The militant groups are sulking that Gov. Erico B. Aumentado has ignored their wish to have a dialogue with him and the military commanders in Bohol . Now they threaten to hold picket rallies for one week at Plaza Rizal until the guv consents. What is so urgent about wanting to see the Governor? They think the military is out to get six of their leaders by extra judicial means. My sense is that it is part of the nationwide propaganda to link the government, especially the police and the military, to the series of killings of known members or leaders of the militant left-leaning groups.

Well there may be an on going all-out-war policy against the CPP-NPA enunciated by Pres. Arroyo. But what can government do with a force that feeds on the misery of the impoverished and the vulnerability of the halves especially the business sector? For years government tried every means to end the insurgency. It has offered them amnesty. It has used subdued force and agreed to negotiate through peace talks. But none of them worked up to now. The insurgent communists still continue to exploit the poor through their promised deliverance from poverty and continue to milk the business sector through what they call revolutionary taxation, although it is actually extortion. Proofs that it is extortion are the series of burnings of communication towers and of buses or trucks of companies that didn't pay.

The Governor asked them, through their emissary, to show proof that there indeed is a plot by government agencies to summarily kill the leaders they named but up to now, the Governor said, he has not received any. Just the same, to show how sincere he is in seeking peaceful solution to problems in the province, the Governor announced last Friday, during his weekly report over the radio, that he would convene the Bohol Local Peace Forum to provide the venue for the militant groups to air their side. Now that's being cool. That is plain accommodation on the part of the Governor considering that Mr. Ruiz has not submitted any evidence yet.

This week I learned from confidential sources that extortion in the guise of revolutionary tax continues unabated in the province. The businessmen are complaining but they chose to suffer in silence lest they suffer more losses. The mode of extortion has also become more sophisticated. Where before their collectors are exposed to the risk of entrapment and capture by going personally to the businessmen, now they go straight to the bank to withdraw by automated teller machines or ATM.

And since using firearms-carrying partisans to act as delivery boys for extortion notices is risky, this task is now entrusted to the more effective and more persuasive legal front organizations, so I was told. Neat innovations. Good use of militant power, too. It's time the business sector act as one to put a stop to this. It's time everybody cooperates to end this madness that only debilitates the country and he economy by the day. Nobody should be terrorized anymore.

On the other hand, I am amazed at the abundance of patience and due process at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. For years the Dumaluan Beach Resort has been operating without environmental compliance certificate (ECC) but the department has given it all the benefit of the doubt every time it asks for reconsideration. Even the fines DENR slapped on the resort were not implemented. And not even after Sec. Angie Reyes blew his top the last time he was here could move the regional and provincial offices to slap the resort with all that is available in the books. Yes sure, a cease and desist order was issued as a result of the violations but that was all there was to it. It's more than a month since that order was issued but the resort continues to enjoying brisk business up to now.