Intelligence and security
When the US advisory warned the Americans about the Abu Sayyaf in Bohol, very few paid attention to this. After a number of Abu Sayyaf members were sighted in Bohol, questions about this country's military intelligence cropped up.
How did they manage to reach Bohol? How prepared was the military in terms of intelligence and civilian protection? Would deaths have been prevented with a more systematic and higher level of intelligence network on the part of this country's intelligence?
After several Abu Sayyaf members were able to escape the first encounter and one even reached, undetected, the port of Bohol, again, eyebrows were raised about the capability of military intelligence in coping with security problems of this country.
Prior to the Marawi siege, what did military intelligence tell them about the movement of the Maute Group? Could the siege have been prevented with better military intelligence monitoring?
The military consistently announced they were in control of the situation. Despite this, Duterte declared Martial Law and even threatened to declare Martial Law for the whole nation. Again, where are the military reports backing up the president's pronouncement? What is the real situation in Marawi and the rest of Mindanao, now all under Martial Law? Was Martial Law the appropriate or the only available option to deal with the Marawi siege? Was Martial Law really about the so-called siege or are there other scenarios?
When a leader like Duterte announces the beheading of a police chief when the real facts show that the said police chief is alive, and another police chief was killed but not beheaded, that leader just revealed to the world the sorry state of intelligence fed to and believed by him.
It does not help when supporters lambast those who question Duterte's decision or those who demand solid data and information supporting present policies and pronouncements. Always, the party divide, the class divide, or the geographical divide is raised – how dare you from outside of Mindanao interfere and criticize?
This divisive stance is getting to be a pattern. When questions were raised and local and international critiques of EJK were reported, again, the supporters joined their leader in foul-mouthing and even threatening these critics. Do these negative responses or even seeming social media victory bring out the truth about the said issues? Do these negative responses provide the correct, reliable information the public deserves to know about the EJK, this time, about these security problems?
How reliable and secure are the intelligence networks and data, and even the leadership, of this country? In the midst of the present development that this country is being veered towards alliance with China and Russia, what is the position (in terms of data and policy suggestion) of the military and the other Philippine leaders about this? What is the impact on the people and the Philippines of the developing Philippine-China-Russia alliance?
Scholars have done earlier reliable research about Mindanao, about Philippine relations with various countries, about EJK, about drug policies. Have these resources been seriously considered by the concerned agencies of this government?
Solid database and careful, thoughtful analysis, demanded by genuinely concerned Filipinos, can guide us all, including government, to implement policies that can translate into saving lives and saving this country from internal and external threats. Can our military and government intelligence units be trusted to protect and secure our people, our nation? Can our people go beyond their individual loyalties to unite and demand for better intelligence and security for all?
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