In the Presence of My Enemies

I got to the Cebu airport 3 hours ahead of my flight to Davao. In the only bookstore in the vicinity, there was a lone copy of Gracia Burnham's account of her ordeal with the Abu Sayyaf last 2001. When the book came out, I was indifferent. I am one of those millions of Filipinos who believed whatever the media dishes out. I am one of those millions of Filipinos who never bothered to read.

Seven years after and having had lived in Mindanao for the past three years, I bought the book out to satisfy my curiosity. The book started with the kidnapping at Dos Palmas in Palawan. The group's transfer to Basilan and the year long captivity with details on the subsequent release of the Filipinos hostages after ransom were paid and the forcing of women to marry them. The beheading of an immigrant. Tales of diarrhea and hunger and having to survive a predicament not really of one's fault.

Seven years after, the book speak more truths to me and made me understand what is happening in Mindanao especially Zamboanga, Basilan and Jolo. People in Manila have long romanticized the situation. Mindanao is the Philippine's Africa. And Gracia's account might well be the Asian version of "Out of Africa". But the truths written in the book were just brushed off by the government and the military. And like any citizen in this God forsaken country, I believed them. I beleived that no ransom was paid especially when Regis Romero was released. I beleived the military was straight enough not to provide guns to the rebels. I believed that the government is on top of the situation.

I tried to look the other way. Because the truths hurt.

1. The military gets a cut from the ransom money paid to the kidnappers.
2. The military provide arms to these kidnappers. The money paid by the people for taxes used to buy guns are used to kidnap and kill its own people.
3. There are ransoms paid for every victim in the kidnapping.
4. The military was responsible for the death of Martin burnham and Edibohra Yap.

It may seem not to matter now for most Filipinos. Issue after issue. The media hug each but nothing gets resolved. The issues just fade away like a bad memory in a country ailing with Alzheimers's Disease. This is my country. Maybe this is why they call this place Paradise. You can actually do anything and get away with it.