Following Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Chairman Nur Misuari’s endorsement, popular Filipino actor Robin Padilla has also expressed his support for fellow Muslim Atty. Adel Tamano.
Tamano, the first Filipino Muslim scholar-graduate of Harvard Law School and President of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, is a senatorial candidate under the Nacionalista Party. (more…)
In the beginning I really thought that these political mavericks really had what it takes to turn the Philippines around. I was wrong. Like all the rest of the lot, they have blinkers on their eyes and cannot see “outside the box” when treating the Bangsamoro issue. Like all the rest, they would die if you even speak of “tampering” their beloved Constitution to accommodate the centuries old struggle of the Bangsamoro to regain their Right to Self Determination. Like all the rest, they cannot get it through their brains what it means to have enjoyed sovereignty long before the establishment of the Malolos Republic. Like the rest, they will never understand that not once in their Philippine history did the Bangsamoro feel belonged. Like the rest, their history is myopically stuck “from Magellan onwards” and never before that (thanks to historians Zaide and Guerrero for bringing Filipino leaders up with a deep seated bias against “much older minorities”). Like the rest, they “grandstand” their positions about critical issues (like the MOA-AD) to increase public support and either secure their political preeminence and/or their presidential ambitions (if any) And so, therefore, like the rest, they should be treated like diapers, which we would need to replace as often for the same reasons. Amen.
The 2010 presidential elections is already in the air… you can smell it. Even my students who are political naivete’s have all started commenting on the issue. As a scholar and intellectual, one cannot but help if indeed these politicians have something in mind for the Future.
We know for a fact that by these time, Politicos have already mapped out the terrain, making shady deals, worshipping lizards, hanging Tarzans and even allowing themselves TV coverage, praying in Quiapo. WOW!
But for the moment before we start our sharp pen aiming for their necks let us have a discourse on what the people of Mindanao would expect.
I would like to pose a question, Is the Moro Vote significant to a 2010 presidential candidate?
Although we know that TEAM GLORIA relies much on central mindanao votes previously and that all political operators submerge themselves in the cash-strapped ARMM and Moro dominated provinces, little is there any news of any presidentiable trying to actually win the hearts and minds of the Moros. I dont mind asking if the ARMM people still aim to “vote” again for another administration candidate. But perhaps a genuine discourse on the Mindanao Issue can guarantee, the actual votes being cast for “Fulan” (presidentiable). Thinsg like, do you really like to have a federal form of government? would Fulan like to have another form of MOA AD signed? would he allow the setup of a government model simmilar to the federation of malaysian states? would he allow again malaysia to assist him in negotiating Peace, or allow China to help. Or Allow Barack Obama to help in establishing lasting peace in Mindanao. Your guess is as good as mine for Fulan Bin Fulan.