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Aquino reaches out; SAF 44 relatives not convinced
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President Benigno Aquino III. Photo by Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–President Benigno Aquino III on Friday tried to console the families of the 44 elite policemen killed in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, but they were apparently unconvinced as some refused to accept the medal of valor from him.
The lukewarm reception to Aquino’s eulogy at the necrological services comes against the backdrop of his absence in the arrival honors the day before.
“Damang-dama ko ang pakiramdam ninyo (I feel what you feel),” Aquino said in his speech at the necrological services held at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.
He recalled the death of his father, the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and thanked the policemen for their heroism.
But despite his recognition of their sacrifice, policemen and relatives alike expressed dismay.Rachel Sumbilla, wife of Police Officer 3 John Lloyd Sumbilla, was among those who refused to accept the medal of valor given by the President. It was handed over to another relative instead.
“Speechless po ako kasi feeling ko matatabunan at matatabunan (yung issue),” she said. “Sa dami ng problema ng government, hindi ko alam kung ipa-priotize ito.”
(I am speechless because I feel that this issue may soon be forgotten. The government has so many problems; I don’t know if this will even be prioritized.)
Her companion said the death of their loved ones may soon be forgotten.
Nevertheless, Sumbilla said her husband had always wanted to die in battle.
The Mamasapano clash, however, was not an ordinary encounter. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is currently pursuing peace talks with the Philippine government, reportedly aided its breakaway group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), in the firefight. Authorities called it a “misencounter.”
Sumbilla and 391 other SAF members stormed the camp of Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir (alias Marwan) to arrest him. However, the group of elite cops was soon overpowered, allegedly by the BIFF and the MILF.
While Aquino claimed that Marwan and another wanted terrorist, Filipino Basit Usman, were not inside the BIFF and MILF encampments, the other groups supposedly joined in on the gunfight.
In his eulogy, Aquino said Marwan was killed by the SAF. He also assured the public that Usman will be arrested.
After Aquino’s speech, one police officer said she was dismayed with the President’s eulogy as she was expecting a heartfelt speech.
She was hoping the President’s speech would boost their morale but pointed out that no one even clapped.Justice
Anastacia Capinding, mother of Police Officer 1 Loreto Capinding II, just shook her head when asked about Aquino’s speech.
“Para sa akin mahirap nang magsalita (For me, it’s hard to speak),” she said. “Ang hiling lang namin sana managot na yung dapat managot. Eh namatay na yung mga anak namin sa pagtatanggol sa bansa (Our only wish is for the perpetrators to be held accountable. Our children died defending the country).”
“We just want justice,” Capinding said repeatedly before becoming almost hysterical.
As photographers and reporters rushed to her, she wailed, “Hustisya lang ang kailangan namin! (We just want justice)”
She said her son was a good man and that his killer should have been the one who died.
What touched the hearts of the policemen was the speech of Erica Pabalinas, wife of Police Senior Inspector Ryan Pabalinas.
“All I ask right now is justice, not only for my husband, who was brutally killed but for everyone who fought and fell,” she said in a loud voice.
“Mr. President, please help us,” she said as Aquino looked on.
Pabalinas shed tears throughout her speech. She was trembling as she left the podium.
Consoling
When Aquino arrived at Camp Bagong Diwa, he went straight to the coffins of the slain officers.
He approached the families and gave them medals of valor.
In front of each coffin, he paused and said a prayer.
Afterwards, he was led to a holding room, where he met with the relatives in private. Each family was given five minutes with the President.
The memorial service was held a day after Aquino drew flak for attending the inauguration of a car plant in Laguna instead of being at Villamor Airbase for the arrival honors of the SAF men.In his eulogy, on Friday morning, Aquino expressed his feelings at how difficult it was to console those who have lost their loved ones.
“Aaminin ko po, hindi ko mapigil tanungin ang aking sarili: Ano nga ba ang masasabi ko para kahit papaano ay mapagaan ang kalooban n’yo?” he said.
(I have to admit, I cannot help but ask myself: What can I say to help ease your pain?)
He said that every life is important and that he had also lost someone dear to him.
Like them, it was through media that he learned about the death of his father.
“Sa oras pong iyon, parang tumigil ang oras sa akin, huminto at halos wala akong napansin sa buong kapaligiran; bumaliktad ang aking mundo,” Aquino said.
(At that moment, time stopped for me and I no longer knew what was happening around me; my world turned upside down.)
“You probably went through the same thing,” he told the relatives.
Why was it necessary for the policemen to die? Aquino said he did not know. Instead, he cited the Christian belief that God has a good plan for each person.
Aquino said each of the young policemen joined the force to be able to contribute to the nation.
“Inialay nila ang kanilang buhay para sa malawakang kapayapaan at kaayusan (They offered their lives for peace and order),” he said.
The President promised to help all the families–through financial, livelihood and educational assistance.“Kinikilala po natin ang kabayanihan ng ating mga nasawing kapulisan. Nagpapasalamat tayo sa kadakilaan ng kanilang sakripisyo. Nakikiramay po tayo sa bawat pamilya ng mga kapulisan nating nawalan ng mahal sa buhay,” he said.
(We recognize the heroism of our slain policemen. We thank them for their sacrifice. We sympathize with each family who lost a loved one.)
Aquino ended his eulogy with the statement that the lives of the 44 SAF members will not be wasted if their deaths will result in peace.
“Ang tunay at pangmatagalang pagbabagong ito ang magiging pamana nila sa sambayanang Pilipino,” he said.
(The true and lasting change in our country will be their legacy to the Filipino people.)
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Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/669179/aquino-reaches-out-saf-44-relatives-not-convinced#ixzz3QIPO4O5vFollow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebookreally don't think these people attended this event to listen to you Aquino, blathering on yet again, about your dead father- it's always the same with Aquino- me, me . I find this obsession he has with himself, and his own, extremely vulgar and unwarranted Aquino, this is not the day for you to be trying to hog the limelight...zip it, if you have no sincerer condolences to offer, just keep your mouth shut...
- Aquino reaches out; SAF 44 relatives not convinced
Piping Dilatan hour ago One thing we can say about Pnoy is...
Honesty and Sincerity are TWO traits that HE does NOT have....
ConcernedCitizenPhan hour ago see more"Noy Held Back on Order to Reinforce SAF — source
tribune
Written by Charlie V. Manalo
Friday, 30 January 2015 00:00In his obsession to obtain the peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as a political trophy, President Aquino deliberately ignored the pleas from the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) for additional reinforcement to rescue trapped operatives from their dire position. This was bared to The Tribune by a source within the PNP saying not only was Aquino informed beforehand of the SAF operation against Malay-sian Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Mar-wan,” believed to be a key leader of the al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islam-iyah, and his alleged Filipino henchman, Abdul Basit Usman, but that he was actually on top of the operation itself.
“The President was actually monitoring the operation. Everything was being reported to him in real time,” said the source. According to the source, Aquino was in Zamboanga that time, waiting in the wings for the outcome of the operation, ready to jump anytime to Maguindanao should the two suspected terrorists be captured. “But when the operation went out of control as the MILF and the BIFF Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters) joined forces in attacking the SAF, the President refused to send any reinforcement even as the SAF were already crying for help from heir beleaguered position,” the source said.
Aquino, the source said, cannot deny the fact that he was aware all the time of the SAF operation. “SAF Commander (Police Director Getulio) Napeñas gave it away. He said that a little less than two hours before the initial gunfighting, the joint monitoring team of the MILF and the government called for a ceasefire. As no one was supposed to have been informed of the operation except (suspended) PNP Chief Alan Purisima, Acting Chief Leonardo Espina, (Executve Secretary Paquito) Ochoa and the President, who could make this possible? No one but the President. He could have called (Presidential Adviser on Peace Process) Teresita Deles to inform the monitoring team of both sides and call for a ceasefire but unfortunately, it didn’t work,” said the source.
In an interview with another national daily, Napeñas averred the joint monitoring team from the MILF and the government called for a ceasefire at a little past 6 am, but the “MILF did not stop shooting.” “General Napeñas said the ceasefire was called for by the monitoring teams of both sides at a little past 6 am, less than two hours after the first shot was fired around 4:20 am. But the gun battle lasted 11 hours until 3:00 pm, and the nearest Army station is only about one kilometer away from where the gun battle was happening, but no reinforcement was sent,” said the source.
“If the President could make a call so early in the morning to Deles so she could in turn call on the monitoring teams to call for a ceasefire, why can’t he make a call to ask the Armed Forces to send reinforcement for the beleaguered SAF personnel?” the source asked. “Because he was advised by Deles not to do so. They were so obsessed with the peace agreement, they want to save the Bangsamoro Basic Law as they believe it was the last piece for Aquino to earn the Nobel Peace Prize,” said the source. “Never mind if 50 dedicated cops were killed,” he lamented."
noriel bernabe windar_einsteinan hour ago Correction, Trillanes isn't a soldier but a certified coup plotter!
buttones noriel bernabean hour ago Correction, Trillanes used to be a sailor, sailing here, sailing there I mean the guy sailed everywhere, in the days when ships were made of wood and the men of steel.. and then one day he got really, really bored and committed treason against the nation, and incited others to mutiny against their CinC which, naturally with those sorts of qualifications, led him to a seat in the Senate where he now idles away his hours saying 'blah, blah, blah'...
Aquino has a 'thing' about Trillanes because he has more Roman numerals after his name than Aquino does....noriel bernabe buttonesan hour ago Go straight to house of representative and you would see bunch of sailors/thieves sailing here, there and everywhere!
eight_log noriel bernabean hour ago There is a need to increase the population ... about time to breed like rabbits!!!
kingkongbundyan hour ago Hustisya ba kamo budoy?
Walang naniniwalang magkaka hustisya hangga't itigil mo ang pagtatanggol sa mga kriminal na yan at May managot sa kanila sa harap ng batas
TUMBOKINan hour ago Pnoy tried his best to sympathize with the berieved. Now what?
He should have given concrete actions such as:1. We will mobilize all law enforcers and soldiers to find and put the bandits behind bars, if they put up a fight they will be killed. I expect results in 30 days.
2. Saf commander and pnp chief will be relieved. Dilg sec will be investigated and if found guilty will also be relieved and if found negligent will be terminated from the service.
3. these police men will be buried at libingan ng mga bayani with full honors
4. the pension of the bereaved will have be processed and will be granted prior to burial. All the siblings of the deceased will be granted full scholarship uupto college of any state university. And after graduation will be given a guaranteed slot of any government service.
5. Next time the pnp will serve a warrant to known enemy strongholds it will be a joint pnp and afp operations.noriel bernabean hour ago This wasn't the first time Noynoy is unable to show sympathy to victims. He was even caught smiling while the Manila Hostage taking crisis is happening. Malacanan officials were quick to defend him and say it was just his facial expression. The intenational media even observed that Noynoy couldn't show sympathy to Yolanda victims. He couldn't show sympathy in many instances where many parts of the country were ravaged by strong typhoons. Worse he would not show up for days as if hibernating. Noynoy was even caught partying with PSG and with Valerie Concepcion during the time that parts of Luzon were ravaged by strong typhoon.
Noynoy even fired a police officer for giving an accurate estimate of the death toll brought about by Yolanda. His reactions and decisions are often times not normal. When the death toll is going closer to the fired policeman's estimate, the death count was stopped.
FireEnginean hour ago "He recalled the death of his father,..."
Sana naalala mo rin ang milyon milyong sumalubong at nakiramay sa inyong pamilya nung panahong yon; yung mga kawal at milyon milyong Pilipino na handang itaya ang kanilang buhay, mapalayas lamang ang diktador at mailuklok ang nanay mo bilang Presidente.
Tapos ikaw, wala man lang panahong makiramay at sumalubong sa mga bayaning ito, na nagbuwis ng buhay at kinabukasan ng kanilang pamilya alang alang sa kanilang katungkulan at pagmamahal sa inang bayan.
Isipin mo nga na habang nagluluksa ang taong bayan at dahan dahang ibinababa ang mga labi ng mga bayaning ito, nandoon ka sa Laguna at nakikipaghalakhakan, tawanan at palakpakan sa isang pagdiriwang.
Sana maalala mo man lamang. Sana tamaan ka ng matinding HIYA sa kinatatayuan mo. Sana man lang suklian mo ang mga bumoto sa iyo ng konting utang na loob.
Duwag.
noriel bernabe FireEnginean hour ago Noynoy isn't normal like us. He is having difficulty expressing himself appropriately like what normal people would usually do.
Kronos2an hour ago Ms. Sabillo----you really are a first rate talangka. Anong gusto ng mga relatives ng mga namatayan? Ipa misa silang lahat sa MAnila Cathedral? Puro drama lang kasi ang gusto nyong mangyari so to put it bluntly you won't get it. The President has 100M people to take care of rather than put special attention on 63 dead soldiers. Deal with it!!
eight_log Kronos2an hour ago Dinalaw nga niya ang dalawang namatay sa Zamboanga ... saan ba ang mas importante??? KWARTA O KAHON??? Of course sa pinakita ni PNOY ... KWARTA ANG IMPORTANTE ... PUMUNTA SA MITSUBISHI NANDOON ANG KWARTA ... SA VILLAMOR, NANDOON ANG KAHONG KAHONG ANG LAMAN AY KAGAGAWAN NIYA!!!!
boss_dolpoan hour ago Ginamit na naman ang pangalan ng magulang sa speech. Tsk tsk. Wala na bang iba noy2?
vodotan hour ago Ang daming galit na mga Boss dito, gusto aksyon agad.
Mahina kamo ang Presidente, e tayo nalang gumawa ng paraan.Punta tayo lahat sa Maguindanao, magdala kayo ng sariling bakal ninyo at labanan natin sabay sabay ang BIFF at 105th Base Command ng MI.
Sinong mauuna dyan?
kagidkamo vodotan hour ago dala mo ba bolo mo? baka kukulangin tayo nyan. sama mo na din urinola sakali iihi ka ng husto
leomar101an hour ago You are the worst president of all who betrayed the peoples trust, murdered your own men in uniform, and now your only explanation is that you lost also your father? You fool, howmany lives will losts still when you continue to stay in malacanang. You do not convince anybody with your plastic explanation but instead it fires up the anger of all the Filipinos to throw you in hell. You open the gates of hell mr. boang president. From the start we are convinced that you will screwed up our nation. And it is true.
tira_adoran hour ago Sincerity sa usapang BBL ang pinapakita ni Pnoy hindi sinceridad na maibigay ang hustisya sa SAF commandos.
scorpio22an hour ago Ninoy Aquino died for pursuing his personal ambition to become a president and the SAF cops died because Noynoy Aquino is pursuing his glorification as a president. There's a big difference there.
disqus_scbiaMsZ78an hour ago THE FOUR STOOGES OF THE SENATE (BADING CAYETANO, UNDER-D-SAYA THRILLANES, PENDEHO PIMENTEL, & ENSAYMANDANG GUINGONA) ANO PA HINIHINTAY NINYO? PUNYETA KAYONG LAHAT, PURO PANGSARILI NYO LANG AMBISYON ANG INAATUPAG NINYO.
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