I borrow ideas and text for this column from a document I helped write last week: “A call for sincerity as a search for truth, justice, and peace: Talking Points on the Mamasapano Tragedy” by the Society of Jesus Social Apostolate. The SJSA is a consortium of over 30 organizations, development organizations, research institutes, student social formation offices, and other social and political advocacy groups affiliated with the Jesuits. In the words of Jesuit Provincial Fr. Tony Moreno SJ, these talking points are “an attempt to bring us all together, to reflect prayerfully on the complex issues involved, and hopefully to strengthen our resolve to press for truth, justice and peace.”
In the SJSA paper, we noted that Mamasapano threatens to be even a bigger tragedy, because at stake now is the peace process in Mindanao itself. We describe the dilemma our country now faces: “Either we attend to the multi-layered problem of Mamasapano with multiple issues of recrimination and punishment, and lose the long- term peace process; or we attend to the peace process and the legislation that it involves, and appear insensitive to those grieving for the deaths of those killed in Mamasapano, both SAF PNP and BIFF/MILF Muslim fighters.”
Faced with this challenge, the SJSA paper argues: “We must do everything we can, however, to insist that all rise above the emotions and hatred of the moment, and silently be led to seek the common good. We need to heed the call for sobriety and rule of law; and not to be swayed and be led to extreme and irreversible positions. We need to be guided by principles underpinned by sincerity.”
On this call for sincerity, our paper suggests involves four operative principles, which are not to be done chronologically but simultaneously. There will be no peace without justice, no justice without truth, but peace must not be held hostage by search for truth and demand for justice. In this regard, the SJSA talking points propose four that could guide how we understand and might want to engage with the Mamasapano challenge: (1) Truth- telling is paramount; (2) Justice must be rendered to the victims and their families; (3) There must be accountability for decisions; (4) Peace in Mindanao must not be abandoned.
In this column, I write about the first principle: the search for truth. In subsequent columns, I will elaborate on the three other columns.
The fact is we still do not know the whole truth of what happened on 25 January 2015.
Hard questions must be asked and answered by the Aquino government, including by President Aquino himself. Likewise, the MILF needs to address important issues that have been raised by its behavior.
For the government, the SJSA asks these questions: “Who was in charge of this operation above the level of the SAF commander? Did the President himself give the direct order for the operation to begin? Was suspended PNP Chief Alan Purisima involved in any way prior to and during the operation and after the Ombudsman had already suspended him? Was the President aware of that involvement? And where is General Purisima now? Shouldn’t Government produce him and demand his explanation? Why did SAF Commander Getulio Napeñas not coordinate with the military units on the ground that could have provided support to the beleaguered SAF units? Why was the PNP chain of command ignored, with acting PNP Chief Leonardo Espina informed only by a text from Napeñas while the operation was already under way? What factors accounted for the delayed response between the time SAF forces first appealed for help until the time it was probably already too late? The same question applies to the SILG Mar Roxas. Was there a problem of trust? Why were the ceasefire mechanisms not utilized for this operation? What role did foreign governments play in this operation? Was the reward money a consideration in the decisions that were made? And after the event, why did it take so long for the President to make a statement? When the bodies of the fallen heroes were brought home, how come the President did not deem it important to change his schedule in order to express condolences to his police officers? What else can the Government do to convince the people that it is sincere in its search for peace with justice?
For the MILF and their supporters, we would like these questions answered: “Can the MILF honestly say they did not know that international terrorist Marwan and his local counterpart Usman were hiding and possibly operating within their sphere of control? And why would these terrorists feel safe in the MILF territory? Even if the terrorists were in BIFF territory, weren’t the BIFF in a position to do something about that? Why did they not coordinate with the Government in terms of sharing intelligence information, when they knew the presence of terrorists in their midst would cast doubt on their sincerity? What actually happened on that tragic day in Mamasapano? Why did the MILF join the firefight and attack the SAF men? Did they coordinate with the BIFF in that fight? How come the shooting lasted almost half a day until all, but one, of the trapped SAF men were killed? Are the reports of robbery of the dead true? If yes, was this done by MILF forces? What could they say about the report that the MILF still operates factories of sniper rifles, grenade launchers, mortars, among others? Will all these be part of decommissioning in the normalization process? And with all these doubts in the minds and hearts of the legislators and the general public, what is the MILF’s plan to ease the pain of their victims and convince legislators about the soundness of the Bangsamoro Basic Law? Is the MILF willing to surrender the errant leaders who led the so-called “carnage” and join the Government in chasing Usman and other terrorism suspects? And will the MILF be patient if, as a result of the Mamasapano tragedy, the legislative process of passing the Bangsamoro Basic Law runs slower than expected?”
The motto of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, which is a member of the SJSA, is “Veritas liberabit vos” (“The truth shall set us free.”). Lets all work together to find the truth so justice and accountability while continuing to pursue peace.
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