MORE than two months after the Mamasapano tragedy, debate continues over who is to blame for the death of the 44 commandos from the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF).
The Senate has finished its investigation, but the House of Representatives has just resumed its own inquiry on the same subject, with basically the same witnesses as those who testified before the Senate panel.
The PNP’s Board of Inquiry has also submitted its own report on the operation to arrest Malaysian terrorist and bomb-maker Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has confirmed that Marwan was killed while resisting arrest in Mamasapano on January 25.
On that basis some police officers declared the operation as a success, but many people could not accept the fact that 44 SAF commandos died in the process. The Senate labeled their death as a massacre, not the result of a typical firefight.
The hearings in Congress, particularly at the House of Representatives, brought out in public the tension between the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). Both sides blamed each other for the debacle. We may not see the end of the controversy arising from the Mamasapano tragedy even after the House has completed its investigation.
More than the controversy and the exchange of accusations, the developments arising from the Mamasapano tragedy brought to light the state of our police and armed forces. For instance, allegations were made regarding the reliability of the grenade launchers and other weapons and ammunition used by the
police commandos.
The tragedy clearly strained the relationship between the police and the military. Some people say the death of the 44 SAF commandos lowered the morale both of the policemen and the soldiers. After all, policemen and soldiers both risk their lives to protect the people and safeguard the integrity of the nation.
The grief over the death of the police commandos was followed by an outpouring of sympathy for the families they left behind. The government provided financial assistance to the surviving families, including cash grants and scholarships for the orphaned children. Private companies and organizations also contributed their share; fund-raising activities were held; and even the police and military ranks contributed part of their salaries for the families of the “Fallen 44.”
We heard beautiful speeches from our political leaders, expressing their condolences to the bereaved families, extolling the slain police commandos for their bravery and sacrifice and promising to seek justice for them. There is also a call to rebuild the image of the police and the military.
However, feel-good speeches or pep talk are not enough. There must be concrete action not only to mend the strained relations between the PNP and the AFP. We need to rebuild not just the image of these two organizations but their capability to perform their tasks: to protect the people, maintain the peace, enforce the law and uphold the sovereignty of the country.
In fairness, the government has done some measures to boost the morale of police and soldiers. Malacañang last month approved a joint congressional resolution raising the daily subsistence allowance of members of the PNP and AFP. The daily allowance was raised from P90 to P150, or a total of P1,800 a month. The increase was applied retroactively to January 1, 2015. The additional allowance should help the families of policemen and soldiers to meet the rising cost of food and other basic necessities.
The move is commendable, but a lot more should be done to strengthen the police and the armed forces. We need a definite and comprehensive program so we can launch effective campaigns against illegal drugs and smuggling, and to maintain peace and order throughout the country.
To be continued
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