The Filipino people are still
mourning for the death of 44 members of Special Action Forces (SAF) of PNP who
operated in the town of Mamasapano in Maguindanao last January 25. The operation
was called Operation Wolverine. The aim of the troops was to capture the two
most wanted terrorists in the world Zulkilfli bin Hir alias Marwan and Abdul
Basit Usman, both members of Jemaah Islamiyah. Despite of the tragic incident,
the SAF claimed that the operation became successful because they killed Marwan
and they cut off his finger to undergo in a DNA test. They already sent the
finger to FBI of America to verify if it is from Marwan or not.
People from all walk of lives have
their own reactions regarding to the Mamasapano clash. They are really
disappointed to the Aquino administration because they can’t protect the
soldiers. Yes, the duty of the soldiers is to defend the Filipino people from the
lawless members of our society. But the government must also do their duty to take
care the soldiers who are ready to lose their lives in the battle. It seems
that the government putted their soldiers in the fangs of the beasts. They died
helpless in the hands of the enemies.
The critics are questioning, why did
the operation of the SAF turned into the defeat of their troops? It seems that
there was wrong with their tactics. They did not coordinate to the MILF before
they enter into their territory. They even weren’t ask the help of the military
to back up them. PNP National Director Getulio Napelas who acted as a leader in
that operation already took the blame about the incident. But it doesn’t enough
because there are persons higher than him who might ordered to conduct the
operation.
According to OIC PNP Chief Leonardo
Espina, the suspended PNP Chief Alan Purisima was the one who gave an order to
the SAF and Purisima was reporting directly to P-Noy. It means that the
president knew about the operation. But ironically Defense Sec. Voltair Gazmin
and DILG Sec. mar Roxas doesn’t inform about the operation. But now, Purisima
is not ready to explain his side. Then, Malacananang doesn’t want to castigate
the suspended general. Their spoke person Edwin Lacierda said that, let the invistigation
bodies call Purisma.
If P-Noy has knowledge about the
Mamasapano clash, then he is responsible for the death of the 44 members of the
SAF. For the first place, he let Purisma to conduct an operation although he is
suspended. There is also a report that P-Noy didn’t give back up to the SAF
members because that was the advice of the one of members of the peace panel to
protect the peace talk between the government and the MILF. So, P-Noy should
also be questioned if the allegations are true. As a commander in chief, P-Noy
should be brave enough to tell the truth. The sad thing is he passed the blame
to Napelas because of he didn’t handle properly the operation to become
successful.