THE public is being given a moro-moro or farcical show by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the efforts to rescue kidnapped Catholic priest Michael Sinnott.

And the government is going along with the farce.

Most people—at least those in Mindanao—know who the kidnappers are. They are members of the MILF.

No illegal activities take place in MILF-held territories without the consent of, or orders from, MILF higher-ups.

The MILF statement that it’s helping in rescuing Sinnott from the kidnappers is pure hogwash.

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“As a matter of policy, the MILF is obliged to exert its best efforts to help work out the safe and immediate recovery of Father Sinnott,” according to MILF chieftain Al-Haj Murad.

Oh, yeah?

Of course, the MILF will be able to rescue the Irish priest because he’s been with them from the very start.

Sinnott’s release is not a question of “if” but of “when.”

When enough money is collected for Sinnott’s release and turned over to his MILF kidnappers, then he will be released.

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The more the government goes with the farce about the MILF help in Sinnott’s rescue, the more it loses credibility with the public.

“Ginabinuangan lang ta sa gobiyerno ug kanang mga Moros sa pagsalba sa pari (The government and the MILF are taking us for fools in the rescue efforts for the priest),” commented a Mindanaoan.

So, please—government and MILF—stop the show that’s making the public puke.

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Okay, it’s understandable why the government is playing along with the MILF on the rescue efforts for Sinnott.

It doesn’t want to antagonize the MILF because if it did, the Moros might walk out of the peace negotiations with the government.

So, there you are.

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The controversial radio frequency identification (RFID) was not thought out by the present leadership of the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

If I know LTO chief Arturo Lomibao, he wouldn’t come out with such a harebrained idea of putting a tracking device on every vehicle in the country.

Lomibao, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, is much more intelligent than that.

He avoided controversies as PNP chief because he didn’t do anything that would catch public attention.

Perhaps Lomibao was just ordered by people “upstairs” to force the RFID on motor vehicle owners.

So, whose idea was the RFID that would earn billions of pesos in commissions from the project?

Who else but the usual suspects?

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On Nov. 22, my birthday, I plan to hold a two-day medical mission in Tacloban City through my RT Good Samaritan Foundation.

Although I’m not from the place, I consider Tacloban— one of the country’s poorest—
my home since I finished high school there.

The planned medical mission would operate on people with cleft palates and cataracts, and those with lumps (bukol).

I also plan to bring dentists to treat people with caries. But alas, I’m being given the runaround by some sectors that might not make it possible for me to hold what I want to be my most meaningful birthday celebration!

I’m appealing to concerned agencies to help me since my intentions are noble.
I’d like to repeat for the nth time what I’ve been saying for years: I have no political ambition.

I can best serve my people through the mass media. There is no other way I know how.