The Mangudadatus tried to wage a political war against the Ampatuans for the seat of governorship of Maguindanao, and so the massacre of 57 people happened.
But the Mangudadatus, despite the loss of lives of family members and the mourning, continued the fight promising the people of Maguindanao of a true democracy to shine upon them when he gets elected while the Ampatuans face serious cases filed against them and public anger pouring like unending hailstorm.
Though it sounds like an end of a political regime that is marked by violence, abuse and corruption, the ushering of the Mangudadatus on the mainstream political arena of the province of Maguindanao still casts serious doubts among those who see nothing but a change of name on political leadership.
On the recent news and study of political clans listed with private armies, Maguindanao is said to have more than 40 of them including both the Ampatuans and Mangudadatus. Although the Mangudadatus has a very small group of private armed men compared to the thousands that the Ampatuans has, it still tells us that they are not far from the very people that is now facing serious charges in court for multiply murder and rebellion. The Mangudadatus are also occupying many government posts in Mindanao as is considered one of the powerful political clans or dynasties in Maguindanao.
We have seen for so many times in the past of how one family or political powerhouse went down due to abusive leadership when confronted by an emerging political personality, only to find out eventually that only the name of the leader has changed but the same old style of politics persisted.
I cannot exactly say if the fate of the province of Maguindanao will not change. I don’t know if the Mangudadatus take the leadership of the province from the Ampatuans a real democratic society where justice, equality and freedom will truly prevail or it will still be the same old place where fear, poverty and injustice burden the people. I wish that it will not be the chance for the Mangudadatus to strengthen their power and political clouts in the province but rather indeed an opportunity of giving back to their constituents what they truly deserve from their leaders and local government.
Either the Mangudadatus or another Ampatuan ally taking the seat of governance in Maguindanao, it is not as important though right now than the assurance of justice for all the 57 people, who has made the sacrifice in order for the nation to have a renewed consciousness and commitment against abusive and corrupt leadership marked with violence.
Are we going to see a recycled or re-branded kind of governance in Maguindanao with the Mangudadatus? What do you think?
Image from Ryan Ericson Canlas
jan geronimo (10)
Luke (8)
Archon Digital (7)
Jhay (7)
MinnieRunner (6)
Dave Doolin
3 months ago
I think I have a hard time understanding a private clan army. I think the closest in USA may have been the Cosa Nostra families, but they were limited in scope, and not politically inclined.
What I can say is a country run by huge banking cartels isn’t much of a democracy in my book. Maybe it’s the same crap, different style. Either way, ordinary folk get run over.
As it turns out, many readers of my website are from Republic of the Philippines, so I am becoming interested in finding out more about who you are.
Dave Doolin´s last blog ..How NOT to Comment on Blogs (Dude, you’re busted)
elmot
3 months ago
Hi Dave!
Here in our country, private armies are under powerful political clans for which are used to sow fear among political enemies and opponents and to sow to fear terror among their constituents in order to perpetuate in power. Of course, graft and corruption is the only means to fund these private armies.
Democracy is never in the vocabulary of those politicians with private armies as they automatically silence oppositionists or journalists critical of their governance.
That is good news that many people from the Philippines are visiting and reading your very resourceful site.
Jhay
3 months ago
The only difference between the two clans is that one was in power and exploited it to whole new levels, while the other struggled to take it away from them so that they could have their turn at enriching themselves.
Jhay´s last blog ..Celebrating National Volunteers’s Month in DLSU-D
elmot
3 months ago
Just like what happened before the Ampatuans took over Maguindanao: another strong political clan was lording the province.
And so far people are not that optimistic with Mangudadatus taking the helm of governance in the province.
elmot´s last blog ..Hello world!
jan geronimo
3 months ago
I’m not optimistic at all, bro. Very depressing prospect for Maguindanao.
elmot
3 months ago
Very depressing indeed. I cannot imagine living in such a kind of place. No wonder why Maguindanao is listed as the 3rd poorest province in the country.
elmot´s last blog ..Tiger Woods Naked Photos Surfacing?
Dave Doolin
3 months ago
How do us folks in USA understand this?
BTW, what’s happening in USA is despicable. Our bankers have leveraged political power to essentially loot the middle class. I don’t really care how they spin it, I’m watching the results, and it’s a swindle. A massive swindle.
Dave Doolin´s last blog ..How NOT to Comment on Blogs (Dude, you’re busted)
elmot
3 months ago
And what is happening in the US with the financial downturn caused by bankers who played on the money of people to some very dangerous and unregulated trades.
Unfortunately, when the US economy sneezes, our local economy here in the country automatically catches a cold.
FemmeViews
3 months ago
At last,I found your blog again! =) I missed this site. Anyway,while I don’t happen to know the Mangudadatus better than I know (at least the reputations of) the Ampatuans, I can only hope that Maguindanao will eventually see some positive changes after all this. Even years before this horrible massacre happened,the Ampatuans were already “popular” for being untouchables.I don’t think the government was blind about the private armies of these people (Alam nga ng common tao,government pa kaya).Unfortunately,they didn’t do anything about it.Sucks.
FemmeViews´s last blog ..Who are you voting for?
elmot
3 months ago
The government has actually baby-fed the Ampatuans all these years; supported them all-throughout and now are trying to wash their hands off these people.
The Mangudadatus are trying to wrestle the political power from the Ampatuans and it is my hope too that they will indeed bring peace, democracy and prosperity to their province.
elmot´s last blog ..Meet Mr. Pipik and his Video, A Global Warming Denier
fetus
3 months ago
amen to that. regardless, the braziness of the Ampatuans in doing such an act is beyond scope and never-heard-before (at least for me). I had a friend from South Cotabato saying similar lines – the Mangudadatus are of at least the same shade as the Ampatuans.
fetus´s last blog ..Cagayan De Oro Water Rafting
elmot
3 months ago
Thanks for the visit fetus
And if we are to go back to the previous dynasty before the Ampatuans, nothing has actually changed, only that the Ampatuans are more brutal maybe.
Now, it seems that the Mangudadatus are the ones who are going to reign the province next. But as you said and some friends said, they are somewhat of the same skin.
elmot´s last blog ..Revisiting the Maguindanao Massacre