Much Ado Over a Policeman's Picture

(Following was a correspondence we had with Suara Bangsamoro, a militant Moro youth group, that works with several other progressive civil society groups. I recall my own kind of arguments when I was as young as they are now and having been member of such radical student groups as the LFS and CEGP I felt how it was to be like them once upon a time. Now I speak the language of the elders way back then - the same langguage that I wouldn't quite understand before. What an awefully revealing experience I have now to be wearing a different kind of shoes!)


Suara Bangsamoro writes..

Salam,

Attached are photos of a 'policeman' roaming around the rally in Pikit Municipal Plaza on February 18, 2008 against the conduct of Balikatan military exercises in the area. He introduced himself as PO1 Arwin Jobiane of Pikit Police Station when asked by Mohida Sali, provincial coordinator of Suara Bangsamoro-North Cotabato.

Upon coming to the site, he already holds a program of the rally. He asks the participants who are the leaders and speakers of the rally because he was tasked by his station to do so for their file report. He also took pictures of all speakers of the rally.

According to the participants/residents of Pikit, they know the rosters of policemen in their area but don't recognize the face of the 'policeman' as one of them. They claimed that a certain PO1 Jobiane exists but it's not the 'policeman' who roams during the rally. They doubt that the 'policeman' is a member of the intelligence and only borrowed the uniform from a certain PO1 Jobiane. But, we are still confirming this report.

Participants are worried and felt fear on the presence of this ‘policeman.’ They also found this ‘policeman’ disrespectful and ill-mannered because he wanders around the site while the speakers are giving their statements. He even brought a firearm with him while roaming around. This is a clear manifestation of harassment to progressive individuals and organizations especially the Moro people who are active in getting involved to various political and economic issues like Balikatan.

Please consider.

Thank you so much for continuous support!

Shukran!

Bai Ali Indayla
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Mau writes..

I don't think there was any harassment that took place against the ranks of the Suara Bangsamoro. There was no such thing as far as I am concerned. Matter of fact, you were granted the required permit by the Office of the Mayor in recognition of your right to peaceful assembly and freedom of speech in redress of legitimate grievance.

It is normal, though, as a matter of routine security actions that the government keeps an ear on what you say and how you acted. As to who was assigned to that task is immaterial and the government is not duty-bound to explain its covert security details. In fact, there was nothing new. The government knew the personalities behind Suara Bangsamoro, and therefore, there was no need to tail on anyone and act like a stalker.

Despite the ill-timing of the rally due to the presence of our foreign visitors from the World Food Programme we granted the permit. Somebody reminded that the timing was not good. I said, the foreigners are too aware that the militant groups are against the conduct of the 'balikatan' even if it was just a civic action as in Medical/Dental Missions and no military exercise or war games.

I hope that the Suara Bangsamoro does not make a big deal out of their own analysis of certain things and certain situations as we do not make a big issue out of that rally.
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Suara Bangsamoro writes..

Salam Brother,

Harassment is not only in the form of physical but also emotional and psychological. Taking photos by a man with a police uniform and pistol already creates harassment to the protesters. If you can remember the story of an old lady in Manarapan, Carmen who died in heart tack after she saw men in uniform (military) and US troops coming to their place during the Balikatan 2006, you will feel the same. That story runs pages in local and national dailies.

We can’t blame the Bangsamoro people feeling this way. The Bangsamoro have had enough! History will tell us.

With regards to permit, we sincerely thank Mayor Sultan Sumulong in granting it. After all, it is our constitutional right.

We just want to register that a policeman or any individual roaming around the rally site and taking photos to every speaker in the stage as well as the participants, would not be a big deal if they coordinated with the group like what we did with the LGU of Pikit. Anybody can have photos and details of the program as what you had received. Everybody can access to real stories of the poor Bangsamoro people. By doing so, we had informed the participants not to panic and react.

We are sorry if our activity is simultaneous to the activity of your foreign visitors. We hope it is just a coincident, not planned. We cannot suppress the legitimate sentiments of our people. After all, we all know that these humanitarian aids are only to win over the hearts and minds of the Bangsamoro to soften and would not protest on the permanent basing and military deployment of the US troops in Mindanao .

We even received information that even local government units are not consulted and properly informed of the US troops and AFP activities. Hope the activities of the foreign visitors are not façade to cover-up what is going on in the ground.

We are not against with developments and aids. We are against with activities which are dubious and insincere thus not really serving for the real needs of the Moro people.

We appeal that you will see the objective side of this matter. The poor Bangsamoro people need your truthful services. They want intelligent people like you who can help them defend their lands against aggression; protect their children from harm and terror and advocate their rights for self determination.

We are not making a big fuss out of this story. We just want to tell the responsible people of what was happening in the grassroots. We hope that we can be united in defending the Bangsamoro and Filipino people’s interest. We must learn from the divide-rule tactic that the colonizers used to divide us and rule over our nation. We thank you for your support for the Bangsamoro people.
Shukran!
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Mau writes..

Salam Bai:

I do appreciate people like you who have the talent and time to spare for the Bangsamoro.. Right on Bai, right on..

I have had my time and I spared a lot for the people we all love so much.. the poor Bangsamoro, the lowly Bangsamoro.. the innocent, the meek, the poor victims, not only of foreign dominations and deceptions, but also of our local leaders' greed, deception, wanton squabble for political power and bickerings, amassing wealth at the expense of the lowly and ignorant Bangsamoro..

I said I've had my time, though, it's not over yet. I just feel lucky and relieved that there are people like you Bai - willing to take over the unfinished task. You should expand your 'defense perimeter' though, not only against foreign mingling and deception, but against local cohorts of these foreign powers who conveniently shield their identities in the name of public service and 'jihad'. I'm sorry but you should look around and qualify them one by one.

It is not appropriate that you speak loud against the foreign masters and keep silent against the local cohorts, be they people who identify themselves as Muslims or non-Muslims or anyone else. I was a combatant in the Jihad in the 1970s and early 80s - at a time when the Bangsamoro Homeland was ravaged by bloody fighting.. but that was the glorious era of the Jihad, I should say because I just felt that everyone was so sincere and dedicated to the cause. Let me emphasize here, however, that I don't say that everyone is now insincere and crook; no, I don't say that.. there are a few good leaders that we still have in the Jihad.. (Hadji Murad and others..), but among our political leaders?? please help me identify the few good men among them.

I hope and pray that Allah (SWT) does not befall upon us His 'fitnah', not yet, because you see, Bai, there are signs of the time that tell us we are on the brink of such WRATH from Allah.. Subha'nallah.. You see, Bai, the few good men among our leaders in the Jihad and in the government service are not the ones holding the reins of power. It is the crook and the wicked that wields and brandishes power here, there and everywhere. With what we have at present, where do we go from here??

Help me find the answer, help the lowly, the poor and the meek Bangsamoro to get out of this situation.. this is not what we long to see for the poor, the meek, the ignorant, the oppressed Bangsamoro.. tell them to rise because we can do so.. the Bangsamoro grassroots hold the real power to change for the better and create a situation where it is possible to achieve their dreams, where there is hope for everyone, where there is peace, harmony and prosperity.

We can do all these, Insha Allah! We only need WILL POWER and PIETY to do all these. All efforts, without Allah in our hearts and mind, shall come to naught and will not prosper. Subha'naka La ilmalana illa ma allamtana!

Wassalam..