Congressman Wahab Akbar (Basilan) died along with 2 others from blast injuries incurred when a remotely detonated bomb exploded at the entrance of the Philippine Congressional Hall (Batasan). He was a member of the Moro National Liberation Front, a secessionist group that dropped its rebellion in favor of a measure of autonomy in the southern Philippines.
This bombing apparently was malicious, and had a specific target. This contrasts with a recent Glorietta mall bombing that killed 11 and injured more than a hundred others. The latter was assessed by the Philippine National Police as an accident, one denied by the mall’s owners (in the accident scenario, they deny having faulty equipment, in the bombing scenario, they deny a security breach happened). Predictably, the prominent Filipino business family Ayala, wish to posit something akin to the Big Bang: massive spontaneous combustion with no Creator. Yes, they are avowed Catholics.
Glorietta Bombing
Representative Akbar was not without enemies. His rise to legitimate power was marked by the abandonment of secessionism in favor of the rule of law. This occured, despite having the Abu Sayyaf insurgency based primarily in his province. Political enemies abound too. Wherever there are sweet election victories won, there are a dozen more bitter enemies made. Akbar was twice elected the governor of his province, and 2 of his wives hold office (one is the new governor of Basilan, the other is mayor of the provincial capital). The Akbars’ expansive and tight grip on power may have also have fueled an attack on the family figurehead.
While an investigation might help the situation, we can expect political grandstanding to ensue. Opposition may once again try to pre-empt a declaration of emergency rule, or martial law (these accusations come frequent enough to lose impact). Government would focus on the maintaining the rule of law. So-called progressive movements would cry conspiracy. Civil society would shrug it off as just another attack. In all this hullabaloo, certain important things would be forgotten:
1. The economy must move on and investors should keep on investing. Only with better and progressive lives would the incentive for violence stop.
2. Government, while not sacrificing on other priorities, should whip its law enforcement agencies into action. The breach of security of an important government building is unforgivable.
3. This too is a political killing. Leftists cannot monopolize the claim to oppression.
4. Nothing good can come out of violence. This message should be consistently and thoroughly be hammered into the minds of destabilizing forces in the Philippines.
humanity at its finest 