Viewpoints
Peace
By +Oscar V. Cruz, JCD
MORE than just the absence of war, peace is the yield of truth and the reign of justice – productive of socio-economic development that promotes human solidarity and harmony. Graft and corruption, falsehood and deception, not to mention illusion if not downright delusion – these and other maladies can be the cause of anything but peace, poverty and misery, criminality and immorality are the effective premises of social disorder – not social unity, not human concord. In fact, mere proclamations, no matter how nice sounding – inclusive of nicely worded and cryptically titled documents – do not necessarily come up with peace.
The so-called “Framework Agreement” with all its conclusive complementary agenda envisioned to bring peace in Mindanao, cannot but be appreciated, cannot but be accompanied by fervent pleas to the Divinity plus ardent exhortations to all Filipinos to “Give peace a chance.” In other words, would that the ideal become real, the intention makes its transit to a living fact, the official papers turn to vibrant reality on the soil long since saturated by human blood, long since fed by many human lives.
Q. 1: It is not in any way a secret that there are at least three war groupings in the Region that are not only attacking government forces but are also in fact, not exactly at peace and harmony with one another. Why is it then that the administration entered into an “Agreement” with but one group that is now supposedly at ease and in peace with the government?
Q. 2: It is of public knowledge that precisely right after the conclusive signing of the “Agreement,” one of the warring groups launched a deadly attack against government troops – a firefight that did not only kill individuals from both sides but also caused havoc among the civilians in the place. What kind of an “Agreement” is that which immediately brought about a fatal disagreement?
Q. 3: It is repeatedly said that the “Agreement” would have to be studied by the Legislative Department apparently to check if such an accord in no way contravene any pertinent constitutional provision. Supposing it proves to be unconstitutional, would the fundamental law of the land be then changed? And what else in the Philippine Constitution would be then changed?
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