Inside Philippine politics & beyond

“Wipe them all out” clamor should await an independent probe on Maguindanao bloodbath

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 Just my opinion

By Raïssa Robles

At least 50 members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Forces and eight Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters, were killed in a clash that nobody wants to detail. The clash took place way before dawn on Monday January 26 (although some say Saturday) and went on for hours – some news reports say for 11 hours.

Did President Benigno Aquino know of the commando operation that went horribly wrong and resulted in dozens of needless deaths? The commandos were US-trained, had night vision goggles and heavy weapons.

There were a total of 392 raiders out to arrest . But they had no air support, no army back-up, no extraction procedure to make a safe and quick get-away  presumably after collaring  Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan”, and a certain Abdul Basit Usman who were reportedly hiding in the area.

Interestingly, the Jemaah Islamiyah bomber Marwan had already been declared dead three years ago in February 2012 after the military dropped bombs in Sulu. I wonder if someone had collected the reward for Marwan’s death then.

No official has owned up to issuing the mission order for the operation.

In fact,  interior and local governments Secretary Mar Roxas said he wasn’t told that 392 members of the elite police Special Action Force (SAF) were going on a clandestine mission. Nor was the OIC of the Philippine National Police, Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina told. I wonder if the suspended PNP Director General Alan Purisima knew about it.

One explanation that some have offered is the attempted arrest of two terrorist bombers was a “freelance” operation – a form of moonlighting to earn the reward money being dangled by the US State Department for the neutralization of two of their most wanted men.

Fr. Eliseo Mercado, who has been actively involved in the peace process for over 20 years, suspects as much. He wrote on his Facebook account:

May they rest in the Lord. Now let us watch the investigation and there should be concrete actions to do justice…
1. Who authorized the said operation;
2. Who provided the intelligence report;
3. Why no coordination with the AFP that has operational control over the area;
4. Who gathered the SAF from all over yet failed to coordinate with 6th ID of the PA; and
5. What is the business of the 6 US Special Forces on the scene and helping on the identification of the casualties.. taking specimen for DNA testing.

The US is orchestrating this war against terror and our security forces have become the front liners by simply putting bounty. Marwan carries 5 million dollars bounty and Basit is one million or a total of 6 million dollars.
They thought it would be a walk in the park just like the case of Youssef when they collected a bounty of 15 million dollars…

Would the probe end in the usual ‘bury your dead; lick your wounds; and move on as if nothing happened..?

The probe has to be impartial and cannot be left to a “Board of Inquiry” inside the National Police Commission. We don’t want them to simply bury the bodies this time.

We need explanations. We need justice. We need people to take the rap for this tragedy, including an acknowledgment from the MILF leadership that they have to change their ways. They cannot just sit around and let a clash like this last hours.

I suggest that both the MILF chief and President Aquino be equipped with satellite phones dedicated to quickly calling each other to prevent such conflicts from spiraling into a slaughter. Unless they already have these and didn’t use them. Patay.

This time, the stakes are at an all time high. The peace process that successive Philippine governments have worked so hard to put in place is in danger of becoming the ultimate casualty.

There are some very old men – who should be wiser with age but are not – who are now clamoring for retaliation. Today I heard former Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim say on nationwide radio that the government should “retaliate” for the deaths of the SAF personnel and scuttle the peace agreement to teach the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) a lesson.

Today I also heard Lim’s successor, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada warn ABS-CBN anchor Karen Davila that “the MILF cannot be trusted” and say “we have to wage war to earn peace.” Estrada recounted that when he was the President, “Six children were burned to death and two soldiers were beheaded. That is the time I put on my fatigue uniform. I went to Kauswagan. I looked at the children and the soldiers and that was when I declared all out war.”
Now I understand why under Lim’s watch the Mendiola massacre happened and the Luneta bus hostage tragedy took place.

As for Mayor Estrada, when Karen asked him why he chose to declare an all out war on the Muslim rebels but remained soft on the communist rebels, Estrada explained that it was because the communists merely wanted to overthrow the government but the Muslims wanted to dismember the country and he was against the latter. Ironically for Estrada, it was the left that helped overthrow him from the presidency.

The trouble with Estrada and Lim’s attitude is that the Muslims can also use the same justification. I remember that following the Philippine government’s signing of the 1996 peace agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front, a deadly war with the MILF was triggered by an army cannon firing into a rebel camp and killing a little girl. That girl should have been married with children by now if not for the Mindanao conflict.

I’ve also noticed that Monday’s killings have raised to the surface some very deep-seated anti-Muslim sentiments among the predominantly Christian population. I think we have been thoroughly brainwashed by the Spanish colonizers even though we aren’t aware of it. And part of the peace process would be acknowledging this and finding ways to bridge this.

Personally, my attitude is that Muslims are Filipinos and if you want them not to secede you must treat them – not as an other-people – but as Filipinos.

In closing, I’d like to share a short piece that fellow journalist Dana Batnag wrote in the aftermath of the tragedy. Like me, Dana is tired of covering a seemingly endless conflict. I’m sharing it with her permission:

“I’m at the point of wondering if we should have bombings all over the country and skirmishes every day and in every corner. If we should say goodbye to our loved ones every morning, wondering if they will be back. If we should have all our possessions packed in a bag, ready to go at a moment’s notice. If we should always be on alert for the sound of fighting, so that we can rush to the nearest evacuation center.

We have peace, now, but it is a temporary peace. So many people I know, rational, reasonable people, are willing to sacrifice the peace talks now, without finding out more what led to the killing in the first place. So many are asking for blood, instead of facts.

Let us have war, if you must. But may that war come to your doorsteps first. And when thousands die, I will remember your names and point my finger at you and say, as you weep for your homes and your loved ones and the peace that once was, YOU WANTED THIS.”

Comments

  1. Casualties of War and Collateral Damage cannot be avoided, the war has been going on for more than 20 years, it cannot be solved by just a peaceful approach by PNOY government, it will take time.

    Even when the peace process has been signed and sealed, one or two break away groups may continue doing the “war” for terrorism.

    This tragedy is not to be blamed to PNOY or anyone else in the General or Commander for that operation. That OPERATION is still a WAR SCENARIO, anyone can die, remember, the PEACE PROCESS is not yet SIGNED!

    Actually, US of A Intelligence is behind this, remember Sept 11? That DAY, COLLATERAL DAMAGE no one can ever forget…US of A Intelligence will never stop to wage war against these terrorist in any ways…

    But naturally in Philippine, media and political candidates for 2016 has to ride on this tragedy to discredit PNOY and his party, political opponents of PNOY will try to win some pogee points on this tragedy…

    • I read the Wiki article on Marwan and was rather wryly amused that a couple of days after the operation that went as wrong as tactical operations can go, his death date was recorded as “2015?”. In other words, the guy in the back seat of the helicopter was typing the wiki entry as the other Americans were taking DNA samples so they could certify that $6 million gets paid out. That’s the way my fiction-writer mind sees it happening.

      You are right, the calls for impeachment of President Aquino over this are simply lunatic. Talk about people desperate to make points because their own political platform carries no weight with anyone . . . .

  2. Another side-issue that should Congress & Senate check is this photo:

    http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/photo/88683/items-from-slain-saf-commandos-recovered

    You can see at the left side a helmet with a huge hole in it. Is it one of the kevlar helmet from Taiwan that was bought by our government? If i remember it correctly, Napoles was part of that shady deal but she was acquitted on the case.

    Regarding Pnoy’s speech:

    It left me more questions than answers. Sec. Gazmin was saying there was a coordination. Sec. Roxas & Espina said they were not informed of the operation while Pnoy admitted that he knew the operation since last year and have Purisima explained to him the details until he was suspended by the Ombudsman. Clearly there was a miscommunication within the cabinet.

    I also remember during one of the interview of Pnoy last year, he mentioned something along the lines of “hindi ko muna papangalan baka maunsiyame (sorry if typo)” referring to a high profile target. I guess this was the thing he was talking about last year.

    Note:
    Magingat-ingat sa mga taong biglang naglilitawan sa media parang kabute regarding this incident. For example BongBong Marcos – nagmamadaling harangin ang BBL kahit wala pang final na report regarding the SAF incident. I even heard his speech at the Senate and i do hope he will be this outspoken especially the Jabidah massacre.

    The former C/SUPT. Tom Rentoy who is a alumnus of PNPA that is peddling/urging a mass leave due to the incident. In my opinion a counter productive statement since it goes against what the SAF members died for. Doing their duty even if it cost them their lives.

      • martial, ang alam ko there was coordination but local, alam and known only by those within close vicinity. sabi ni ping lacson standard daw yon sa local pnp to have autonomy common to them, to decide when and when not to have raid. sabi no need to inform those higher up. there will be blotter later.

        as for being wary of those taking advantage of the situation and inserting themselves to gain publicity and muddle the issue, I say, thank you. inserters have the right to voice their opinions but if I find their opinions gross and dross, I have the right not to listen anymore, the right to walk away, not to be swayed and be influenced by them. I also have the right to turn my back on them.

    • I saw that segment of interview with Sec Gazmin. He is covering, protecting the SAF commander/s On the way sa mga check point papunta ang SAF sa Mamasapano so I believe he assumes that there is some word of notice na may operation although details were not shared. 6ID would know dahil may mga checkpoint. But then again is very few info shared as described by Dir. Getulio…MILF if you coordinate meaning sa AFP then MILF, the operation is already compromised as proven by numerous attempts by PNP wherein “armed groups intervene..” aka BIFF relatives of MILF…

      There are certain prerogatives that the President exercises and certain members of the cabinet when it comes to national security, peace and order, terrorism. If the mission was delegated to PNP SAF under DILG.. ..issue is politics between Purisima vs Roxas vs Espina etc..

      But the SAF Leadership proceeded along with their team since they were after Marwan and Basit for a long time…seems we have very good intel on the part of PNP, human intel ,.. if only we could do it all the time vs NPA ,
      same with ISAFP of AFP….

      MILF would know that SAF entered as there were dozens of vehicle convoys with full headlights on .. but no heavy armour , no hell gunships ..so they were able to follow every movement..and prepare ambush exactly where they anticipated they will maneuver.. but apparently, MILF 105th did not heed the cease fire. at 9am. their Comander wanted to annihilate the SAF.. only at 5 pm when SAF lead Seaborne run out of bullets and guns are silent..those who survived were finished off…

      Sudden burst of emotion siempre kaya nakikisympatia fellow PNP, human nature, because of enormous loss of lives…

  3. REMEMBER…and…WHAT IF…

    REMEMBER the U.S. military operations to capture Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan? The U.S. did not forewarn the Pakistani authorities about its incursion into Pakistan for fear that the operation might leak, and Osama might be able to escape?

    WHAT IF our authorities behind the SAF operations were following the U.S. playbook?

    REMEMBER when VP Jejomar Binay inserted himself into the Sabah crisis in spite of the admonition that he should stay away from meddling in the crisis?

    WHAT IF VP Binay got wind of the SAF operation and tried to insert himself into the playbook by opening a dialogue on his own with his friend Nur Misuari? It seems like the first SAF armed and bloody encounter was with BIFF who appeared prepared and have been tipped off about the SAF presence in MNLF territory.

    REMEMBER when the news broke out about the issuance of arrest warrant on Junjun Binay for his contempt of the Senate? Junjun was alone to tend for himself at the Makati City Hall, while sister Nancy took the cudgels for Junjun with the media. Notably and surprisingly absent was VP Binay.

    WHAT IF VP Binay did not face the media because he did not want the public to know his whereabouts then? And on the current SAF tragedy, Salgado issued a press statement in behalf of VP Binay, but Binay is yet to seen with the press. (Unless, I missed the news.)

    Just asking questions, and not drawing any conclusion.

      • Maybe it would provide him with a much-needed break to draw attention away from the senate hearings which is bound to happen (media shift) regardless of the outcome of the SAF operation?

        Or, maybe a successful operation where he inserted himself might give him a much-needed media boost?

        • von, sorry po, but the operation was never meant to succeed. it was corrupted from the word go.

        • no one wins in WAR, remember, the peace agreement wasn’t sign yet…
          hence the area is considered dangerous, snipers and land mines and snipers to KILL…
          unfortunately, the dead ones are casualties of war and those civilians are collateral damage…

      • Nothing is improbable in politics. It seems like someone might have “tipped-off” and that might be considered a “betrayal”.

    • @Ma’m Leona,
      5th pharagraph, i have the same thought. Sinigit na naman sarili nya, tinawagan si misuari, ipinaalam ang plano. Gusto siguro sila ang makatanggap ng 5million U.S$ REWARD dagdag gamitin sa election.
      Pareho din noong zamboanga siege last year, punta silang mag amang B ANAY sa zamboanga. Kc raw nakausap na si misuari na may cease fire na. Toink!
      something or someones are really trying their very dumbest to railroad Pres. PNoy’s presidency even at this latest endtime. Makabayan or binayaran bloc calling for impeachmejt again! Idiots! Wala na nga yatang naitutulong ngawa pa ngngawa?

      • Ang malaking tanong, meron bang nagtip-off sa pagdating ng SAF at nagsabutahe sa kanilang mission?

        Nasaan si VP Binay nang mga oras na yun?

        • the moment PNoy left manila for cotabato, his enemies were in the move, texting and sending messages to one another, determined to get his scalp. saf men were just means to an end, that’s my opinion.

  4. “There’s a risk that if this atrocity goes unpunished in the name of costly peace, the perpetrators will start believing that they have a license to do it again – maybe not in the immediate future, but if ever they are handed their own territory on a silver platter.”

    “With this slaughter in Maguindanao, it is not peace but the cynics’ scenario that looks more likely: Ask MILF leaders if they renounce violence, and they will say yes, with the same ease that they sign a peace agreement. They will be lionized and receive a lot of financial support.”

    “Then they will leave the nation holding a piece of paper, with no peace.” (Philstar today by columnist Ana Marie Pamintuan)

    The BBL is a pet project of PNoy who wants it approved before he steps down in 2016 – and with so much power, can they be prevented from declaring the bangsamoro sub-state as a Caliphate like the ISIS in Iraq and Syria? The BIFF and ASG have previously pledged support and allegiance to the ISIS.

      • Wiki says…Lapu-Lapu (fl. 1521) was a ruler of Mactan, an island in the Visayas, Philippines, who is known as the first native of the archipelago to have resisted Spanish colonization. He was also responsible for the death of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.[1] He is now regarded, retroactively, as the first Filipino hero………
        Wiki also says…The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on 23 July 1983, there was an intermittent insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (the LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers), an independent militant organisation which fought to create an independent Tamil state called Tamil Eelam in the north and the east of the island. After a 26-year military campaign, the Sri Lankan military defeated the Tamil Tigers in May 2009, bringing the civil war to an end.[

        • Lapu Lapu was a Muslim when he died and became a Hero…Philippines was first discovered by Muslims, the teaching in elementary was wrong to say Philippine was discovered by Magellan.

          The Spaniards with their priest padre damaso personality, Christianized most of the northern area of the Philippine, taught corruptions, raped Filipinas and stole Philippine wealth…hence we have Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio and other heros…

          The warn torn Maguindanao will never end its misery unless the Peace agreement is sign, that is the only way…

          No more bloodshed please…the war has to be stopped. The soldiers who lost their bodies are now free and with God Almighty. Their love ones should be paid the full benefit of a hero and their children schooling until graduation shall be paid by the government, HELP their families to move on.

          For the Killers, Let their own Islamic Shariah decide, MILF if they are true for the peace process should act to punish the Killers, however, the situation was considered a WAR CASUALTIES, there was no approved peace agreement yet, so how can MILF judge the KILLERS?

  5. It seems that the story is only purisima and pnoy know about the operation, mar was kept in the dark as he is suspected by purisima to be behind his suspension, seems that espina was not informed as well so as not to alert mar. And purisima called the shots via his cellphone from crame. This was all done in order to redeem purisima but ended in big blunder.

    Anyway I have lived myself in mindanao together with muslims and I don’t support BBL. The eventual goal of moros are independence. This is their first step. ARMM should be enough.

    • is your claim verified? had purisima given his cell phone to the authorities with records of recent contact listed and enumerated?

    • There are too much speculation which cannot help solve the problem. Anything that has no proof is hearsay and maybe subject to some Legalities such as Libel…just be careful guys…

  6. I look around the World and see many problem areas, Iraq, Syria, ISIS, Al Quaida, Boko Haram. Massacres, mass killings and atrocities all allegedly in the name of Islam.
    I think this is justification enough for me to be nervous about the future of peace and order in the Philippines once we have a fully fledged Islamic state, complete with Sharia law, right in our midst.
    I have always believed that politics and religion do not mix. The drafters of the Bangsomoro Agreement clearly thought differently.

      • be careful George, don’t say bad words, remember Lapu Lapu and his kabayans that time were Muslims. Padre damaso and his companies have taught corruptions hence deep rooted corruptions lingers in the political system.

        Have you read Genesis?
        http://www.preaching.com/sermons/11563848/

        What was the religion of Abraham? Is he a Christian?

        If you consider Christianity as the latest MODEL of religion then you are in the wrong course.
        Religion of God has no Model hence cannot be obsolete or outdated at all. Shariah fanatic followers may hunt and kill you. I am a Muslim but not fanatics. Only fanatics KILLS, may it be a Muslim or a Christian or a Sorastian or a Hindu or any sect…

        Let the program of PNOY settle and see the results, who are you to judge ahead of PNOY? George be careful…

    • this onslaught, so tragic, is an eye-opener.
      it reminds us something.
      it gives us time to pause.
      to think.
      look far and beyond.
      look back.
      the BBL.
      is it mutual?
      is it one-sided?
      is it promoting development? lasting peace?
      from its beginning, i am at a pause mode.
      until today.
      best example is the armm, what is it now?.

  9. FACTS AS STATED BY THE PRESIDENT BOTH FROM HIS SPEECH AND ANSWERS TO REPORTER’S QUERIES
    AS I HEARD HIM

    There are quite a few long-standing warrant of arrests on Marawan and Usman and the procedures for serving these WOA have been discussed over a reasonably long period. Given actionable intelligence the responsible SAF officers and forces under their command acted on the intelligence and there was no need to get a go signal from him as Commander in Chief and the chain of command (Roxas, Espina).

    Aid to the beleaguered SAF in an inhospitable area (maputik, may ilog) were not immediate because the possible aiding forces were scattered with their own operations.

    No, Purisima and Ochoa were not involved in the action proceeding from the actionable intelligence.

    The “actionable intelligence” and the need to act was repeated several times by the President. (A case of insisting too much? I am not making conclusions.)

    There is Board of Inquiry by the PH Gov; Murad himself has formed a Special Investigation group to inquire.

    Was the Commander in Chief convincing? I am not giving 10/10 rating.

    A day of mourning has been declared.

    • its NOT a case of insisting the answer too much… I also listened to the presscon and its a case of insisting on the same question. all reporters were asking the same thing and are we expecting that the president answer the one question differently?

    • I thought the speech was basic, but somehow comforting for the lack of wild-eyed rhetoric or anger, and the view that the peace process must continue because it is too important to step back from. He did indicate with some measure of confidence that MILF would act to demonstrate their good faith. I thought the answers to the questions were a tad “diffused” or even evasive. I would guess that some actionable intelligence comes from eyes in the sky, and I am not talking about news cams in helicopters. Or it might come from agents on the ground who cannot be trusted because they tell SAF where to find the guy and tell BIFF where to look for SAF. All that remains speculative. Nothing was said about the death of Marwan that is already published in Wikipedia under his name . . . with a question mark behind 2015 as his death year.

      I found the following description of what is going on more enlightening than anything I’ve read so far. It comes from an American who has lived in the Philippines for 30 years, was a reporter, and lived on Mindanao for a time. I thought you might find it interesting, too, as you have an inquiring mind.

      http://joeam.com/2015/01/28/bbl-milf-biff-pnp-afp-cia-and-isis/#comment-106964

  10. WE Filipinos fully support war in Mindanao if this is the moral and right thing to do, defend the Republic and the laws of the land against MILF and all othe rebels. Enough is enough, 120,000 lives already lost in this senseless war in Mindanao so a few more deaths fighting for freedom and lasting peace will be justified. Make this the last battle so that there will be no more deaths after this and peace will be finally attained in Mindanao. The government of the Republic of the Philippines has the full right to defend Mindanao because this is part of our teritory and call on the AFP to finally crush the MILF rebels.

    • All of the following will not be crushed: MNLF, MILF, Abu Sayaff, Lost Command, NPA, BIFF, atbpa.

      Why? The military will lose a lot on their budget! That will be less money to corrupt.

      Keep on sending young fighting soldiers on all these groups. Anyway we will always have troops to do that…breeding like rabbits anyway for future soldiers.

  11. GMA news report says:

    Suspended PNP Chief Puurrr was given a ‘chance’ to redeem his image, thus ‘gave’ the order on the PNP commandos to proceed.

    Arrraaayyyy! Pres. PNoy! Suspended si Puuurrr! Bakit? Ombudsman suspended him.

    Fiasco One; PNoy might have violated Ombudsman’s order.
    Fiasco Two: Puuurr cannot exercise his duties…suspended siya.
    Fiasco Three: 44 patay because of Fiascos One and Two above.

    Arrraaayyyy! Mr. President.

    Bakit?

    • Presidents’ 6:30 p.m. meet the press, nothing about Fiascos One and Two…nothing at all. Silence.

      Sec. Roxas is looking sour, sitting listening, like a statue and arms folded across his chest.

      4,000 PNP officials heard on news will take mass leave because of these fiascos. . . TV news.

      Will OIC PNP chief Espina confirm that Puurrr did give the order to the PNP commandos to proceed in the operation?

      How about Sec. Roxas on same question?

      PNoy, in answering a question from Media, admits that Puuurrr help him about ‘complicated things’ in the PNP commando operation that happened….hmmm. Seems Puuurrr was allowed then ‘to be ACTIVE’ despite his suspension…?

      • Nothing ‘categorical’ yet. Sketchy still for me…

        One thing that is ‘categorical’ is the arrest order for Junjun. Mag-sketch na lang muna siya sa selda…

        • It will be sketchy all the way! Just like all things in the government. . . SKETCHY and SCATCHY !

          Mag sketch na lang tayo. . . tama ka!

          he he he

        • mag-scratch siya sa cell.
          it’s itchy in the cell.
          “araaay” @leona. you revived that punch line outmoded in cyber time now.
          makati na ang mga mata ko…hehehe.

    • I think the President said that Purisima was involved from May last year until he was suspended.

      • Why did the news reports say that OIC Chief Espina admitted the PNP HQ. . . himself, was not of any information about the PNP commandos’ operations? Headquarters at that!

        Then who ‘ordered’ the commandos to proceed? PNoy? With Chief Espina knowing about it? Or it was PuurrrisMama? Guess – it.

      • . . . let me guess on that phrase uttered by the pres.

        “that Purisima was involved from May last year until he was suspended, and was involved again [with my blessing] even if he was still under suspension”

        The pres. could not say the above guess….ma hahalata sya!

        ha he ha he

    • The presscon was out and it did not state PUrr’s direct involvenment… it’s just a matter of trusting too much of the media hype.

  12. Bansamoro Basic Law…to be approved by our Congress.

    It says House Bill 4994:

    Preamble: We, the Bangsamoro people and other inhabitants of the Bangsamoro x x x In Consonance with the Constitution x x x do hereby ordan and promulgate this Bangsamoro Basic Law x x x”

    – [ this is like actually a separation from the Filipino people; very hard to understand this ‘Basic Law’ of the proposed Bangsamoro people.]

    [Sec. 3 Article 1] – to establish a political entity x x x that will secure their identity and x x x meaningful self-governance.’

    [An identity different from Filipino people. Self-governance away from the Philippine State and government. Magulo. Ungraspful this basic law. I don’t know what to make of it. How our Congressional leaders can grasp this or not to grasp it but just approve it through and through.]

    Secs. 2 – to – 7 Article III, the Bangsamoro Territory – [magulo also. I cannot grasp it. I don’t know if anybody really can grasp it….baka ‘moro-moro’ na lang ito. I do really cannot know this.]

  13. Teditorial: The Massacre

    “We are a poor country badly governed since independence. Misled by allies time and again.Traduce by lackeys in media. Rob by the worst of the worst that you repeatedly elect but we are rich in the courage of our soldiers.

    Our land is fertile with the blood they shed. Our spirits are humbled by their ill rewarded sacrifices yet our spirits soar with pride at our soldiers unfailing sense of duty. Duty to one nation indivisible…. etc” -Teddy Locsin, Jr.

    http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/video/opinions/01/27/15/massacre

  14. I am just pre-empting something which happens regularly after events like this which is very ripe for exploitation/distortion, instead of waiting for information to come out.

    Brace yourself for another invented “anonymous source” article from any of the following :

    a. Kit Tatad – Manila Times
    b. Jojo Robles – Manila (sub) Standard
    c. Bobi Tiglao – Manila Times
    d. any other reporter from those two newspapers

    They have had a history of exploiting tragedies (Zamboanga siege, Yolanda, Napoles) to spin their own stories to suit their own agenda.

    As for that tired cliche, yes, we should shoot the messenger if their message is falsified. In journalism, integrity is everything.

    • Another proof that unlike wine, man’s brain does not necessarily improve with age. Isama mo na rin ang Joker, but he does not write for any newspaper does he? Just blabbers from time to time. (Oops — this statement comes from an old man; ingit lang ako sa fantasy nila.)

    • hehehe.
      the regular 3.
      every cpmer is expecting from each of course.
      pls excuse me.
      i have no intent of reading any from them.

  15. The PNP-SAF team operation was meant to arrest a high value target.

    The MILF leadership is blaming the lack of coordination, their troops on the ground were not informed of the police operation.

    Some groups allege that the MILF and BIFF have unholy alliance because of kinship. The MILF has its own intelligence network and they would know where Marwan and Usman were even before the PNP-SAF launch its operation. If the MILF are sincere with the peace talk process they could have volunteered information on the whereabouts of the high value targets, unless the were coddling them

    • Coordination is always a must. For team work. Without it, one can expect very probable bad encounter with any armed group(s) or even friendly armed group(s).

      The proof? 44 DEAD PNP Cops. . . all commandos at that. That a very high price.

      It will be repeated for other days to come. No doubt about it. Why? Very poor judgment.