FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Chita Dela Cruz-Heap

A Nation’s Shame

November 23rd was the first anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre, an event which shocked the world, and a day which will forever be recorded in infamy.

On that day some 58 journalists, including members of their entourage, were ruthlessly shot down in a hail of fire which lasted for ten to fifteen minutes. Never before in the history of the Philippines have so many journalists been killed at one time. This was the worst case of political violence that our country has ever seen.

Needless to say the event was broadcast all around the world. The international community was horrified both by the savagery of the attack, and also by the fact that such an incident was allowed to happen at all.

As the background behind the case unfolded, horror gave way to incredulity and disgust when it became known that local politicians, together with police officers and members of the armed forces, were amongst those responsible for this cowardly attack.

To date 197 individuals have been charged either with complicity or else with direct involvement in the attack, 62 of these being police officers, a further 20 being from the armed forces. The others were either members of the Ampatuans family or else of a local militia. To date none of them have yet been brought to justice.

The progress of the trial was impeded by the murder of the main witness as he prepared to board a plane to Manila in order to submit his evidence about the massacre. He himself had been one of the assailants, but troubled by his conscience he had stepped forward to give evidence in return for freedom from it is a prosecution.

The suspected instigator and alleged mastermind of the atrocity, Andan Ampatuan Sr. together with his son Andan Ampatuan Junior are still behind bars awaiting trial. Despite the overwhelming evidence, comments made by the defendants suggest that they are confident that they will escape justice because of their political connections in Manila.

It was also revealed that prior to this event there had been other incidents in the area resulting in a further 200 other deaths, either as a result of massacre or else who were simply murdered, in many cases by the use of a chain saw.

What message does this send out to the world about our country? Firstly that Filipinos are little better than savages who exhibit a complete disregard for human life, for justice, and for the rule of law. In addition to this that the Philippines is a country plagued by corruption, a country in which local officials, politicians, and members of the police and army are willing to commit murder provided that they are well paid.

Such publicity can hardly be considered as conducive to the stimulation of our tourist industry from which a great deal of our revenue is currently generated. You and I may well be aware that this was an isolated incident, and it is regrettable that the actions of a few have come to reflect upon us all.

More recently there was another incident in Manila where a coach load of Chinese tourists were held hostage by a lone gunman. The incident was televised as it unfolded, and people around the world looked on in horror as the rescue attempt was bungled, resulting in the slaughter of (?) Chinese tourists.

What message did this send to the world? The message that it sent is that Manila is not safe for tourists, and that Filipinos are totally incompetent. This dealt another severe blow to our tourist industry with at least four countries warning their nationals that the Philippines was an unsafe destination and that they should not go there.

More recently still the local media has been reporting on a case now ongoing on Boracay Island where four Canadian nationals claim that they have been duped out of P100 million by a Filipina business woman and her accomplice.

In an attempt to recover their money they claim to have been subjected to death threats and intimidation, despite which the local police force have been reluctant to take action or to afford any form of security or protection.

This incident has also been reported around the world over the internet, and it is only a matter of time before it is reported in the international press. Boracay has established a reputation around the world as ‘a paradise island’ and as an ideal holiday destination, but unless the case is quickly resolved, this reputation will be tarnished for good.

Our tourist industry generates much needed income each year, an income which is desperately needed by a country in which so many live below the poverty line.

Our country is also the recipient of a great deal of foreign aid, together with monetary assistance in the form of international loans. In the light of the current world financial crisis, this provision too has come under threat owing to widely publicized accounts of corrupt practices ongoing within the Philippines.

We desperately need to straighten out our act. We need to stamp out corruption. We need to ensure that the rule of law is applied, and that justice is done. Nor is it a question of waiting for someone else to improve our situation, but rather it is we as individuals, we as citizens of this country, we as Filipinos who must act.

It is we ourselves must do whatever we can to improve the image of our country in the eyes of the world. It is time to wake up. Complacency is no longer an option./TE