Terrorists still active in Metro Manila

We are glad that the police have been very effective against terrorist groups in Metro Manila. Two days ago, there were two attempts to sow fear on the people. First, a person was arrested taking explosives inside an LRT train. Second, a bomb exploded in the Court of Appeals in Manila and a group calling itself Taong Bayan at Kawal ng Pilipinas claimed responsibility for the explosion and said it was a message for the President to resign by February 22. The group also demanded that the Constitution be amended, the ouster of generals who are being linked to cheating in the May 2004 elections and the sacking of all Commission on Elections officials.

What they must do to be truly effective is to present their complaints against the President, generals and Comelec officials in court. We must solve our problems through legal means. The group that bombed the Court of Appeals are now wanted by the authorities. How can they make demands when they are the very first to violate our laws? They say that the bombing of the Court of Appeals was – to compel the President to resign. How can it force the President to step down? In the first place, the Court of Appeals in Manila has nothing to do with Malacañang. It is fortunate that no innocent bystanders were killed or injured and there seemed to have been minimum amount of damage to property. But it was a senseless act and the authorities should do their utmost to apprehend the people responsible for that to the last.

We have no problems that can be solved by terrorizing innocent people. Bombs can only destroy property and kill and injure innocent people. As it is now, terrorism has become one of the world’s biggest problems.

We should go after corrupt and inept government officials but it should be through our courts. The way the terrorists operate, they ignore the corrupt officials and instead sow fear on the victims of these officials who receive their remunerations through the taxes paid by the people.

We have the problem of poverty and unemployment. That is what should be given priority. We are for sending all corrupt officials to jail. As it is now, what we have are terrorists who bomb innocent persons to make the President resign by February 22. How senseless can one get? Terrorists are plain criminals and they kill innocent persons, not for personal gain, but simply because of their perverted desire to sow fear. They really belong in the hands of psychiatrists more than the police. They are a bigger problem than corrupt officials.