DESPITE the Philippine government’s continuous efforts to promote unity and stability in the country, all it took was one insurgence, to bring it back to the drawing board from all the strides it has made in fostering peace among its citizens.
For the last decade, the Philippine army has hunted down Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members with assistance from its foreign counterparts.
The ASG has been blamed for the worst terror attacks in the country, including the kidnappings of foreign tourists.
The government believes that ASG’s presence has been contained and intermittent due to the rigorous military offensives, but still lingers as a key security threat.
When marine soldiers clashed with ASG rebels in Sulu on May 26, it did not only result in casualties from both warring parties. It also reiterated how peace remains elusive and how the nation’s security is still volatile.
Malacañang extended condolences to the bereaved families of the slain marines and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. Deputy Presidential Spokeswoman Abigail Valte assured that pursuit operations have been launched to apprehend the suspected ASG bandits behind the attack.
“The challenge of building a Philippines that is truly prosperous and secure remains, and we will do everything in our power to meet it, recognizing that it is the greatest tribute we can offer to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” Valte said.
“The administration joins the country in mourning the passing of the seven men who gave their lives to build a safer and more peaceful Philippines. As we mourn, we vow to pursue justice on all fronts, as this is integral to achieving our ultimate goal of winning the peace,” Valte added.
For his part, Vice President Jejomar Binay said that the presence of ASG has hampered government development efforts in Mindanao.
“The lives lost should be a reminder to the government to give attention to the Abu Sayyaf problem,” Binay said when he paid his respects on the remains of the fallen soldiers at the Philippine Marines Headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
Binay (who is also a reserve Marine colonel) joined President Benigno S. Aquino III in according full military honors to 2Lt. Alfredo Lorin, Corporal Jay Alasain, Private First Class Andres Bogwana, PFC Rene Gare, PFC Jayson Durante, PFC Dominador Sabejon and PFC Roxas Pizzaro, who were all part of the Force Recon Class-18.
On Sunday, civilian volunteers and soldiers worked hand in hand to turn the walls of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo into a peace mural.
When finished, the project will span about four kilometers along EDSA, as reported by Philstar.com. The mural, which will be launched on June 15, is intended to showcase Filipino nationalism and unity.
“The purpose of the project is to build the culture of peace. We are using the walls to convey the message to the public so they’ll be aware that everybody is a stakeholder of our peace efforts,” said Maj. Harold Cabunoc, chief of the Armed Forces 7th civil-relations group.
This quest for peace has left wide-ranging costly effects, such as humanitarian and security problems. It undermines the turnarounds by the current administration while scaring off potential foreign investors and compromising the economic and political integrity of this country.
Fostering peace and security remains the nation’s formidable challenge and greatest hope for the future of its citizens.
This soon-to-become world’s longest peace mural is a reminder that to guarantee such future, this goal must begin in the hearts of the people, not just in the aspirations of the nation’s leaders.
(AJPress)
