JUST ANOTHER DAY IN THE PHILIPPINES

How many more heroes will die just to prevent this from happening?

In a time when the threat of an anthropologically-caused environmental (and social) catastrophe is very real, some idiots still have the nerve to do this:

“The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Friday expressed alarm over the killings of forest protection officers in Surigao del Sur over the past months.

In a statement, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje condemned the killing of forest protection officer Rolando Sinday in Lianga town last Monday, calling it an “obvious attempt” by illegal loggers to get back at the government for its anti-illegal logging campaign.

“This, like other killings that took place before, is making a mockery of the rule of law, and further entrench the existing culture of impunity that has defined illegal logging activities in the province,” Paje said.

Sinday, a DENR employee, died on the spot last Monday after he was shot thrice by two unidentified motorcycle-riding gunmen while on his way home to Barangay Aniobongan .

Sinday’s killing came a little over a month after another DENR anti-logging operative, Nelson Luna, was gunned down in the same province.

The DENR had tagged Surigao del Sur as a “hot spot” area for illegal logging activities. The department has launched a campaign called “Oplan Kalasangan” in the province to run after persons involved in illegal logging in the area.” (Source: GMA News Website)

Wow. Whoever these people are should really think twice about doing these nowadays.

First of all, Mindanao is easily the least developed part of the Philippine regions mostly because of its location away from the center of commercial, industrial, and political affairs in the country (Metro Manila), the still-has-not-been-stopped-yet-should-have-been-stopped-years-ago disruptions from local rebels, separationists, and international terrorists, and the differences in culture with the people of Luzon and Visayas; these are the reasons why some of the poor locals there did not have the opportunity to attend schools and live great lives and end up killing innocent people for some selfish freaks who only care about filling their undeserving pockets.

Regardless, even though these poor locals are less guilty than their bosses, it still does not give any one of them an excuse to eliminate professionals who are simply doing their job of preserving the declining breed of forests in the Philippines. Even though they may not know the scientific principles behind the effects of illegal logging on the environment, whatever their religion may be (and with all due respect to those religions), I am very sure that their recognized God has at least mentioned something that lies along the lines of protecting God’s creations, like the forests. Am I making sense?

It is not only the locals’ fault. It is, as usual, the government’s fault. Just what in the blue hell are they doing? Had these officials been focusing on our country’s problems and not on going to America to watch Manny Pacquiao’s squash bout with a Mexican, the problems in our country would not be as bad. Maybe the prison cells will be packed with more criminals, such as illegal logging masterminds and their henchmen, but at least they get the punishment that they deserve. Maybe landslides and flashfloods will not occur as often not only in Surigao del Sur, but throughout the archipelago. Maybe poverty will not be as intense. Maybe there would actually be peace in Mindanao. Maybe.

Just another bunch of souls needlessly sacrificed. Just another incident that could have been stopped. Just another day in the Philippines.