Zamboanga Under Siege; A Sham to Drown the Pork Barrel Tsunami?

In August, I wrote about the almost ineluctable after-event, diversionary tactic, every time a furor of pork’s magnitude breaks out. Could yesterday’s Zamboanga invasion by Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) contingents loyal to former ARMM Governor and MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari have been staged to deflect the public’s fixation over the Pork Barrel Scam?

Since I was waiting for an event loud enough to get the public’s attention, no matter how momentarily, I thought so right away the moment I have learned of the MNLF adventure. And look at the motivation that compelled them to undertake such a dangerous excursion: they wanted to hoist their flag over at the city hall. Really!?

Before we make our judgment, let’s look at some antecedents for MNLF relating to the issue. The government has struck a Malaysia-brokered peace deal with the MILF, which to date continues to iron out details, and in fact is scheduled to resume in October. MNLF opposes such deal and insists, instead, on the implementation of the 1996 MNLF peace accord with the government, which it claims the latter abrogated.

Nur Misuari went on to declare Bangsamoro Republik Independence in August, and installed himself as the Chief of the Bangsamoro Armed Forces. Now we can see that the premise has been laid, which could justify the event. But what has Nur Misuari’s MNLF, splintered, in its arsenal to carry out such undertaking? With Sema’s group dissociating itself from that of Misuari’s, MNLF has not much to fuel this kind of endeavor. But we can see that they have a passionate motivation.

The question is funding.

Somewhere in the archipelago, men (and women) awash with funds are desperate for some kind of “national interest” events that could throw off public attention from them. Let me break it down: one who has the motivation meets another who has the means (hoping to benefit from the logical effect) equals OPPORTUNITY. And the first shot was fired.

They could not have done it in Metro Manila, or they would have been all over the mess. Mindanao is a convenient excuse for this kind of event. It is a stage for local armed conflict, staged or for real.