January 25, 2015, Sunday. A schoolmate from highschool posted a prayer hoping that none of his friends or comrades are okay. I knew he was a member of the PNP before he decided to go abroad to be with his wife. So out of curiosity, I checked on the comments on his status. Someone asked him why? And he said there was an encounter between SAF-PNP and MILF somewhere in Maguindanao. So I also said a prayer. Hoping that it was a false alarm and even if it was true, i hoped and prayed that there would be no casualty.
January 26, 2015. Before going to work, I checked on the news and there it was. There was indeed an encounter and numbers of casualties were already being announced. In the afternoon, before it hits the media, a list of names were already posted in the social media. Looking at the names, I saw a lot of familiar ones that belongs to our region. Until the lists were revised and their hometowns were included. And we were right. 13 out of the 44 were from our region. Our fellow Cordillerans. It was a sad news that circulated on FB especially knowing that some of them were a family to some of our friends or a friend of someone we knew.
Following days. A lot of stories and news came out. And I was giving the MILF/BIFF the benefit of the doubt. Until I saw the videos and photos of those who died that were posted online. And I cannot believe it. That such a manner of killing do exist. It was brutal. It was inhumane.
Then came the President's speech. About knowing of the operation but denied involvement in it. Instead, he put the blame on Purisima, the Director General who was suspended since last year. (The 1st time I was pissed-off)
January 29, 2015. The remains of the 42 slain PNP-SAF arrived at the Villamor Air Base. "Most" of the Filipino people looking for the President. And a hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo trended worldwide. And there he was. At the launching of the Mitsubishi Car store in Laguna. (The 2nd time I was pissed-off). On behalf of his absence to the "pagsalubong", the Malacanang made a statement that it was not, and I repeat, it was NOT on HIS SCHEDULE to be on that event. (The 3rd time I was really pissed-off). And to top that on that day, the Malacanang also said that "most" of us, the Filipino people, doesn't mind of him not being there. (This time I was really pissed-off and irritated).
January 30, 2015. A day of national mourning. There was a necrological service for the fallen 44. The president was late. But then the Malacanang again said that it wasn't his fault. His schedule was at 10:00am but the service finished early at 9:30am. (So yeah, whatever).
So imagine me ranting all of my frustrations at our president on my facebook account. Until someone told me that even if how much I am angry at our president, I shouldn't post it on social media. I was ready to answer back and say "if you only knew where the emotion is coming from" but then I held back. And I realized, that she's somewhat right. Because right at that moment, it wasn't all about him. It was all about them. But you cannot blame me or those who were voicing out their frustrations towards our President. Afterall, he is the Commander-in-Chief. He is not just an ordinary person. His presence would always mean something to a lot of people.
January 31, 2015. Our fellow Cordillerans who were among the Fallen 44 arrived home. And it was our day of mourning. 13 out of the 44 were from our own Cordillera. A service and a short program were also given to them.
While it is true that we hope for peace, we also want justice for all of them. On how savagely they were killed, don't you think they deserve more than those promises and all those sugar-coated speeches? Their families deserve the truth. It was not a misencounter. It was clearly an ambush. Sometimes, I even think that the operation has somewhat leaked out. Or that the BIFF/MILF has planned this out with the Bangasamoro Law nearing its final reading. But I also do not know the truth. All I know is that they deserve the truth and they deserve justice. Remember, these men are our front-liners. They take orders from their higher ups even if it means having themselves killed.
"We do not know the dignity of their birth, but we know the glory of their death" -General Douglas MacArthur
"work for a cause not for applause,
live life to express not to impress
don't strive to make your presence noticed
just make your absence felt" -Abhishek Tiwari
“It is time to open our eyes to the impunity by how the Moro Islamic Liberation Front disregarded, not only the rule of law, but the value of human life in Sunday’s gruesome killing of our policemen,” -Senator Alan Peter S. Cayetano
“Our laws say there should be only one police force in the country and that is the PNP. Why should we ask permission to enter our own territory?
In our eagerness to broker a peace agreement with the MILF, the Aquino administration is unnecessarily giving up our sovereign authority over parts of Mindanao.” -from inquirer
