A previous Southern Voices column piece of Mr. Macabangkit B. Lanto was inadvertently used in today’s issue. The editors wish to apologize for the mix-up.

Our foursome (Joe Simeon, Dr. Ed Francisco and Celso Miranda) was approaching island-green hole No. 7 of the Veterans golf course when the constant ringing on my cell phone distracted me. It was a call about the twin bombings of a cathedral in Jolo, Sulu where about 22 died, while scores were injured. I kept the information to myself because it is a no-no in golf to say or do anything that will throw off the concentration of one’s playmates. I was so distracted that I was swinging my clubs in autopilot while my thought process went on overdrive trying to make sense of what happened and its grim ramification.

My mind was grappling over my game and the senseless bombing. A menu of probabilities flooded my mind as I mishit my shot that saw the ball careening to the water hazard and meting me a penalty.

“There is more to the Jolo bombing than meets the eye.

There is more to the Jolo bombing than meets the eye. From armchair analysts and pundits, theories flew thick and fast. That it came on the heels of the ratification of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BOL), which was rejected by the Tausugs, one could not help but think if it had something to do with the process.

Residents asked — We thought the BOL will buy us peace as marketed by its sponsors, but why did the carnage happen? Blaming the “forced” inclusion of the Tausugs to the new political entity, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is way off the mark and ridiculous. Others theorized that it was the handiwork of persons whose political, business and cultural interests will be adversely affected by the alteration of the status quo.

The latest report from the government points to the new recruits, the Ajang- Ajang, of the dreaded Abu Sayaff to allegedly carrying out this test mission. A highly publicized hazy CCTV footage of three youngsters whose suspicious reactions made them suspects proved to be hogwash.

Debunking all theories is the bold analysis of no less than the President, who went to the crime scene and concluded without batting an eye that it was the handiwork of a suicide-bombing couple. Have Filipino Muslims reached this level of devotion to Dinul Islam to sacrifice their lives in a most gruesome and painful way for their belief? That the President advanced this theory escapes many analysts because investigations by the National Bureau of Investigation and police are still in progress.

Media reported that the Daesh claim responsibility. If true, they wanted the world to know that they are still alive and kicking after they took a beating in Marawi and their dream of making Morolandia a sub-caliphate or wilayat is still being pursued. Terrorism analysts based their conclusion on the kind of bomb employed, the magnitude of the destruction and the timing of the mayhem. If anything, they have succeeded in dividing Moro leaders, who now look at each other with suspicion as having responsibility for the bloodbath, a fact that is still up in the air. Or, they have fanned the smoldering ashes of bigotry and enmity between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Complicating the conundrum is the recent bombing of a mosque in Zamboanga city killing two tabliq Muslim devotees engaged in nightlong prayers and injuring many. Cassandras were quick to point out that it was in retaliation from the Jolo bombing and that will surely foment antipathy against Christians. God forbid the recurrence of the tragic events of the early Seventies when depredations from Moro marauders gave birth to the Christian militia “Ilagas” resulting in the massacres of Muslims in Carmen, Cotabato inside a mosque and other places.

Knee-jerk conclusion and irresponsible statements should be avoided. Peace advocates are worried that all their initiatives might be jeopardized by the recent violence. As I have pointed out in past articles, there is a thawing of the bigotry and bias against the minority Moros as shown by the overwhelming support the BOL got from majority of non-Moros, especially leaders of the Christian church, who spent so much money on print media advertisement to announce publicly their support for the BOL.

“Let us hold strong to our faith that good will prevail over evil and continue propagating understanding and brotherhood among us

Amid all these misfortunes, let us hold strong to our faith that good will prevail over evil and continue propagating understanding and brotherhood among us. Let no bomb or violence faze us.