Philippine Shift to a Militarist Posture

Your editorial (May 18), “A Compelling Request for Aid,” caught my attention. It is sad to note the recent swing of President Corazon Aquino to military solution on the insurgency problem in the Philippines. Furthermore, this was followed with a request for more U.S. military aid. The shift to a militarist posture, abandoning her policy of national reconciliation through peaceful negotiation, and now supporting dreaded vigilante groups could be a self-defeating effort.

President Aquino herself noted many times in the past that Ferdinand Marcos and the same armed forces tried a principally military approach and failed. I can not see any convincing reason why it should work now.

Surely she knows that this problem is rooted in the conditions of deprivation and social injustices to which the majority of Filipinos have been subjected. Her overwhelming popularity by itself can not erase the social inequalities that breed chronic poverty and insurgency.

The unleashing of the undisciplined armed forces, which she herself doesn’t have full control of, adds more hardships to the burden of the rural population. It also opens the door to generalized repression, which increases the probability of atrocities to be committed by an unreformed military.

On the other hand, there remain the many obstacles--including the reluctance of both parties (government and insurgents) to talk and to resume negotiations. There is no other way to strengthen the democratic process and consolidate the Feb. 25 democratic victory but to persist in exploring and exhausting all avenues to peace.

In other words, President Aquino’s new stress on military solution and more U.S. military aid undermines the democratic promise that makes her government different from its predecessor. But it is not yet too late to insist on peaceful settlement. Again, it would be very sad if a democratic leader who had shown courage and perseverance to easily give up on the idea of peace, negotiations, and national reconciliation. Peace should be given a chance and another and another.

GERARDO VILLERO

Los Angeles