Quote Originally Posted by Bill Moore View Post
Fair enough, but you cannot get to a sustainable solution without Manila. It is all interconnected in many ways.
Manila might be part of a solution if it chose to be, but the will isn't there.

Mindanao's problems are irretrievably connected to the scourge of big man politics, and to the effective exemption from law enjoyed bu those who represent the state. The real challenge for Manila is not bringing the rebels and bandits within the rule of law, it's bringing its own agents within the rule of law.

Unfortunately, Manila and it's many factions generally don't want to do this (whether or not they could even if they wanted to remains a matter of some doubt, but we won't know unless they find the will). The big men are useful. When you need a trusty baron to deliver 165% of the votes in his jurisdiction to your cause, you look to Mindanao and make a deal (ask Gloria Arroyo about that). When you need to make trouble for your political antagonists, you make a deal in Mindanao. Manila leaders have generally found the status quo to be something they can manage to their own interest, and over generations of that the Mindanao political culture has taken on a life of its own and will be no easy thing to stamp out.

On the matters referred to above, we now have this:

http://www.tribune.net.ph/index.php/...-decision-made

That's an open threat to Aquino: lay off on the corruption cases, or else.