
HAMMERHEAD
by Moy Alonto Lucman
In our politically polarized world, Dilawan is a maligned word at least to those swayed by the cyber robotic keyboarders spewing untruths as a smokescreen to a political resurrection or perpetuation of a despotic leadership.
Yellow ribbon became the symbol of a distraught motherland whose welcoming arm for an adored homecoming son was shattered by a bullet.
The homecoming son was Sen. Ninoy Aquino returning from political exile in USA to lead the push for the Marcos ouster but was gunned down at the tarmac of the Manila International Airport. The year was 1983, the year of living dangerously under dictator Marcos.
What does this mean to the Bangsamoro?
Ninoy’s widow, Cory Aquino, became the President when the Marcoses took flight amidst the nation’s indignation.
In her presidency, Cory worked on the creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. ARMM was the realization of the Muslim aspiration for self-rule.
After several presidents, PNoy then enhanced this self rule by forging another peace accord with the MILF through the signing of CAB (Comprehensive Agreement of Bangsamoro) which became the basis for the creation of BARMM.
Yellow politics, on the autonomy context, is the concession of freedom, development, and peace to the Bangsamoro.
The ascendance of the Aquino to two presidential tenures, first by Cory, second by PNoy, came along with them autonomy for Muslim Mindanao – ARMM and then BARMM.
Both are the best defining moments of the vindication of the injustices committed against the Bangsamoro as well as the realization of our aspirations.
This is what yellow truly means to the Bangsamoro.
Beware of the pitfalls of untruths.