I think it is time for the Philippine Government to quit the peace talks with the MILF and stamp them out of this world for good.

Yesterday, around 50 members of the 1st Marine Brigade who are looking for Father Giancarlo Bossi were fired upon by members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. In an exchange that took several hours, fourteen Marines were killed. The MILF claimed responsibility for the attack, claiming that the Marines entered their territory without informing them. They fired shots in self defense, they say. Read this account by the GMA-7 reporter who accompanied the Marines, who witnessed that despicable act by the MILF.

But when it was found out that 10 of the dead Marines were beheaded, the MILF immediately disowned the act, and claims that bandits did the dastardly act.

The incident yesterday has shown us that the MILF is not sincere in the peace talks.

1. Just because the Marines entered their “territory” does not mean they have hostile intent.
2. The MILF claims that they fired in self-defense. What self defense when (a) you know you outnumber the enemy; (b) they haven’t fired any shot before that incident; and (c) there is a ceasefire?
3. If they claim that they own the territory and that bandits did the beheading, how come the bandits were able to enter the said area without being fired upon?

Before this act, I have no stand on the issue of MILF. Now, after watching the GMA-7 footage, my stand is as follows:

The MILF has clearly shown through deception and lies that it is not sincere in the peace talks. They took the opportunity given to them by the Arroyo administration by rearming and regrouping. Remember that Joseph Estrada had embarked on an all-out war against the MILF, where the Armed Forces of the Philippines were able to take back Camp Abu Bakar (MILF’s main base), where MILF top leaders were killed. Estrada was criticized for warmongering, but the MILF was reduced to almost the size of a small bandit group. When Gloria Arroyo assumed power, the government went into peace talks with the MILF. Six years of useless talks, with both sides violating agreements made. Six years, where the MILF was able to gather new members, steal several arms, and establish new territories.

Now, this incident only goes to show not only the insincerity of the MILF, it also shows that the MILF will only negotiate on its own terms.

I believe that it is time to end the peace talks and treat the MILF as what it truly is – an organization of deceitful bandits.

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I take exception to Manuel L. Quezon III’s assertion that:

This is only a hunch, but the foreign blogosphere seems far more interested in Philippine rebels behead 10 soldiers (see grim photos published by the Mindanao Examiner) than Filipino bloggers, particularly when it comes to commentary (simply reprinting entire news stories doesn’t cut it).

It is unfair to Tingog.com and Patsada Karajaw, who blogged about this incident. It is unfair to Filipino bloggers who are either slow in comprehension, or who could only blog about it at the end of the working day, or who could blog about it only when they have money to pay an hour’s rent in an Intenet shop.