Three days after the tragic deaths of 44 members of Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) in the hands of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters in Mamasapano in Maguindanao, President Benigno Simeon (BS) Aquino finally addressed the nation. However, the people who have been speculating for days about how and why the tragic event occurred were still left with even more unanswered questions. As usual the President was very good at evading simple questions and even appeared irritated at having to answer them. At one point, a coughing fit muddled his response.
Comrades left to be slaughtered: a unit of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force.
BS Aquino’s carefully worded statements did not reassure the Filipino people that the events that led to the tragedy was backed by his authority. He said that there was an outstanding warrant on bomb makers Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as “Marwan,” a Malaysian, and the Filipino Abdul Basit Usman since 2002 and that operation to capture him has been ongoing.
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When asked by a journalist if he gave the authority for the operation to capture the bomb makers on that fateful day, the President could not say directly if he did give it. He said that he didn’t think he was ever asked the question, “Sir, can we have the go-signal?”
His response though contradicted his earlier statement. In his speech, he emphasized that he kept reiterating to the director of the PNP-SAF the importance of coordinating with the people involved in the operation, which he said was not done.
Sa paulit-ulit kong pagpapaalala sa pangangailangan ng koordinasyon, ang isinagot po sa akin ng direktor ng SAF, “Yes Sir.” Ang sabi lang niya, kailangan din ng operational security, o ang pagsigurong ang dapat lang makaalam ang masasabihan ukol sa operasyon. Gayumpaman, idiniin kong kailangan pa ring ialerto ang ibang mga sangay o ang kanilang mga hepe; kailangan nasa tamang oras ang abiso, at kumpleto ang impormasyon, para makapaghanda nang maayos.
So, the question still remains: Did he or did he not know about the operation beforehand? If he didn’t know, then it shows that the PNP does not respect him enough. It is possible because the president seemed to be annoyed that it was too late when the PNP-SAF – who he admitted were not equipped to respond to attacks — asked for help from the Philippine military:
Tanong ko: Bakit at paano nga po kaya nangyari na malapit na sa jump-off o naka-jump-off na, nang sinabihan ang batalyon ng AFP na malapit sa operasyon? Ang problema po dito, nagkalat sa iba’t ibang lugar ang mga sundalong kasapi ng batalyong ito na nagbabantay sa main supply route sa lugar na ito. Sa madaling salita, dikit na sa oras ng engkuwentro ang abiso, at mahirap masabi kung nagkaroon ng sapat na panahon upang ihanda ang ayuda kung kakailanganin. Kung may compliance pong nangyari sa atas kong siguruhing may sapat na koordinasyon, parang sinagad po itong very minimum compliance. Nagulat nga po akong malaman na ang pinuno ng Western Mindanao Command, o maski ng 6th Infantry Division, ay tila naabisuhan lamang matapos ang unang engkuwentro laban kina Marwan at Usman; palabas na ang puwersa ng SAF, at nagkakaroon na ng problema sa puntong ito.
A Manila Standard article reported that a police general claims that suspended PNP Chief Alan Purisima conducted the entire operation and because he was doing it secretly, “Purisima would not share the intel with anyone and asserted he had to personally run and oversee the operations.” It was said that he was confident the operation would succeed because of the ceasefire agreement:
The ceasefire was in effect. We observed it. We expected the MILF to observe that too. There was no way we could coordinate with the MILF when the terrorists we were after were in their territory,” the general said.
Apparently, the Philippine military was unaware of the operation, which was the main reason why they could not respond immediately.
It wasn’t just the military that wasn’t aware of the operation; even Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas who is supposed to be in charge of the PNP was also caught surprised by the tragedy. Apart from the 44 dead, someone’s head rolled too. Director Getulio Napenas as chief of the Special Action Force was sacked after the botched operation. That was even before the “investigation” was conducted. Life is tough for people who don’t have friends in high places.
President BS Aquino’s speech did not condemn the actions of the perpetrators – members of the MILF. As a matter of fact, the President even commended the MILF. He made special mention of how they have helped in the past in achieving “peace” citing how they were instrumental in saving a Japanese hostage in 2014. He wasn’t specific about details of how the MILF helped in that instance though.
The bottom line of BS Aquino’s speech is that, this “misencounter” should not derail the passing of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. His standard response to journalists who were asking him tough questions was: “Let us wait for the result of the investigation”, which is another way of saying “I will not answer your question.”
It was also incredible how BS Aquino tried to cast a shadow of doubt over who was to blame for the tragic events. When asked what he thinks about members of the MILF who allegedly stole personal belongings of the dead police officers, his response was to advise journalists not to be too quick to assume the MILF was solely responsible for that.
The fact remains: MILF rebel forces were protecting Malaysian terrorist bomb makers and claiming authority over a “territory” even without the passing of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
President BS Aquino’s speech was clear on only one thing. His deal with the MILF will not be held back even when rebel forces break the ceasefire agreement and slaughter those who are supposed to protect the Filipino people. It seems he has no qualms about treating the enemy with kids’ gloves and possibly betraying his own men in the process.
In life, things are not always what they seem.
Pak hue ka Ngongoy! Suspended na nga si Purisima nakapag utos pa ng SAF mission? Anong palagay mo sa mga tao? Tangang tulad mo? Cover up mo lang yan para kay Roxas dahil pumalpak na naman yang Marimar mo. Paalis ka na sa pwesto puro ka pa rin kaululan. Di na ko magtataka kung ma Edsa rally ka at hindi ka ipagtatanggol ng mga mistah at kapulisan. Bumaba ka na bago pa may mamatay ulit na mga pulis para sa letseng Bangsamoro mo. Dalawin ka sana sa bangungot ng mga namatay sa hacienda luisita.
Thank you! Very good article! I wasn’t able to watch it live but you seem to have summed up it perfectly. That being said… Purisma? They’re saying Purisma did this? Do they expect us to swallow that stuff? I’m surprised he didn’t blame Obama! Pnoy should be ashamed of himself!
He is shameless!
“The ceasefire was in effect. We observed the ceasefire. We expected the MILF to observe the ceasefire too…” You Expect the enemy to observe the ceasefire?…This is the most stupid statement, I have ever heard. You expect the enemy not to kill you?
Aquino is collaborating with the MILF/ISIS. He wants to cede a part of Philippine territory to the MILF/ISIS Caliphate…Aquino should be tried of Treason. Like his grandfather, Benigno Aquino, Sr.
We Filipinos must wake up. The Enemies of the Republic are the one ruling us…and they are selling us to the enemies…
We sympathize with the families of those soldiers and police , murdered, because of the incompetence/collaboration of Aquino.
Agree. Parang lolo at nanay niya. Baka sweet deal para sa added manpower security sa Hacienda Luisita ang hinandog ng mga ulol na rebelde. Binenta tayo ng mga Cojuangco-Aquino dahil kahit magka anarchy sa Pinas, meron naman silang panglipad sa ibang bansa pag nadouble cross ang gobyerno ng mga teroristang to.
Wala man lang binanggit na pakikiramay sa mga namatay! Nakapangingilabot na ganito ka walang kwenta at kamanhid ang pinuno ng bansa. Commander-in-chief pa mandin ng sandatahan ng bansa, wala man lang malasakit sa mga pulis na handang sumunod sa mga kanyang pinag-uutos. Buhay nila ngayon ang kapalit!
Tama nga sabi nung isang commenter sa Manila Standar article, akala ng hinayupak na Panot na to na para lang siyang naglalaro ng DOTA at PSP, kala niya pag namatay ang mga sundalo at pulis marerevive lang ng reset button. Yung mas nakakagalit sa lahat, pinalalabas pa sa punyeta niyang speech na kinakampihan pa niya ang MILF kahit lantarang overkill ang ginawa nila!
Nakakaiyak, kasi parang wala tayong maaaring gawin sa bagay na ito, wag na nating hintaying matapos pa termino niya. Lagi na lang taun-taon, palaging may matitinding trahedya sa ilalim ng pamumuno niya. Ano pa kayang delubyo darating sa susunod na taon?
Siguradong babangon ang mga mistah at kapulisan at iisip ng paraan para mapatalsik ang bobong panot na yan. Pag nagka Edsa rally siguradong hindi siya makakakuha ng military support dahil sa mga kagaguhan niya.
Noynoy is very much like Obama. Incompetent and traitorous.
To expect something good to come out of this moron’s mouth is akin to expecting the pope to change religion. To call him a dimwit, a jerk, a blockhead, a cretin, a dunce, a mutton head,simpleton, nincompoop, halfwit.,dolt, ignoramus, dullard, clod, thick is an insult to those who invented these words, for no words have been discovered yet to describe his lack of intelligence. I have long given up HOPING that someone could drill some sense into his dense skull! He is a waste of space….fact!
#iwaspusoy
#sittingducks
#misencounter?
#dtruth?
Puta ina mga rebelde na yan ubusin yang mga yan .tangna nila
Lets have some minutes to pray for our fellow policemen….. Amen.
Pnoy grow some balls and take after Putins cue in dealing with these people!!!
“In Russia , live like Russians. Any minority, from anywhere, if it wants to live in Russia , to work and eat in Russia , it should speak Russian, and should respect the Russian laws. If they prefer Sharia Law, and live the life of Muslim’s then we advise them to go to those places where that’s the state law.
” Russia does not need Muslim minorities. Minorities need Russia , and we will not grant them special privileges, or try to change our laws to fit their desires, no matter how loud they yell ‘discrimination’. We will not tolerate disrespect of our Russian culture. We better learn from the suicides of America, England , Holland and France, if we are to survive as a nation. The Muslims are taking over those countries and they will not take over Russia . The Russian customs and traditions are not compatible with the lack of culture or the primitive ways of Sharia Law and Muslims.
“When this honorable legislative body thinks of creating new laws, it should have in mind the Russian national interest first, observing that the Muslims Minorities Are Not Russians.”
We’re not living in Russia, nor are we Russians. We’re more than capable of accepting those who differ from us — that’s where our reputation as a tourist-friendly country comes from. We are descendants of different tribes and nationalities all mingling and mixing together, and we’ve all coexisted without serious strain. Surely in due time we can live alongside the Muslims of Mindanao.
@Pallacertus:
You are living the “Alice in Wonderland”, dimension…with jaundiced view of Reality…
All I know is this: if we are to live in the same country, we must love one another or die.
Equality and not hypocrisy and double-dealing before the law. Extend a brotherly hand to those we’ve wronged, just as they extend theirs to those they’ve wronged. If we’re gonna mourn for our dead, make sure we mourn for all of them — Christian, Muslim, government, rebel, whatever. We’re all Filipinos, and if we are to live in the same country and call ourselves Filipinos, we must love one another or die.
He did not even went to Villamor airbase today, what a traitorous asshole Abnoy! All he ever does is give in to the terrorist on the behalf of everyone.
On his own behalf. I think the operation was kept quiet to recover bounty money for his group. Pnoy would sell the Philippines out like Aguinaldo for his own gain.
Secret ang operation kasi may reward na milyones n dolyar para s mga terorista, conspiracy nga ito,, now i get it pnoy
@Jay:
Then, you send your Police/Soldiers in an Open Cornfield, without any “firepower support” to serve a warrant of arrest?
I have never seen an idiot do that in any military operation…only an idiot like Aquino. Maybe he is enjoying the “million dollar rewards” now…
I did not vote for him because I am a thinking voter. Those who voted for him, you will carry and share that guilt with him into your conscience. Are you satisfied? In 2016 we will vote another to replace this wimp of a president and the strongest bet is the vice president. Will we allow to commit the same mistake?
Instead of looking at the event on a round-by-round after the fact blame game I would rather focus on what the gov’t. will do next in order to continue what the murdered policemen have started: pursue the legal process and serve justice no matter what.
I think Pres. Aquino was put on the spot not on why the policemen were killed but what is he going to do now that will show he’s not taking the said killings sitting down. Obviously, 40+ killings is not a problem that can be solve in a walk in the park manner. No amount of explaining will make it less reprehensible. Concrete and bold action is necessary to make those who perpetrated the killings liable.
The next days or weeks will be a litmus test on the Aquino administration as to the kind of steps it will take on the problem not only to resolve it but also to make it known to the other side that they cannot get away with murder and not expect any kind of retribution from the gov’t.
I see this incident as the most serious challenge to the leadership of Aquino.
The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise — with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disentrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.
Shameless coward ka PNoy! Not to mention stupid! Stupid! Stupid!