BEIJING, Feb. 10 (Xinhuanet) -- Authorities today report an alleged ranking member of the New People's Army rebel group and a policeman have been killed in a clash in southern Philippines's Loreto town of Mindanao's Agusan del Sur province. Two weeks ago, dozens of police commandos died in clashes with Muslim rebels while pursuing two of Southeast Asia's most wanted terrorists. With many questions still unanswered, the public is clamoring for the truth.
A second televised speech in less than two weeks but Philippine President Benigno Aquino's efforts to calm public outrage have only generated more anger and raised more questions.
Questions about how members of the Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police ended up in a clash with Muslim rebels the government is supposed to have made peace with, a battle that lasted for hours. And that resulted in the death of 44 police commandos and a still undetermined number of rebel fighters.
"Up until now, President Benigno Aquino has had, for the most part, the confidence and trust of the Filipino public. But the death of 44 police officers during an operation to capture two of Southeast Asia's most wanted men, under his watch, may be changing that. It is shaping up to be the worst political crisis of his presidency." Said Barnaby Lo, CCTV reporter.
On the streets, and on social media, support for a landmark legislation that will create a new autonomous region in the Southern Philippines is waning. There is an overwhelming cry for truth and justice. And some are demanding that Aquino step down.
"The acting chief of the PNP was not informed, the secretary of the interior and local government was not informed, so it was an operation that involved directly the president, his friend the suspended police chief, and the command on the ground. So there's no other way but to hold the president himself accountable for this slaughter." Said Teddy Casino, former opposition lawmaker.
And indeed, at a Senate inquiry on Monday, the mission's ground commander revealed that Aquino had more direct knowledge than he had publicly acknowledged. A meeting at the presidential palace apparently took place, where the president was briefed on what they dubbed as "Oplan Exodus."
"At the least, the question of a lame duck president for the next 17 months is already there. Meaning nobody would listen to him, everybody makes his own decision. It would also be a legacy problem, first of all because the peace process is in jeopardy." Said Ramon Casiple, political analyst.
It is much more than a legacy problem, however, for the many generations of Filipino Muslims in the south who've had to live through armed conflict. It is a question of what kind of future they'll be leaving their children.
(Source: CNTV.cn)
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