SOUNDING BOARD is an outlet for opinions on good and crazy things going on at home (wherever I may be). All are welcome. You are not expected to bring anything except your common sense & sense of humor.
'If the automobile had followed the same development cycle as the computer, a Rolls-Royce would today cost $100, get one million miles to the gallon, and explode once a year, killing everyone inside.'
-Robert X. Cringely (from geek wisdom)
SOUNDING BOARD
Wednesday, July 30, 2003
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Separating the bull from the shit: Revisiting the weekend mutiny
Lt. Senior Grade Antonio Trillanes IV and the rest of the flat group of mutineers may have failed in the eyes of many as they called off their rebellion on Sunday against the corrupt military system they were trying to expose. They, however, succeeded in exposing the most abhoring facet of corruption in the military --- sale of arms to insurgents. And if this is followed by an independent, honest-to-goodness inquiry, who knows? The eyes of the sleeping majority may soon be opened. Or am I asking to much?
The Magdalo group claimed they had nothing personal to gain from the mutiny. They were a bunch of idealistic junior military officers who do not seek to grab power but merely to air their grievances. They succeeded in doing just that. Because they really seem not to have any answer to the 'what's next' question, the mutiny was bound to end the way it did.
The alleged corruption in the military goes beyond sale of arms. It goes beyond the alleged dealing with insurgents too. The worst news came a few months back when the military was linked to having colluded with the terrorist Abu Sayyaf group. Arroyo's response was predictable: she ordered an investigation on the matter.
Arroyo, in her State of the Nation (SONA) address on Monday ordered the setting up of two indepedent commissions to investigate the mutiny. On Tuesday, she announced the appointment of a retired Supreme Court justice to head a committee to investigate the issue. The Senate also planned to conduct its own investigation, the same senate which cleared the military of collusion charges with Abu Sayyaf in October 2002.
The Magdalo group tried to expose corruption in the military. Their method was certainly quite different from the way Fr. Nacorda and Grace Burnham used, but it carried a similar message. The government has conducted an inquiry in the past. A so-called 'independent' commission ordered by the President and a Senate inquiry will be conducted very soon. Too many inquiries, very few answers. Judge for yourself.
posted by Allan at 12:15 PM (GMT+8)
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