The Philippines is in the middle of a propaganda war. The upcoming election seems to have emboldened some to use propaganda machines designed to effect maximum damage on their enemies. The problem is, it’s not just the reputation of the people who are at war that is at stake; innocent people’s lives are also at stake. The violent dispersal of protesters at Kidapawan City, North Cotabato is a case in point.
Police came to be involved in a scene that was already at a boiling point.
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In a propaganda war, public sympathy will always lie with the dead. Since there were protesters who died, the public naturally felt sorry for them. But we should spare a thought for the members of the police force who were simply doing their jobs. They were sent to Ground Zero to deal with the protesters. None of them died but two of them are now in a coma, still in a critical condition after they were beaten to a pulp by protesters. A video of the tragic event shows quite a number of protesters beating the cops even when they were already down on the ground.
Some of us failed to realize that there were more cops than protesters who sustained injuries from the rocks thrown at them and sticks used to bludgeon them. The protesters were supposed to be “starving”, see. Needless to say, their action is not something that I would condone. The protesters in that instance acted like mad dogs who were mauling their victims.
I personally do not want to be used as a tool for spreading false information in this propaganda war. It seems there are extremists – enemies of the state – who have taken advantage of the situation and are using the farmers to advance their own agenda. Yes, the farmers have genuine grievances but violence against members of the police or those who were trying to put order back into the situation should not be part of their agenda. The worst part is, only the cops are taking flak for the tragedy because they were seen carrying and using their firearms. Never mind that the police came into this situation when it was already at the boiling point. They didn’t create the problem. There are even reports that one of the protesters who died tested positive for gunpowder residue on his hands.
North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Mendoza seemed more concerned about being insulted by her rivals than helping the farmers.
It doesn’t help that North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Mendoza cannot set aside politics in times of crisis. She had the nerve to say she was insulted when donations from other politicians started pouring in. The government’s lack of action coupled with their arrogance is not helping their cause. They will not gain sympathy from the public. It is also worth noting that President Benigno Simeon Aquino has not said anything about tragedy. His handlers probably thought it would be best for the President not to speak about important issues like this in public to avoid committing more faux pas.
A police officer that was part of the dispersal operation in Kidapawan being beaten up by a protester.
The sad thing here is, while the government appears callous to those who are suffering, the members of the police force have become pawns of this game and have fallen victim to this propaganda war. It’s no surprise that some of them have low morale and eventually lose their patriotism for their country.
In life, things are not always what they seem.
If you use Politics in a Relief Effort; you end up again and again, in the Typhoon Yolanda Relief Effort scenario. Mar Roxas, telling the Mayor of Tacloban: ” You are a Romualdez; and the President is an Aquino, “bahala na kayo sa buhay ninyo””…any Filipino, who deserves help; must be helped. Irregardless of his/her political party; political ideology or religious ideology. We are all Filipinos. We are all paying taxes.
If you use this Relief goods and help; as a “political motivator”; to promote your political agendas. This is not right. It stinks, to high heaven. The same way that the : DAP, PDAF, Pork Barrel Bribery, missing Typhoon Yolanda Relief Funds; etc… stinks…I extend my condolences to the families of those who died in the incident. Same way, I extend my sympathies, to those critically injured Police. This tragedy could had been easily avoided.
the “You are a Romualdez; and the President is an Aquino” scenario has long been debunked as a recording purely taken out of context. It was really a sign of bad bureaucracy and just dumb choice of words from mr. roxas. In the event of disaster, it is the local LGU who must act first, roxas, being the dimwit that he is, still cannot fathom at that time that the lgu was wiped out, and thus was unable to do its function.
He asked that infamous line, to prevent any misunderstanding from both sides, he didn’t want it to seem like they were taking over his jurisdiction on the grounds that he is a romualdez. it was really “You are a romualdez, the president is an aquino, we must be careful because there might be misunderstandings on the take over, people might mistake this as an usurpation of power” (think about what’s happening with the North cot governor now)
you get the gist.
In times of disaster, bureaucracy must be transcended. In times of calamities and tragedies. Help must be done, when help is needed; not because of territories; responsibilities; etc…
There are many ways, to justify your vested political agenda.
Help is needed…calamity was there…and we are thinking of who would beresponsible? And, whose territory is this? It does not make sense…
if something like this happened in Australia, there would be howls of outrage from all sectors of society for a Royal Commission to get to the truth of the matter.
Here, what happens is nothing happens. Same old same old.
(but that phrase “glacial speed” is so spot on and apt: if anything does ever happen, it’ll be long after the event – if ever)
I say the REAL reason for this incident is because our country is still divided & politics will be your everyday life and not food, water, jobs, etc., etc. Philippine style politics is the real reason why the farmers in Kidapawan or in some parts of Mindanao starve to death. Philippine style politics is the real reason why there’s a laglag bala scheme in NAIA, mismanagement in LRT & MRT, tensions over Spratly Is., overpricing at the Makati City Hall, increase criminality & poverty in our country and many others. Political will is not in our country’s dictionary in spite that a politician will tell that to you but it was just a marketing gimmick. In Philippine style politics, the meaning of political will is without the letter ‘W’, in other words, is a POLITICAL ILL!!! A deadly disease that is worst than AIDS, SARS, Zika, Ebola, etc., etc. and it’s difficult to cure.
Anyway, I would like to show you a link from 8list.ph about the Kidapawan incident especially if you read the number 1 spot there as a reminder to this post as what I’d said it: http://8list.ph/kidapawan-bigas-hindi-bala/
Where is the Head of state amidst all of this? It’s déjà vu once again post Yolanda and Saf 44 massacre, instigating more chaos and division, I believe is part of their agenda, there is no more government in control.
who cares? PNoy is now the modern day Juan Tamad, a character of laziness, idiocracy & cowardness. It is the beginning of the end of Aquino magic that actually it turns into a curse!
I hope he won’t be the First Filipino President to plead insanity to escape all the atrocities he will face after his term
I wonder if PNoy will commit suicide inside the Malacanang Palace a day before his term will end just like what Hitler did around 71 years ago? Then his family’s legacy will put to shame forever and our country will finally have a better future for as long as Duterte will be our country’s next president. 😉
to escape conviction from the atrocities he committed
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.