Finger Pointing: Davao Bombing
Keeping track of the number of victims from police operation and unidentified assassins finally lost its monopoly in media headlines. The treacherous explosion that took 14 lives and close to 70 injured drew away public attention from the endless number of pushers and users who ended up victims of extra judicial killings.
The Abu Sayyap now the quarry of ten thousands government troops in their Sulu lairs practically brought the war to the doorsteps of the president. The worse practice of terrorism that unleashes deadly shrapnel among non-combatants triggers off the declaration of state of lawlessness and elbows out the extra judicial killings from media headlines.
Drawing international and local concern with the deadly expositions, it did not take long for an ASG spokesman to own up to the deed. As fast as it owns up to the dastardly act, he washes the ASG hands of guilt passing it off as the handiwork of another group that enjoys its sympathy and support.
Not losing the opportunity to ride on the coattail of the terrorist act, the NPA claims it’s the CIA with the US derailing the peace talk between the government and the NDF setting off the bomb. With the scuttlebutt in political circles, police officials pointed out that the it is not a handy excuse for the declaration of martial law. Predictably the PNP head did not allow the drug lords to go scot-free claiming they paid off the terrorists to set off the bomb.
These competing claims on who masterminded the act demonstrate that a single event that threatens the safety and caused widespread fear can win public support over any form of gimmickry. What this shows no affidavits or well-drawn matrix can be as convincing in opinion change than the cold reality of disastrous incident. The proclamation of a state of lawlessness hardly drew any protest and seems to rally support behind the government even from among democratic groups.
the Guru of Hype 