The Maguindanao Massacre

The massacre of civilians and press people in what came out to the whole world as an election-related violence in the Philippines has caused Filipinos and foreigners to condemn such an action. If the allegations and the speculations are indeed true--that the Ampatuans were behind the murder of all these people killed in cold blood, I hope that they will realize their sins and renew their lives. May they be dealt receive punishment to give justice to the numerous deaths.

Nevertheless, something bogs my mind--big WHAT IFs that could make the crime more horrible.

One among these is that what if rather than the Ampatuans, the secessionists were the ones who really committed to crime and made the Ampatuans receive the blame by planting evidence? That would mean that there is more to fear for this country of ours, for indeed, there are people who are ready to kill and to cause terror in order to create a new country where people live in fear and violence and where people feel strongly linked to the Philippines, the country from which that new country would emerge.
Another is what if instead the Ampatuans, others who wanted to cause the fall of the Ampatuans are behind this massacre? I've heard of stories in which people are ready to have themselves killed and massacred by their allies, and place the blame on their enemies so that their enemies will fall. While people who are ready to die for a cause are someone to be honored and respected, I could not but shudder at the thought of those who would do such a henious crime not only to themselves by committing some form of suicide, but to others on whom they place the blame. If such a case is true, then we have seen something worse than if the Ampatuans were really behind the Massacre.

Because of this, I could not but hope that it was indeed the Ampatuans who did such a horrible crime, for while it is such a terrible crime, it is less frightening than what could possibly have happened if others did it.