We are glad to hear that as Commander-in-chief, the President in his nationwide address last Friday, claimed responsibility for the death of the 44 PNP Special Action Force men sent to arrest Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan. This should help calm down a raging firestorm, with some civil society groups and clergy members demanding the resignation of President Aquino. A protest rally at the gates of Camp Crame to pressure Aquino to crack down on MILF and BIFF rebels is still pushing through.
Families of the “Fallen 44” are justifiably furious and want justice for their loved ones especially since it is becoming clear that what happened in Mamasapano, Maguindanao was no “mis-encounter,” with the government troops killed in a very brutal and barbaric manner. Some had their eyes gouged, while the skulls of others were split open and filled with leaves and dirt, their personal belongings like ATM cards and cellphones stolen.
Emotions are high, fueled by reports that the men were sent on a deadly mission codenamed “Oplan Exodus,” despite the plan’s tactical and strategic loopholes. It is still unclear why they did not receive timely reinforcement from the military or the rest of the SAF 392 elements who were part of “Operation Exodus” reportedly on the President’s orders so as not to jeopardize the peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front with whom the government has initiated a ceasefire.
The President accepted the resignation of suspended PNP chief Alan Purisima — who was pinpointed by sacked SAF Director Getulio Napeñas as the person to whom he was reporting and the one directly handling the operation. Purisima has denied any involvement in “Oplan Exodus” saying he merely supplied the “intelligence package” that formed the basis for the operation, and that the man calling the shots was the ground commander.
There are still a lot of questions that demand answers, and the whole nation — most especially the families of the Fallen 44 — deserves nothing less than the truth. No less than an independent body or a “Truth Commission” would be acceptable to the public. All the members must be credible individuals who can help process all the information — from the survivors, the relatives of the fallen, the commanders, the AFP, the PNP, members of the peace panel and even the MILF — and make sense of the confusing statements and conflicting accounts that people are hearing.
We should try to step back and keep our emotions in check in order to see the whole picture more clearly. Asking the President to step down will not bring back the dead. Scrapping the peace process altogether is not the answer either. The only way to achieve lasting peace is to come from a position of strength. People are demanding justice for the Fallen 44 first before any talk of peace and reconciliation.
Many of us are doubtful of the good faith and sincerity of the MILF in conducting the peace talks because of the strong suspicion that they have been harboring Marwan and Filipino bomb maker Abdulbasit Usman despite denials to the contrary. The people tasked with handling the peace negotiations must thoroughly scrutinize the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law particularly with regard to provisions that are deemed contrary to the Constitution and which could undermine the authority of the State. More importantly, the BBL must be accepted by stakeholders as all-inclusive and fair. Anything less could have potentially disastrous consequences that could put the peace process back to square one.
What this tragedy has showed all of us is that we now know the dedication of our troops, who put duty and love of country first even at the cost of their lives. What we all saw is that they, too, were husbands, fathers, brothers and sons who had families like you and me. More than ever, we have to continue supporting our troops — both in the PNP and the AFP — by giving them respect. The government must give them the right kind of training, instilling discipline among the ranks, providing them essential equipment, paying them well and giving them the necessary benefits so that they can do their task as the protectors of our country.
A sliver of light in the whole disastrous operation is the FBI confirmation that the Malaysian militant has indeed been neutralized — providing some consolation that the Fallen 44 did not die in vain. Nevertheless, the Jan. 25 debacle is a bitter lesson that everyone from the President down to the last PNP member should remember.
The President’s Friday address somehow calmed the raging firestorm when he promised to bulldoze anyone who gets in the way of the hunt for Usman, yet many also noticed the subliminal signal that he is pinning the blame squarely on the former SAF chief, saying Napeñas had the opportunity to call off the mission when it became apparent that the situation on the ground was different from what they anticipated and planned for. But then again, didn’t Purisima say he gave the intelligence package for the operation? Despite his resignation as PNP chief and his denial regarding his involvement in the disastrous January 25 operation, General Purisima’s role must be examined.
The President’s acceptance of the resignation of his very close friend must be a lesson for him and for all of us to a certain extent. Loyalty to friends must take a backseat when the interest of the people and the survival of the nation are at stake. Just like the brave men and women who died for our country, we must all remember that loyalty to our country must come first before anything else.
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