All-out justice

While President Benigno Aquino III declared “all-out justice” in dealing with rogue members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front following the killing of  more than 19 soldiers, civilians are still the first casualties in the conflict. They have to be evacuated so they won’t be caught in the crossfire.

Some quarters still criticize the President’s order because they want an all-out military offensive against the MILF, mindless of civilian casualties.

I have stated before and let me state again that an all-out war is not the solution to the problems in Mindanao. If I were the President I would let the people of Mindanao decide, undergo consultation and submit their proposed solutions to the national  government.

Foremost in the agenda should be how to provide public education and hospitals for the poor in Muslim areas. The government should stop coddling political leaders who are abusive and corrupt. The government’s role is to establish a process where the voice of the people of Muslim Mindanao can be heard in a free, orderly and clean election of leaders.

To those in favor of an  all out-war in Mindanao,  I wish that you could be kinder to our Muslim brothers and sisters, and stop treating them as second-class citizens.

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The Movement for a Livable Cebu, which is in the forefront of opposing more  flyover projects in Cebu City, had a successful discussion with Secretary Rogelio Singson of the Department of Public works and Highways in Manila.

Reports said  the secretary was shocked to learn that a series of seven  flyovers is being proposed in Cebu City, and that information reaching him from  the DPWH regional office gave the misimpression that  two proposed flyovers in Gorordo Avenue and M.J. Cuenco enjoyed popular support.

I hope  the group together with Mayor Michael Rama can immediately convene a summit to formulate a transportation  master plan for the city. Experts and stakeholders should be invited and listened to.

I think it’s about time politicians start listening to  experts and the stakeholders. They should keep their mouths shut and stop lording it over the city as if it was their small kingdom.

After all, ours is a democratic system of government, a government of the people, by the people and for the people.

It would also be good for public officials to remember that they were elected by the people to represent them and not to oppress them.  The problem with some officials is that they have grown insensitive to the principles of democracy, and act as if they are entitled to their office. I wonder if it is only in the Philippines where politicians don’t consult  experts  and then speak as if they are better than the experts who studied abroad  to master their craft.

Mr. Mayor, please don’t dilly-dally in the formulation of the master plan which is badly needed by the public and don’t be  scared by critics.

I’m amazed at the nonchalance of the  DPWH regional office in Cebu. Despite the reaction of their boss, they seem unaffected by  being  found out to be  feeding  false information to Secretary Singson.

They continue to press for the construction of two flyovers in Cebu City’s north district, which leads some quarters to ask how much  the officials are getting from a project which Cebu urban planning experts say is a costly and ineffective way to address traffic congestion.