EDITORIAL

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Monday, January 30, 2017
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ON Jan. 25, 2015, almost 400 commandos of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) launched “Oplan Exodus” – anti-terror special covert operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao supposedly to capture wanted international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and Abudl Bassit Usman. Tragically, this operation instead ended in a 12-hour clash between the PNP-SAF and the armed Moro residents in the area, including elements of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and other private armed groups in the said area. The debacle resulted in the tragic death of 44 SAF commandos, 18 MILF fighters, and at least 7 civilians, while injuring 12 others. The covert operations was mired by controversy as it possibly violated the then on-going ceasefire between the government and the MILF

Two years since that tragedy, the Filipino people, and most especially families of those who died, have yet to attain justice. Is the indictment of former PNP Director General Alan Purisima and SAF Commander Getulio Napenas enough?

Despite the results of separate investigations by the PNP’s Board of Inquiry, Congress and the Commission on Human Rights, many questions remain unanswered. Was there American interference in the operation? Who ordered the botched operation? Was there an order for military forces to stand down and not help the SAF?

Other significant issues raised, but were left unresolved, also include, what is the knowledge and extent of participation by then President Benigno Aquino III and the extent of intervention by the US?

While results of the investigation have uniformly established the full knowledge of the operation by President Aquino and the supposed “limited involvement” of the US, yet, these details were no longer pursued nor were further details threshed out – a sheer injustice and disservice not only to the kin of the victims, including the SAF members, but, more importantly to the Filipino people demanding justice.

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