November 23, 2010 Vol. 1 No.

The Official Newsletter of the Ateneo Christian Union for Socialist and Democratic Advancement (CRUSADA)

In this issue

On the Maguindanao Massacre 1

Travel and Terrorism 2

Solutions to Poverty 2

Perspective 3

CRUSADA Bulletin 3

Theory & Politics 4

Former mayor and main suspect for the

Maguindanao massacre, Andal Ampatuan, Jr. on his
way to a trial marred by delays, death or
Picture Source: http://article.wn.com disappearance and bribery of key witnesses.

Justice Delayed, Justice Denied

Today, November 23 marks the first anniversary of the bloody massacre of 57 men and women in Ampatuan town of
Maguindanao province. Last week, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a group of international media
practitioners, enumerated a few recommendations to the Philippine government in addressing the rather snail-paced trial
of the case. The government should see this as a slap-on-the-face: the inability to deliver swift justice to the perpetrators
of the crime is symptom of a failure of the State to take the side of the victims. While fair trial should not be sacrificed in
favor of a quick decision, CPJ notes there are reasons to be suspicious whether fair trial is indeed being conducted. Among
their recommendations are:

• that the police immediately hand in evidences to the prosecutors

• that the government investigate acts of violence, bribery and intimidation against/of witnesses and advise the
Judiciary to revise court rules being “exploited by defense attorneys” to stall
• to act against the culture of impunity

Ensuring justice for the victims is only one part of the State’s responsibility, however. Removing incentives for the
formation of private armies and the conditions that perpetuate them are the harder and bigger projects that require
collective discernment. Politicians who believe that they can use violence to advance their aims should never be allowed
to win elections too. But state elites and party leaders depend largely on these politicians; thus the cycle of violence. In
politics, self and group interests raise the stakes for holding on to power. Maybe it is time to rethink that.
 THE CRUSADER 2

Reactive not Proactive

Six Western countries, including the United States, Canada and
New Zealand issued travel advisories last month warning their
citizens against travelling to the Philippines in line with
information received indicating an imminent terrorist threat in
the Metro Manila. President Aquino relayed his concerns
about the issued warning as based on raw, unverified
information and asked the involved countries to re-evaluate
the warnings and the processes by which they were issued.
Picture Source: http://gulfnews.com
Employees of the Makati Stock Exchange being checked What does the Philippine government response signify? While
by security officers as they return to work last October, it signifies that these advisories are of national interest
after a bomb threat forced a temporary evacuation. because economic interests, such as foreign investments and
tourism, are at stake, it reflects a typical Philippine government
response to any issue raised by foreign governments – overly
“the CCT shows the Aquino reactive with respect to issues raised without clear proactive
approaches to address the situation.
administration’s focus on
short-term solutions to the While the issuance of travel advisories by foreign governments
are routine, the intensity and panic that they convey only serve
poverty problem and its to simplify the rather complex issue of terrorism. Heightening
security procedures and increasing layers of anti-terrorist
attempt to merely appease checks will not be an obstacle to a decided bomber.
Stereotyping and refusal to consider grievances illegitimate will
the majority of its voter base” only perpetuate it. Only genuine and open multi-stakeholder
dialogue can.
Another Shortcut
The Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Program, tailored to address poverty, is one of the most controversial
components of the proposed 2011 National Budget which is now under the scrutiny of the Senate. Last week,
Senator Edgardo Angara proposed a cut of PhP6 billion from the original PhP21 billion recommended by
Malacañang and reallocating it instead to state universities to advance the research and development sector.
The Angara proposal introduces a more pragmatic approach to the CCT program and reignites the debate on the
appropriate utilization of the national budget which Malacañang should have looked deeper into in the first
place. For one, there is a huge possibility that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) – the
transitory recipient of the PhP21 billion – would face logistical nightmares, including lack of manpower. The CCT
highlights the Aquino administration’s focus on short-term solutions to the poverty problem and the
shortcomings of the educational system. It also shows the administration’s attempt to merely appease the
majority of its voter base. The Aquino administration should reconsider its attempts to make short-term
solutions to social problems and instead formulate long-term goals for the eventual creation of a state that gives
prime importance to the welfare of its constituents. Filipinos of this generation do not pay taxes just to receive
them back; they want the government to reciprocate through social services that would uplift their lives and
ensure a better future for the next generations to come.

After seven years of house arrest, Nobel Peace Prize
laureate Aung Sang Suu Kyi was unconditionally freed
by the Burmese military junta last October 14, 2010.
CRUSADA Bulletin
November 23 – November 29
Inilibing man ng mga Ampatuan ang mga katauhan
na kumakatawan sa pagnanais na maihayag ang
katotohanan at pigilin ang mga puwersang
naglalayon ng demokratikong pagbabago sa isang
lipunang lagmak na sa karahasan at katiwalian,
buhay na buhay pa rin ang mithiin ng mga biktima
sa ating umaalab na pagkilos upang makamit ang
hustisya para sa kanila.
Nandito tayo ngayon, mga kapatid, hindi lamang
upang manatili sa alaala ang mga nangyari nitong
nakaraan kundi para aktibong labanan ang kawalan
ng hustisya hindi lamang sa Maguindanao kundi sa
lahat ng sulok ng ating pamumuhay. Hindi tayo
nakahiwalay sa mga pangyayari, nakabibingi at
nakabubulag man ang karahasang nangyari, lalong
lumakas ang tawag sa bawat Atenista na
magtanong at makialam. Sa bawat minutong
lumilipas kung saan hindi natin nakukuwestiyon ang
mga istrukturang nagnanais na kontrolin at supilin
ang ating kalayaan na maging kritikal, patuloy
nating hinahayaan ang ating sarili na mabuhay sa
dilim ng kamangmangan at pagsasawalang-bahala.
Bilang mga Atenista, mga Filipino, at higit sa lahat
bilang mga anak ng Diyos, nasa ating mga kamay
ang responsibilidad na tumugon sa hamon ng ating
panahon.
--- Excerpt from CRUSADA’s Message on the 1st
Anniversary of the Maguindanao Massacre
THE CRUSADER 3
PERSPECTIVE | Democracy for Burma?
The recent release of Burma’s long time political
detainee and democratic advocate, Aung Sang Suu Kyi
was symbolic – that the people of Burma clamored for
new governance and that the rest of the world is
concerned about the current situation in this state. Is
this a step towards democracy? Perhaps the “martyr
mentality” attracted more vigorous followers and in
that sense, democracy is better internalized within its
citizens. However, can this relate to the exercise and
implementation of democracy in their current system?
The move to release her did not entail that the current
military rule has opened the grounds to its opposition.
In fact, it is quite questionable how she was only
released after the elections – a clear manifestation
that there exists no sense of equality in their
government.
If we take a look back, she was already arrested before
and was released only to be accused of certain
unjustified issues again. Where is the assurance that
she would not just wind up imprisoned once she began
upholding democracy once again? It is not enough for
countries to celebrate her freedom. They must also
learn how to support her advocacy. Perhaps if there
truly is concern from the international community,
most especially the predominantly democratic western
governments, there should be more involvement in
strengthening this rising opposition. It is not a secret
that the international body condemns the current
state of governance in Myanmar; therefore it is almost
certain that Suu Kyi’s release was simply a political
move. The government will always seek to constrain
its power within the bounds of its principles and the
goal of the political arena is to disempower this by
strengthening its internal dissident – Suu Kyi.
 THE CRUSADER 4

THEORY & POLITICS

As the first issue of this newsletter, it would only be right to discuss Plato,
one of the greatest political philosophers of human history. In his work
The Republic, Plato defined justice as minding one’s own business.
Considering his definition, one could say that it promotes the mindset of
liberal democracy in the sense that the state encourages the separation of
the private sphere from the public sphere, which would create an arena of
competition among the citizens of the state because they are left alone to
further their personal interests and the state itself is another competing
entity. However, bearing in mind the country’s situation today where
there is scarcity in resources and opportunities, the state can no longer Plato is one of the three great
afford to let its citizens and itself be in constant competition with one philosophers of ancient Greece.
He was a student of Socrates
another, such will only lead to mutually assured destruction. In light of and mentor of Aristotle. He
such, CRUSADA promotes social democracy as the answer. Social authored many great works,
democracy aims to blur the lines between the public and private sphere to such as The Apology,
erase the competition by putting the interests of private individuals on the Symposium and The Republic,
shoulders of the state. Social democracy is about putting one’s own that have served as a
foundation for further studies in
business out in the open!
the field of political philosophy
and theory.

Quotable Quotes
“"I am still grieving. And forgiving under these circumstances is very difficult to do”
--- Maguindanao Governor Esmael 'Toto’ Mangudadatu on the anniversary of the massacre of 57 men and
women in Maguindanao province including members of his family

“Not only should the campaign be easily understood, it should also not be easily misunderstood.
Could this possibly become “Pilipinas Uganda!” in the minds of the ones we are inviting to visit
our country? Isn’t Ampatuan bad enough that we want to bring in (Uganda’s infamous ex-
dictator) Idi Amin, too?”
--- Malaya newspaper columnist, Ducky Paredes commenting on the proposed changing from “Wow
Philippines” to “Pilipinas Kay Ganda” the slogan of the Department of Tourism’s campaign to attract
foreign tourists to the country

“I have come to realize that the beauty of freedom is not so much in its free-wheeling enjoyment
in a borderless landscape as in its being refined and defined for the common enjoyment by its
supposed beneficiaries. I have likened press freedom before to a painting, whose beauty and
message are better captured and appreciated if the canvas is appropriately framed and hung.”
--- Philippine Star newspaper columnist, Federico Pascual arguing against proposals to allow live television
coverage of the Maguindanao Massacre trial proceedings