Disheartening Situation in Zamboanga Standoff

I seldom make a post, say something or touch the very sensitive political issues that a certain country has endured. Not that I don’t want to write something or voice out my disagreement or vocal opinion but sometimes restraint is just better than to engage in a face off and save it in later time when the time is right especially when it involves significant risk in you personally. But with the recent difficult and complicated problems that arise simultaneously or perhaps was planned to look like it, seems to be too much already that I can no longer refrain from speaking up.

The situation started after I finished watching the live broadcast of the 10 billion pesos pork barrel scam at the Senate Blue Ribbon hearing and I saw in my Facebook news feed a photo of a government soldier fighting in the recent Zamboanga conflict begging from civilians for any food or even leftover that they can eat because they haven’t eaten yet since early that morning. That’s what the caption says when a resident of the area was asked by the soldiers. The photo was posted by Eyrhil on his timeline and immediately went viral in just several hours of posting.

Whether the situation is true or not but I cannot speculate that it is not because I had once a first hand experience with a relative before who had the same fate though different scenario. I am furious of what’s happening right now knowing that those who are protecting us during the time of war have nothing to eat while there are people out there living with lavish life with the money from taxpayers. It is disheartening to think that we have deprived them of what’s worth and necessary for them in times like this while most politicians are having extravagant lifestyle with the money that they even don’t owned.

And as the standoff continue, the government troops and policemen are not just fighting against the Moro rebels but they are also facing the challenge of running out of ammunition and most especially running out of food. Some soldiers have resorted to buying foods using their own money as they have only been given porridge in the past few days; Eyrhil said when he was interviewed.

Image from Eyrhil Bulahan