HATE BEGETS HATE

Photo from http://balatucan.wordpress.com/2008/02/25/i-am-sorry-2-the-nbn-scandal/

Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson, a political kingpin and warlord in Ilocos Sur Province and had served as Governor for twenty-eight (28) years, became a very close personal friend and trusted political ally when Joseph Ejercito ‘Erap’ Estrada became President of the Republic of the Philippines in 1998. But their friendship suddenly turned into sour and Governor Singson was hearing warnings from their common friends that President Estrada was going to have him ambushed and assassinated by military men under his orders.

On October 16, 2000, as Singson was on his way home at about twelve (12:00) o’clock midnight, a vehicle of the Presidential Security Group suddenly block his way. He did not come out when ordered and called his friends through his cellphone to rescue him. His friends immediately responded and came over with policemen and media men. Then and there, he proclaimed to the media he was subjected to assassination attempt because he knew too much about the involvement of President Estrada in the illegal numbers game called Jueting. His expose’ spread like wildfire. This started the historical privilege speech of former Senator Teopisto Guingona in the Senate hall leading to the impeachment proceeding against former President Estrada that resulted to his force resignation from his Presidency through the massive protest rallies by the Filipino people throughout the country.

This time, due to the gruesome Massacre of 57 people in Maguindanao Province including 36 journalists where Mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr. was positively identified as the mastermind, the father, Governor Andal Ampatuan, Sr., also the political kingpin and warlord of the Maguindanao Province who is personally very close to President Gloria M. Arroyo and the trusted political ally, together with his children and relatives are now being expelled from the Lakas-Kampi political party of President Arroyo. They are also in the hold departure list as ordered by the Department of Justice; their residences in Maguindanao were surrounded by police and military forces that no one can get out and enter without the clearance issued by authorities; their bodyguards and private armies were dismantled and their firearms are being located for confiscation because what they surrendered were vintage firearms; they are also implicated to the massacre and they believe they are being pinned down; and that they are now crying against the supposed ‘cruel injustice’ done against them.

Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said witnesses had implicated Ampatuan’s father, Maguindanao Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan, his brother and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan; and relatives Akmad, Saudi Jr., Bahnarian Jr., Sajid Islam, and Akmad Tato in the gruesome massacre. (Manila Standard Today, Saturday-Sunday, November 28-29, 2009.)

However, like former Gov. Singson, the Ampatuans have also ace cards against Pres. Arroyo that they keep very close to their chest which could also topple her from power. They were the ones responsible for insuring the victory of President Arroyo in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in 2004 presidential election where her closest rival, the late Fernando Poe, Jr. got zero in most precincts, which was perceived as statistically improbable, if not impossible. Also in the 2007 Senatorial Election, the Ampatuans had delivered a 12-0 victory in favor of the administration candidates with a highly improbable, if not, impossible margin.

How did they do it; who ordered them what to do; and finally, who were the people that executed the fraud and the cheating, are the ace cards like the Pandora’s box they could now open to unearth the holy grail which the people of this nation have been painstakingly waiting to be revealed at any time.

If the Ampatuans cannot contain anymore their perceived innumerable suppression, cruelty and oppression which they are subjected and they cannot bear them anymore, they may have no other choice but to spill the beans like what Governor Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson did to former President Estrada.

Naturally, if you are already pushed to the wall and there seems to be no way out, you have to fight back against the one in charge of those forces (the President) causing you the pest with your formidable weapon—squeal everything you knew against her. If she is pestering you, you might as well fight back. It takes two to play the game.