(Privilege Speech of Rep. Pangalian M. Balindong during the Plenary Session, House of Representatives, on February 5, 2008)

Madam Speaker, distinguished colleagues, Assalamo Alaikom.
Previously I talked on the massing of troops by the AFP and the MILF. They were putting themselves on war footing. I suggested a return instead to the negotiating table.

Now the talk of the town is Balikatan 2008. My office is flooded with questions, such as, why have the war games participants chosen, of all places, Lanao del Sur – the heart of Muslimland as the situs of the joint Balikatan exercises? Why are they toying with our cultural sensibilities? Why are they trying to remind us of the exploits of the US Armed Forces in the Battle of Bayang in the 1900’s which claimed the lives of thousands of Bangsamoros including the Sultan of Bayang and in the Battle of Bacolod Grande where our forbears fell under the weight of the .45 caliber invented by Browning solely for the Moro? Or are they simply saber-rattling to cow us down to submission?
Madam Speaker, the American experience of 9/11 makes every Muslim a suspected terrorist.

This Balikatan exercise will not deter terrorism but will instead fan the fire of discontent among victims of human rights violations in the previous balikatan.

In that light, I advised through phone patch, student activists and Islamic militants who are now holding demonstrations in Marawi City to approach the Balikatan problem with caution and sobriety.
No matter what the real intention of the Balikatan exercise is, whether to conduct medical mission or to repair roads and school buildings, the better part of judgment is to spare the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao area in accordance with the essence of autonomy.
Madam Speaker, let us not allow the merchants of death to peddle their wares among the natives. It is dangerous to all of us – protagonists as well as onlookers.

Emailed to Ranaw.Com by: Mitchie Vanessa Triambulo-Magomnang 

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