Extremism must be stopped at all cost

Who is this Christian Monsod to tell us that Martial Law isn’t necessary, huh? I dare him to go to Marawi City and tell those Maute SoBs to get the hell out of Marawi City and let us see if they would listen to him. But then, Mr. Monsod is saying all this in the comfort and safety of his home in Metro Manila. The fact that he can publicly issue such a statement against Martial Law is proof that the Martial Law that Pres. Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte declared for Mindanao is far different from the Martial Law that the late Pres. Ferdinand Marcos declared on Sept. 21, 1972, where newspapers and media outlets were shutdown, the Legislature was closed and Senators and Congressmen and mediamen arrested and the entire nation was plunged into a curfew!

Over the weekend, aside from monitoring what was happening in Marawi City, we also monitored our Facebook page and indeed, the yellowtards were in full swing (just like the militant Kadamay who rallied against Martial Law) attacking Pres. Duterte, as if they were taunting him to do his worse? I hope that Pres. Duterte isn’t “pikon” for the real enemy are the terrorists and not the yellowtards cowards like Monsod! One interesting article I’d like to reprint here comes from a former STAR editor, Bobby Capco. Here is what he wrote in his Facebook page.

“You cannot believe why critics of President Duterte think he over-reacted in declaring martial law in the entire island of Mindanao because of the attacks in Marawi City. These people live a sheltered life elsewhere. They also opposed his war on drugs because they see drug use as recreational, not addictive and destructive as it had done on countless numbers of victims all around the country. This photo, taken by GMA reporter Jun Veneracion in the highway to Marawi City, shows why they are very wrong. The victims of the terrorists were tied to each other, and then executed. Helpless they were in their moment of death. 

Tell your grieving woes against Duterte to the families of the victims of the Maute Group, the ASG, the other extremist groups in Mindanao. These critics equate the Maute Group and the ASG with the MILF and the MNLF that had entered into peace talks. Tell that to the families of the hostages taken from a Church by the terrorists.

Duterte's critics and haters lull themselves into thinking that because the extremists are fewer than a thousand they do not pose a threat to national security or to anyone. Not that the longtime rebellion of the MILF and the MNLF, notwithstanding these groups’ decision to talk with the government, had made scores of Mindanaoan continue to wish they would live under martial rule whatever the stupid Manilans think about it. Many of those who will be critical of this thinking would say I do this because I am a Dutertista.

Well, you have shielded yourself from your own realities, I would say to these critics. The reality is that extremism is on the rise, and it is not just because the greater autonomy we promised the Muslims are long in coming. The extremists have found their way into the hearts and minds of many of our Islamic brothers and sisters in Mindanao. Scores of them had served in the ISIL for years already, and have come back a long time ago to sow the seeds of terror. Now they are reaping its fruits. They do not fear the authority of our government, nor respect individual rights. They use the Western ideals of human rights and democracy to lull their victims and the unsuspecting infidels into thinking they are just freedom fighters. Yes, they are fighting for the freedom to impose their version of extremist ideology. 

There is a belief among the rights defenders that it doesn't matter how extreme the beliefs are of a person, as long as the right of this extremist person to defend his beliefs are allowed. Wake up, people! Manchester and Marawi are the same, and so many other incidence of terrorist violence elsewhere. It is time to crush this extremist thinking. I support President Duterte and his declaration of martial law in Mindanao.

Violence in Mindanao is no longer a rebellion but a conflict that “transmogrified into an invasion by foreign terrorists who heeded the clarion call of the ISIS to go to the Philippines,” Solicitor General Jose Calida said in justifying the declaration of martial law in the south. Military offensive continues in Marawi City as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) confirmed that there were terrorists from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore fighting alongside the Maute group.” Indeed, extremism must be stopped at all cost!

At this point, I urge Pres. Duterte and his government to speak with one voice. Was it necessary for National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to say, “In the implementation of martial law in Mindanao, the Armed Forces of the Philippines will not specifically target the New People's Army.” Why say this when the CPP/NPA were already ordered to increase its attacks against the government. This sends the wrong signals that the Defense Chief and the President have different views on this issue. But on the positive side, I’m glad that the government has suspended its peace talks with the CPP.

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