Soon after the Glorietta blast, I received a message from good friend Margot who I first met some years back. She’s a very jolly person, a joy to be with and a conscientious Pinoy. Her text read:

Lets remain vigilant. NEVER AGAIN 2 A DICTATORSHIP

I agree. Bombings such as the one that happened in Glorietta that killed at least four and injured dozens of others are usually hallmarks of a government that is too insecure in its position and supremely jealous of its hold on power.

Ferdinand Marcos and his generals also resorted to bombings in the early 1970s including the Plaza Miranda bombing to condition the people to accepting tyrannical rule.

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who has boasted about soldiers and policemen remaining loyal to her cannot even ensure the security of a mall. But she and her government has plenty to bribe congressmen and governors just to secure herself from an impeachment complaint. I won’t be surprised if the Palace will pick on Mayor Jejomar Binay about this. It is very convenient to the Arroyo administration that the perpetrators of the bombing chose Makati as the place to do their crime. It is a known opposition bailiwick. Binay is head of the United Opposition. This may reflect badly on Binay. This will also spell losses for the Ayalas and encourage business leaders not to lift a finger over the really scandalous events recently that have again implicated Mrs. Arroyo and her minions.

We were not born yesterday so we can’t be so uncritical of what has happened and what the Arroyo goverment may do about it. Even if it was a real terrorist group that was behind the incident, we know Arroyo’s rank opportunism wil embolden her to (mis)use the incident to her advantage.

One blogger wrote that this should pave way for stricter security measures in malls and elsewhere. I agree. However, a line should be drawn between effective security measures and outright repression of our rights and liberties. Genuine security allows citizens the freest possible movement without undue interference and limits. The last thing I want to see and hear is for the Glorietta be used as a basis to impose a dictatorship over us. And by that I mean state terrorism and the misuse of security to curtail our rights. For if that happens, we will all lose and it will look as if terrorists have won the day.

And so I agree with and echo Margot’s call for vigilance. Let’s closely watch and guard our lives, rights and liberties. Let’s not be scared. Let’s be vigilant and militant.