Interesting perspective

At a birthday celebration, the conversation at our table touched the proposed Bagsamoro Basic Law. The passage of the BBL has been adversely affected with the many questions raised and even the demeanour of MILF officials as the whole nation attempted to come to terms with the Mamasapano Massacre. Another guest shared his interesting opinion that peace in Mindanao now needs to be a formal agreement between our country and Malaysia. It was pointed out that when the MILF gave a copy of their investigation report of the massacre it should be clear that the MILF report or is supported by Malaysian interests. This got me and, you dear reader as well, to trying to get the bigger picture of the problem with the existing conflict in Mindanao. We need to keep in mind that our country and Malaysia have feuded over ownership of Sabah (North Borneo). This should make us sensitive to the details that are emerging.

In Mr. Jarius Bondoc's column “Gotcha” yesterday, interesting details were shared that help support my fellow guest's opinion that the issue of peace should be addressed by the two nation states. Consider our predicament when our national government is in formal talks with the MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal who has admitted that such is only an alias and refused to make public his real name, that he said was known to the government. Why use an alias? Our chief negotiator, Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, when asked about the real name of “Mohagher Iqbal,” refused to do so saying, the request should better be addressed to the MILF peace negotiator himself. Hopefully, we get to know his real name so we can be certain of his identity and also his nationality. Previously Mr. Iqbal belied reports that he was a Malaysian citizen. I remember the last time a man, who was President then, used an alias this got him into big trouble.

Let us end with an attempt to smile as we try to make our perspective more interesting with the following anecdote. One day an elderly couple was out for an afternoon drive and had to stop for gas. Attendant: "Would you like me to check the oil?" Wife: "What did he say?" Husband: "He wants to know if I want the oil checked."Attendant: "Would you like me to top up the washer fluid?" Wife: "What did he say?" Husband: "He wants to know if I want the fluids topped up." When the attendant heard them talking, he asked, "By the way, where are you from? "The husband replied, "We are from Nova Scotia." "Ah," said the attendant. "Years ago I was in Nova Scotia and had the worst love affair ever.”The wife said, "What did he say?" Husband: "He thinks he knows you!"*