capitalists.
At the Smokey Mountain demolition, a child and one of the residents were killed when demolition men opened fire. Another was wounded in the hand. A team of policemen together with a demolition team forced the residents to evacuate and demolished their shanties. Is this not terrorism? Why should a demolition team always carry high-powered firearms in their operations, when in fact they will not go to war? And Smokey Mountain is not even a war zone!
The Muslim residents in Quiapo whose shanties were also demolished will be relocated somewhere in Taguig where there is only one comfort room for almost a hundred families. According to some reliable sources, there are many scheduled demolitions this year.
Are we in a democratic country? Or do we just perceive it as democratic without really knowing the meaning of democracy? Is our democratic system only for the powerful and the elite? Is justice only for the rich? I think an oppressive capitalist education fed us with wrong information. We are popularly known as the only Christian nation in Asia but mist of the implementors of Martial Law, as well as our leaders and demolition men are Christians. Even the Gomburza were not spared because of some foreign friars.
I didn't say that I'm against social progress. But if that's what you think I'm saying, I don't care! That's what you think. Ang that's your choice. But I want to defend my position. I'll ask you, do we need social progress at the expense of the lives of our poor countrymen? Do we need social progress just to say that we are an industrialized country like our neighbors? Do we need social progress for the sake of progress alone without justice for the oppressed? Do we need social progress for the sake of the capitalists who handle most of our industries? Do we need social progress for the sake of profits alone? Some leaders say that sometimes we should sacrifice some things to be industrialized. Sacrifice what? The life of the working people, the poor? They have sacrificed a lot! Then another mga pahirap sa bayan will be added to their sufferings. Enough is enough! The grand designs of some of our "powerful leaders" are dangerous illusions, indeed! It can attract foreign investors but not us. We must get rid of them before these illusions will turn into a nightmare!
Aaaahhh... democracy. If that's what we mean by democracy, then it's better to destroy it! We need to abolish this oppressive system if it will only destroy the future of generations to come! It seems we are not in a democratic society in its real sense, but are under an exploitative capitalist system which disguises itself in the name of democracy!
What we need is SOCIAL PROGRESS WITH SOCIAL JUSTICE. We need social progress to ease our sufferings and to have a better society to live in. We need social justice to be fair to all concerned, we, our enemies, to the environment we live in, etc. If these two will triumph, maybe, well, maybe, these evils of society will go to hell with their inventors.
But social progress with social justice will not just come to the fore. We must struggle for it! We must struggle for it because we know that the oppressors will deny us of justice. We must struggle for it because we know that future generations need it. WE MUST! Yes, we must, for this will be our greatest legacy to the generations to come.
Answer to chess puzzle (W: Kd3, Re2; B: Kd1; White moves and mate in three): (1) Rook moves at any square from e4 to e8. Black's only move is Kc1. (2) Rook must move to b-file to force the enemy King to go back at d1. (3) Rb1 mate.
To my comrades: We must study and work harder and sharper. To the graduates: Congratulations. I hope you have given your beloved parents the joy they deserve. To my fellow student writers: A proposed Campus Journalists Organization (CJO) is preparing for an NCR-wide Student Press Congress in preparation for a proposed National Student Press Congress next school year. Just call us anytime. According to Mark Twain: Courage doesn't mean absence of fear but resistance of fear, mastery of fear. Never let a problem become an excuse. So long for this issue. I'll be back.
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