What about Father Bossi?

Is it true that some politicians are working on the postponement (again!) of the barangay elections? How many years have almost all of them been serving continuously already? Perhaps those moving for another delay should work instead on giving the barangay officials tenure for life. That way we can call them "life-termers." Joke only.

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Speaking of jokes, it is good to see that losing senatorial bet Koko Pimentel still manages to keep his sense of humor. Asked what message he has for Miguel Zubiri, who was proclaimed winner through the blessings of Maguindanao, Pimentel said he wishes him all the luck while stiing as a member of the Senate, and to "Enjoy it while it lasts". This is because Pimentel is said to be bent on filing a protest against the proclamation of Zubiri with the Senate Electoral Tribunal. Who knows what the outcome of that will be? After all, there is a precedent in the history of the Senate when a protesting candidate was able to wrench the seat from the declared winner after two years had gone by already.

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As for Zubiri, it has been reported that the greetings and congratulations offered to him seem to be muted, especially among his peers. And why did he not choose to take his oath in Manila before any of the Supreme Court Justices who had turned Pimentel's petition down? Naturally, he would not take it before the Chief Justice Reynato Puno, who wanted to grant the restraining order sought by Koko. Well, he knows what he is in for, he himself has mentioned that he will probably be known as "the senator from Maguindanao," but, so what? A Manila columnist yesterday called his triumph a "Dark Victory." Basta a victory.

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Meanwhile the Moro Islamic Liberation Front has released the results of its own probe into the Basilan ambush where 14 Marines were killed, with 10 of them beheaded and mutilated. The MILF said it was the military who provoked the fighting and also insisted that it was a legitimate encounter, not an ambush. It also denied that they were the ones who decapitated the Marines. Naturally, they would not want to admit that, even if they might suspect some of their men of being capable of doing it. The bestiality and brutality of the acts could have been done only by creatures who must be subhuman.

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Because, aside from cutting off the heads of their victims, the perpetrators also amputated their arms or fingers, stabbed their bodies in different parts, and, in some cases, as confirmed by the weeping widow of one of the dead soldiers, also cut off their private parts. What human being would be capable of doing that? The torture must have been horrible, since it is possible that they did all that while their victims were still alive and conscious.

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It is understandable that the Marines, especially, will not want to rest until they can avenge their comrades, but how will all this impact on their original mission, which was to rescue the abducted Italian priest, Fr. Giancarlo Bossi? If the military goes all-out in exacting revenge and pour firepower over the area, what will those holding Fr. Bossi do to him? Will they not take it out on him, or threaten harm or, worse, brutal torture, on the poor Padre? This is another problem that will need no less than the wisdom of Solomon. Can we expect that of the Army Chief Hermogenes Esperon?

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The Army Chief will have more on his hands with the claim of the New People's Army that it will stage more attacks in response to the anti-terrorism law, nicely packaged as the Human Security Act. Already, even non-NPA civilians and civic and professional groups are on all-out protests against the implementation of this law. At the summit meeting called by Chief Justice Reynato Puno yesterday on the so-called extra judicial killings taking place all over the country, apparently with their perpetrators enjoying impunity, Esperon blamed most of them on the rebels. At the same time, he also suggested a three-year ceasefire. The rebels will probably tell him, "Wish mo lang."*

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