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The lady has a point.
“Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago said on Thursday, February 12, that President Benigno Aquino III and the three other officials who met in Malacañang two weeks before the anti-terror raid in Mamasapano, Maguindanao should assume responsibility for the death of the 44 Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) troopers,” reports Maila Ager on Inquirer.net.
The report noted: “Aside from Aquino, the three others present during the meeting in Malacanang last January 9, 2015 for ‘mission update” on the operation were the resigned Philippine National Police chief, Director General Alan Purisima, relieved PNP-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) Director Getulio Napeñas and Intelligence Group Director Fernando Mendez.”
Santiago explained, “It’s useless and it’s not possible to pinpoint the blame for any single person for an operation of this nature. First, it’s useless because 44 people have already died and we cannot resurrect them. Second, it’s impossible.”
Ultimately, though, Santiago said: “So, in effect, all four must assume responsibility for the failure—in fact not only failure, but the massacre that took place. I am naming President Aquino because I don’t think it serves public interest to fudge the issue—to never mention his name, like he was some sacred cow. I don’t think he needs my protection. He can stand for himself.”
Despite this, Santiago emphasized that she “would not support any coup plot against the President.”
She explained, “I am against the removal of President Aquino in any means except those that are legal. As president, he can only be impeached. Thereafter, he can of course be sued. Therefore, my criticism should be taken as a surgical operation to determine what should not be done again.”
The encounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan 25 left 44 members of the elite Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) dead. The PNP-SAF troopers had been out to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias “Marwan” and Filipino bomb maker Abdul Basit Usman. Both men had bounties on their heads placed by the U.S. government: US$5 million for Marwan and US$1 million for Usman.
The operation turned bloody when members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said they had to fight back because the PNP-SAF had breached their territory. They alleged that they had not been informed about the operation to get Marwan and Usman. The hostile encounter lasted 11 hours. The MILF lost 18 of their fighters.
Both the government and the MILF are currently doing probes on the Mamsapano encounter to determine what went wrong, as the incident threatens the Bangsamoro peace deal.
Photo: Senator Pia Cayetano (Twitter)
