Frustrate Arroyo's Cha-cha and All out War

Rubi Del Mundo

Spokesperson

National Democratic Front-Southern Mindanao

August 25, 2008

Davao City--By declaring all-out military offensive against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front days after unravelling moves to amend the GRP Constitution, Gloria Arroyo has thoroughly exposed her shameless ambition to perpetuate herself in power. Militarization and federalism will not solve the problems of Mindanao and the Moro people; they will only aggravate them.

Arroyo and her minions attempt to play their cards well. They try to up the sagging morale of AFP troops after losing to many tactical offensives by the New People's Army by now chest-beating against the MILF and its commanders.

In truth, with increased military spending, the AFP's empty bravado at calling for all-out war both against the NPA and MILF will only fatten the already-corrupt pockets of its generals and senior officers while endangering the lives of ordinary soldiers in the battlefield. The AFP generals likewise are riding on the crest of anti-Moro chauvinism promoted by Malacanang to eventually lay the ground for de facto martial law in Mindanao and set the tone to shift to a federal form of government.

While Mrs. Arroyo's right hand uses military might to exploit the situation to her advantage, her left hand is busy tinkering with the GRP Constitution. Taking advantage of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity to justify amendments in the Philippine Constitution has only been one of Mrs. Arroyo's sly ways of advancing her own interests. From the 'people's initiative' scheme to push Charter change in 2004, to the Jose de Venecia-led moves for a constituent assembly in 2006, term extension has been the never-say-die ambition of Mrs Arroyo.

Presently, Mrs. Arroyo and her minions take advantage as well of Senate Joint No. 10 Resolution of Aquilino Pimentel to convene a constitutional assembly to pursue federalism. With Pampanga as her bailiwick, Mrs. Arroyo can run for a parliamentary seat and become the prime minister. Even as presidential son Mikey has said that Charter change should be done after 2010, the Filipino people do not take the Arroyo family at face value given their record of lies and deceit. Mrs. Arroyo usually changes her maneuvers yet she has kept the same objective at hand.

The Arroyo regime is incapable of offering any autonomy that is truly satisfactory to the Moro people. In its handling of the GRP-MILF talks and in the current military offensives, the regime is enflaming Christian chauvinism and discrimination as a vehicle to carry forward her Charter change agenda.

The National Democratic Front Southern Mindanao urges for a broad coalition of progressive organizations, the Moro people, and the political opposition to further expose the wily Arroyo regime. This broad front should unite against Charter change to topple Gloria Arroyo.

As the Bangsamoro people persevere in their revolutionary struggle against tyranny and oppression, the Filipino people should unite in seeing that the current bad constitution would not be made even worse to further assault the civil and political rights of the people, sell out the national sovereignty and patrimony, and cater to US imperialist interest.

(sgd) RUBI DEL MUNDO

Spokesperson

National Democratic Front of the Philippines

Southern Mindanao