In our physics subject in high school, we learned that an action taken will have a corresponding reaction. When President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office, or even weeks before he was inaugurated, the rank and file of the Philippine National Police (PNP) already unsheathed their word, so to speak, and jumped into action.
To date, more than thousands were killed and tens of thousands surrendered, and police action is still ongoing. The president waged a war in many fronts. He is getting the applause on his war versus the illegal drug trade. More and louder clapping when he made an open declaration of war against the Abu Sayaf.
President Duterte stressed he wanted to end the group’s banditry and kidnapping activities. So he sent his marching orders. “Pulbusin na ang bandidong Abu Sayaf!” Immediately thousands of troops were fielded in two locations, Sulu and Basilan, two known lairs of the terrorist group. And last week skirmishes were reported and both the government troopers and the Abu Sayaf suffered casualties.
It was a no let-up punitive action taken by both the military and police. And the terrorist group appeared to have caused the bombing on a night market in Davao City a few days ago that claimed several lives and injuring innocent civilians. That seems the reaction to the President’s action. Duterte was seething in anger and ordered more troops fielded. We are all in this. You don’t have to be in Mindanao not to get involved. Let’s rally behind the president, so in no time our country will achieve peace and prosperity in all the three big regions. We’ve hungered for it for too long now.
However some people don’t get it, why national media it seems are bashing the side of government instead, and not the criminals. So President Duterte was forced to ask Philippine Daily Inquirer, ABS-CBN, CNN , ANC, Philippine Star, Rappler; “You are publishing the side of criminals… But how about the side of government who is doing everything to protect this country and its law abiding citizens from the criminals?”
We join President Duterte on his question. Why oh why?