Our Philippine Marines is a vanguard force. It is their arms that protect the very limits of our sovereignty. It is their vigilance that preserve our one Republic at her frontiers. Go the Marines!
Let us call a spade a spade -
I will admit to you, my fellow Filipinos, I am personally grieved at the recent event in Jolo.
What the ASG did to our marines is utterly condemnable.
But I will not allow myself to become so blind as to become divided in my own heart about our nation. I see and I recognize the virtues of our Muslim compatriots apart from the darkness that is being wrought by those who seek the overthrow of our nationhood.
The President is pursuing an aggressive stance against the ASG. This is well and good. The ASG, as they themselves have so lucidly demonstrated, if they are not engaged in acts of terrorism is engaged in common banditry against our nation and other nations and have not impressed upon anyone any kind of ideal whatsoever worth considering besides force of arms.
My concern belongs entirely to my Muslim compatriots who are honest citizens of this Republic undertaking of Country, who are our fellow Filipinos, brothers and sisters of the Promise.
In this season of Ramadan, they together with the families of the fallen soldiers are the most vulnerable products of this untoward incident.
Indeed, they deserve our kindness, concern and assistance. It is only right.
And prayers for the souls of our fallen warriors.
I have no doubt the cause for which the ASG is now presently engaged is a doomed cause. Clearly, their fallen ideal have left them with no remaining excuse outside the criminal.
But if we forget ourselves, my brothers ans sisters of the Promise, if we shall neglect our peace as Filipinos, we undermine the proactive strength that will bring us closer and closer to the day when peace for our Republic is a greater, much binding force than conflict and division.
Let us today make the distinction.
Our one Country must become empowered by our our nation becoming enabled to embrace and protect - by the sheltering wings of our peace - all our decent citizenry from the scandal of those outlaws posing to act under the banner of any honorable religion - ASG or not.
My honorable compatriots, the future we are choosing to bring forward today belong to all Filipinos - it shall belong to all Filipinos or none at all.
Therefore, all our national communities across our one Republic whole must be able to condemn what is not permissible to our civic culture.
What offends the peace of our greater civic order as a nation must be deemed offensive to all Filipinos in all truth and without prejudice. And all Filipinos should be able to discern this for themselves individually, freely, and without fear.
So may the LORD bless us and favor our nation with His Peace.
Peace be to all Filipinos in this season of Ramadan - Ramadan Mubarak!
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Finally, let us say a prayer of peace for the soul of our own Corazon Aquino. Let us remember her gift with thanks to her and to our Creator as well as the hopes she has entrusted to our present care.
T
oday is the 2nd year anniversary of her passing away.
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! God bless us all.
Peace be upon you, O Man,
in this season of Ramadan.