THE MILITARY suffered one of its biggest casualties in decades.
Why? Think of this. We have more logistics than the bandits and yet we are battered out there by these “fewer” terrorist-minded Moros. Perhaps, one reason is that we lost many of our smartest commanders in the field.
We may still have the fiercest warriors but we may have lost the [smartest] ones. Fighting the rebels requires not just mere courage but wits! Battle with the mind more than with emotion.
The Magdalo commanders, Gen. Danny Lim, Col. Querubin, Lt. Col. Segumalian, and the rest of those most intelligent junior commanders. Where are they now? They’re behind bars!
Ah, that all (or shall we say, “they”) explains why many low-ranking (or “low-earning”) privates, corporals, and sergeants of the military have lost their precious lives.
Mrs. Arroyo, General Esperon, for how long can we bear seeing and hearing the mourning and cries of those orphaned by the courageous dead soldiers?
Conscience, Ma’am, Sir!
– Raymond Labrador, Cebu City, Philippines (via e-mail)
Loading ...
August 28th, 2007 at 9:35 pm
Not knowing where it all started, how in a country of dupers kidnapping of bigtime foreigners has been a lucrative source of money for some of the unnamed, faceless politically connected (or should I say…AFP connected) thugs of Mindanao. It usually follows a pattern…kidnapping blamed on terrorists, ransom was asked, governmental heads talked tough…and before we know it, a ransom was paid, while a mock AFP invasion of the alleged terrorists hide out was being conducted. The liason between the kidnappers and the source of ransom money…is untraceable, even if a foreign country is involved. Can we truly believe that someone in the government has no knowledge of this? Akbar, who is Akbar? Trace the dots and a connection will be found. The Filipinos are aware as reflected in one of these proliferating forums of the cyberspace the setting of which was during a dinner President Gloria Arroyo Attended in Basilan where a governor, AKBAR is alleged to be one of the probable reasons for what had happened to the Marines and the Soldiers:
“If you ask an ordinary soldier in Basilan how he reacted to Akbars presence in their camp, he would tell you: a) the President has decided Akbar is innocent, or b) she condones the action of his men.
I shall be back….
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
ALAM MO DARLING, CORRECT ME IF AM WRONG. SI GMA MALAKAS ANG MUSLIM CONNECTION NIYAN. MARAWI GIRL YAN…..PATI MGA CHINESE KASAMA NIYA. SHE’S BY FAR MUCH, MUCH BETTER THAN EJERCITO, IN THE SENSE THAT SHES PERCEIVED AS MUCH MORE CREDIBLE BY THE ACADEMIES. LOL LOL LOL… REMEMBER, SPOKENINGESTEST. THE MUSLIMS NEED GMA AS WELL. DAYA OR NOT, SHE’S IN MALACANANG. IT BOILS DOWN TO BUSINESS AGAIN. ALWAYS BUSINESS!!!! XXXXX, PAGKA IKAW NAKATIKIM KA NG MARAMING ALCOHOL, YOU’LL UNDERSTAND. IT MEANS ITS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DRINK A LOT OF ALCOHOL AND NOT GET INTOXICATED. IT BECOMES AN ADDICTION. ONLY THOSE WHO WERE ABLE TO GET INTO THAT ENVIRONMENT CAN RELATE TO WHAT AM SAYING. LETS WEAR OUR REALISTIC HAT. WHAT IS, AND WHAT IT SHOULDN’T BE OR SHOULD BE….. DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN MY BROTHER IN-LAW RUN FOR GOVERNOR??? PATI NA ANG BROTHER KO NA EXCITE. NAGPANTING AKO. CALLED HIM ON IT. I SAID MY PIECE IN FRONT OF HIS FRIENDS AND OUR RELATIVES. SO AYON, NAGSITIGIL SILA.. MIND YOU XXXX, ME MGA PARE SA DINING TABLE. I DIDN’T MINCE WORDS. ALAM KO NA KUNG ANO ANG MANGYAYARI. I DON’T WANT OUR FAMILY TO BE PART OF IT. HUWAG MONG SABIHING DI KA MAPUPUTIKAN. BULLSHIT!!! ISA PA, MY BROTHER IN-LAW IS GALING SA GUTOM. DI NIYA MAAALIS ANG PINANGALINGAN NIYA. HANGGANG NGAYON, YANG CULTURE OF LACK NIYA NANDIYAN VERY GLARING. NOW THAT MY SISTER IS GONE, DO I REALLY CARE??? AFTER MY SISTER’S DEATH, I MADE IT VERY CLEAR HOW I FEEL ABOUT HIM, AND I MADE SURE NAKARATING SA LAHAT. HE WANTED TO DEAL BUSINESS WITH SOME OF OUR RELATIVES. SABI KO, MAG INGAT KAYO!!! WHEN MY SISTER WAS ALIVE, I CRITICIZED HER FOR PLAYING THE “ULIRANG ASAWA ROLE” SABI KO, CUT THE BULLSHIT. YOUR SILENCE IS A SIGNAL OF APPROVAL. HOW COULD YOU DO THIS??? NALASING KA DIN BA??? ARE YOU DRAMING TO BE A WIFE OF A FAKE, INUTIL GOVERNOR??? DI KA BA NAHIHIYA SA PINAG-GAGAWA MO??? HE IS THAT WAY BECAUSE YOU’RE ENABLING HIM…..AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR FATHR’S NAME. GO AHEAD, DO IT, BUT PLS. I WANT IT ON RECORD NA IKAW MAGPALIT KA NG APELYIDO MO. YOU ARE NOT OUR FATHER’S DAUGHTER. YOU BROUGHT A BAG OF BASURA TO OUR FAMILY. DARLING ALAM MO, SHE CRIED….WELL, AT LEAST DI SIYA NAGING GOVERNOR, AND THE REST IS HISTORY, AND I OF COURSE APOLOGIZED TO MY SISTER. I SAID IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT I TALKED THE WAY I DID. I AM DEEPLY SORRY FOR HURTING YOU, BUT AM NOT APOLOGIZING FOR WHAT I SAID. GALIT OR NOT, YAN ANG PAKIRAMDAM KO, AND PLS. CORRECT ME IF AM WRONG ON THIS ONE. SHE ACCEPTD MY APOLOGY, BUT DIDN’T DISAGREE WITH ME. NAG YAKAPAN KAMI, AND WE BOTH CRIED…..IT IS EXTREMELY PAINFUL FOR ME TO SEE MY SIBLINGS IN PAIN. XXXX, I TELL YOU, MAHAL NA MAHAL KO ANG MGA KAPATID KO. MAHIRAP AKONG MAINTINDIHAN DARLING, MERON AKONG NAKIKITA, NARARAMDAMAN NA DI NILA MAKITA, OR MARAMDAMAN. MAHIRAP NA DARLING, PAGKA NANDIYAN KA NA SA PUTIKAN….I TELL YOU, HIHILAHIN ANG PAA MO TO STAY DOWN THE GUTTER, AND ONCE NAKATIKIM TAYO NIYANG MASARAP NA INTOXICATION, WE PUT OURSELVES AT RISK. GIVEN THAT, WHY WILL I EVEN GET CLOSE TO THE GUTTER??? ITS NOT THAT EASY FOR GMA TO JUST WALK OUT. ALAM NIYA YAN, BUT SHE MADE A CHOICE. I DONT’ BLAME OUR MARINES FOR FEELING BETRAYED. ISA PA, TAKE A LOOK AT THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE. KUNYARI ME MGA ULONG NAPUGUTAN. PUNYETA, ULO YAN NG MGA FIL. OUR VERY OWN DEFENSELESS FIL. SOLDIERS AND WHO DID IT??? OUR KAPWA FIL. . THAT WAS STAGED!!!! TINAKOT NILA ANG MGA ITALIANS PARA MAG BAYAD AGAD. TELL ME, HOW DO YOU EXPECT OUR FIL. SOLDIERS TO WIN A WAR??? ANG MORALE NILA MABABA!!! NOT TO MENTION WE’RE NOT REALLY READY FOR ANYTHING…..ANY COUNTRY CAN JUST WALK IN AND STEAL ANYTHING FROM US. WITHOUT FIRING A GUN, THE WHOLE COUNTRY CAN BE HAD. WE PUT OURSELVES OVER THE BARREL, BINENTA NATIN ANG ATING PAGKATAO NA SOBRANG MURA. PARANG BUY ONE TAKE 10, AND XXXX, THEY DON’T HAVE TO EVEN PAY FOR A YOUNG, BEAUTIFUL, EDUCATED FILIPINA VIRGIN…..LIBRE YAN!!!! THERE GOES OUR MARIA CLARING RING….. ANO, GALIT KA??? DO YOU THINK DI AKO GALIT??? I JUST SAW A PROGRAM ABOUT FIL. WOMEN FROM CEBU WHO WERE ABDUCTED. GET THIS. SHE’S A NURSING GRADUATE. GINAWANG PROSTITUES ITONG MGA BABAE NATIN. THEY WERE SAVED BY AN AMERICAN EX FBI WHO IS MARRIED TO A FIL. AND IS RIGHT NOW BACK HOME. STORIES LIKE THAT TUMATAAS ANG DUGO KO. WE DON’T NEED TO KILL EACH OTHER. OTHERS ARE ALREADY DOING A GOOD JOB KILLING US PSYCHOLOGICALLY, MORALLY, SPRITUALLY AND PHYSICALLY. ARE WE AS A PEOPLE IN A POSITION OF STRENGTH IN ANY PLACE??? ISAMA MO NA DIYAN ANG SPOKENING AND BIBLEING. SIGE NGA….WE MAKE SURE OUR GIRLS ARE PLEASING. WE RAISE THEM TO BE LIKEABLE…MARIA CLARINGRING. WE KILL THEIR SPIRIT BEFORE THEY LEAVE HOME….CASE IN POINT, A STEREO TYPICAL FIL. MAN PAGKA DI YAN NAKA RUFINA PATIS SAIYO, HE WILL GATHER HIS FRIENDS TO DISCREDIT YOU. ANO, MALI AKO??? I TELL YOU, I CAN BACK THAT STMT. UP AND I DONT NEED TO GO VERY FAR. YOU’RE RIGHT, YOU’LL NEVER HEAR THE END OF MY STORY…..PARA AKONG MGA HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR…BALIK AT BABALIK AKO TO TELL MY STORY. ITS PAINFUL TO HEAR KAYA CONVENIENTLY WE PRETEND IT DIDN’T HAPPEN. GANYAN DIN ANG BAYAN NATIN. WE GO THROUGH LIFE LIKE PEOPLE ARE NOT DYING. PASAKAN MO LANG ANG MGA BIBIG NIYANG MGA YAN, TAHIMIK NA…..THEY’LL SETTLE FOR A TEMPOARY BAND-AID. ALAM YAN NG ORDINARY POLITICIANS. HAY…..TEKA, MASAKIT ANG BATOK KO….LOL LOL LOL….MAG IROGAN NA LANG TAYO…..MUAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH g
to the Filipino readers….pass it on. We intend to let this keep on going……
August 28th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
To: Tzu Tsin
Your argument does not connect, a non sequitur. The gist of your statement suggests that, if the public idolizes some military officers, the ones that made attempts at power grab, or protest against the present administration,then voted them to the senate, the foot soldiers will be demoralize. Analyze well and you will find it does not connect. You have to understand, Tzu Tsin, that when the military hierarchy conducted a survey among the soldiers after the election, they found out that the great majority of the soldiers voted for Trillanes. Would Trillanes then be the cause of their frustration and demoralization? Are you aware of events, the acts and actuations of their top commanders, including the chief? Could not that have been the cause of the demoralization of the troops? Or, you would rather look to another direction, the wrong premise, the wrong direction? Just asking.
August 28th, 2007 at 8:04 am
Tzu Tsin,
It is the abuses and corruption in government which made the Filipinos identify with people like so called “putschists”.
When the corrupt in government consistently try to hide anomalies under the rug and destroy the spirit of the law by manipulating the letter of the law, the executive laid the seeds of discontent when they protect and abet fraud, abuses, double standards and corruption.
If the administration likes the majority of Filipinos to have a different view of them, they should be vigorous against graft and corruption starting with top people within their ranks, this also involves corrupt individuals and groups that may exist in AFP. And even with this action, we can still never be sure if the decent citizens will ever trust them anymore.
Check out listed injustices at:
http://inquirerbloggers.net/eleksyon2007/2007/07/31/justice-and-common-sense/#comment-11107
August 28th, 2007 at 12:30 am
Let’s not blame Gloria or any General for this because casualties are an expected fact in any battle. Those soldiers were adequately armed and provided for by the government. Their officers had adequate training, too; unlike the Katipuneros of the past who probably did not even have any military raining. If there is anyone to blame, why point fingers to others? Let’s examine ourselves.
For example, what could be the probable effect on the morale of officers and their soldiers in the field when we kept on idolizing some putschists who defied the government, violated the Constitution, and consequently elected into public office? Have we not been inviting more putschists by doing so? Are we not actually telling these soldiers who offered their lives for their country, that the way to glory is not dying in the battlefield but by defying the very Constitution they were sworn to defend by mounting a coup, issuing defiant statements to the press, getting their faces on TV and the national papers while strutting fully armed in front of cameras? Don’t you think it’s the easiest way to get their faces in every room and to make themselves household names; fast, nationwide, and no money from one’s pocket?
In time of war, mutiny or coup is punishable by death. In time of peace, such a defiant act is not punished by push-ups and should never go unpunished. They all knew that; they knew what consequences they would face if they mounted a coup.
Now, if you were an officer or soldier in the field, will these things motivate you to fight? Or, would you envy those who are in areas where the “new” path to glory may be jus around? Seriously, are we civilians not to blame?
August 24th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Anooo? Shinong na clobbered? Maket, may dala bang pamalo yung mga Anak ng Abu Sayaf na yon? Magdahan dahan nga kayo at baka pagtututusukin ko kayu ng aking bayunit ! ! !