From: francis@mpl.ucsd.edu (Francis C Felizardo)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.filipino
Subject: Some more on the CPP Legalization
Date: 21 Aug 92 15:29:33 GMT
Organization: Scripps Institution of Oceanography
NNTP-Posting-Host: kiko.ucsd.edu

From: Marida Ignacio

>T'were apples and oranges but both reflect Filipinos' way of
>thinking and sentiments with regards to accepting wrongdoings.
>Some choose to confront and elevate problems, some choose to
>not forget and keep on rubbing the mistakes of others while
>being blind on the mistakes of another, etc.
>
This may be true about us but this is not uniquely Filipino. Even 
Americans are guilty of this. Note how popular Saddam bashing is 
but how often do we hear people (especially public officials) 
criticize the Kuwaiti Royal Family?

In any case, I don't think this describes the two issues we're talking 
about. Legalizing/negotiating a political settlement with the CPP does 
not mean we are closing our eyes to the mistakes the CPP committed. 

>I understand the whole point from the start but thank you very
>much for expressing your concise view in your post.  I too am
>pro-legalization of CPP or any party for that matter that would
>enable people under it to participate and be involve with the
>problems and corresponding solutions of our nation without
>going thru back-stabbing, coup d'etat, insurgencies, etc.

Agreed.

>Being on a conservative side as I am, I have my hesitations
>to be putting innocent 'common' people thru experimentations
>(impossible property demands, further terrorisms, etc., who knows 
>what they are really up to) at a *legalized* state using them as 
>guinea pigs then if the government won't later on be able to 
>control it, go through martial law - before you know it, the 
>Philippines is back at the bottom of the stack (start).  I know
>this is something new and Filipinos do need to grow up too on
>their political education and open-mindedness and I do pray
>it is for the better and that there won't be taking advantages
>of anybody.

Of course it would be the height of naivete for the government to grant 
legalization unconditionally and unilaterally if the CPP membership 
is unwilling to lay down their arms and participate in the electoral 
process. Currently, the CPP strategy is to promote the revolution 
using illegal (armed struggle and underground propaganda) and legal 
(front organizations and infiltrating legal organizations) methods. 
By legalizing the CPP unconditionally and unilaterally, the government 
would simply provide the Left with more tools for their bag of tricks.

However, bringing the Left to the mainstream CAN work. For example, 
the approach appears to be successful in El Salvador where the FMLN 
rebels and the government worked out a political settlement that 
was satisfactory to all parties. The settlement put an end to a 
bloody civil war (bloodier than our insurgency) with both sides saving 
face. Two years ago, the very idea would have been unthinkable.

Of course there are inherent risks in the approach but if the 1987 
ceasefire and peace talks is a guide, I think the government knows 
how to set up safeguards so it does not get taken advantage of.
For example, during that ceasefire, both sides agreed on a ban on 
public displays of strength and weaponry, and a ban on acquisition 
of new weapons and ammunition in exchange for safe passage for both 
the military and the NPA. A tripartite committee monitored ceasefire 
violations and arbitrated disputes on what constitutes ceasefire 
violations. Our government is guilty of doing a lot of stupid things 
but we should give it some credit on this issue.

>As for the Marcos burial, I believe the government agreed with
>Imelda's request on this just to get things over and done with.
>As for the slap on people's principles and real national heroes' and
>heroins' faces for putting somebody the least deserving in their
>pedestal on same level with them even after all the wrongs he
>did - sometimes, I do not let the past (specifically, if it were bad)
                  ----------------------------------------------------
>control the future before me.
 -----------------------------

True. But in looking forward, we should not forget the lessons of 
the past either. Remember the old Pilipino saying: 

Ang hindi marunong tumingin sa pinanggalingan 
ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan. 

[He who does not look back at where he came from 
 will never reach his destination.]

Marcos CAN be buried without military honors. If Bongbong and Imelda 
don't like it, then they'll just have to learn to live with it. The 
government does not have to brown nose the Marcos family.Incidentally, 
from yesterday's news reports, the Marcos state funeral may not happen 
after all.

Comments welcome.

   - Francis
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Francis C Felizardo				francis@mpl.ucsd.edu
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 0213	      (619) 534 1085
La Jolla, CA 92093-0213