PNP-SAF Mamasapano Debacle: Why We have to Stop Sacrificing Heroes

saf.pnp.gov.ph/

Doubtless, it was tragic. A bunch of highly trained police commandos were out to serve an arrest warrant to notorious terrorists--without backing from government, especially the AFP. Arrest warrants are served by the police, not the army, but with notorious highly trained and well supported terrorists, the warrant ought to be served heavily backed by the army.

In this case, the SAF operation only became known to the top SAF commander--and the government--amid fierce fighting and when casualties were already hopelessly heavy--and that at a site nearly impossible to quickly access. It was like a suicide mission--or perhaps a sacrificial mission?

I reviewed the profiles of the 44 fallen heroes--so young and promising, some graduates of our police academy and some of criminology colleges. They had tough training as elite forces of the Special Action force. No doubt, cream of the crop. And they were merely "wasted" there. Well, they hit the objective right between the eyes which no doubt paralyzed terrorism awhile, but everything could have ended well if only more precautions were made.

We should be celebrating their victory now with all of them alive!

My heart weeps each time young people with great potentials are wasted just like that. How can we sacrifice great talents which we can't afford anymore at this point when terrorism and criminality have worsen? And especially when the police force terribly needs good promotion to save its face. The 44 seemed to be among PNP's best bets for this purpose, but they were sacrificed, it seemed, as one would easily sacrifice a chess pawn to take the enemy's knight.

But not exactly though! For in this instance, we mistakenly sacrificed a rook and a bishop in exchange for the enemy's knight! We have to stop sacrificing heroes like this. I saw a video where army soldiers fallen from an encounter with rebels and who badly needed back-up for their wounded got no help for a long time even if they had requested airlifting of their fallen comrades from the air force. What's happening?

And the sad and funny thing is, useless and corrupt people are kept in office with all the backup and support they need and they have the temerity to hold on to power even if the decent thing left for them to do is resign and live abroad the rest of their lives. These are the folks we should be sacrificing to keep our government on the road to righteousness (so-called daang matuwid) while the ones we do sacrifice should be given a chance to prove themselves.

If we keep sacrificing worthy people and keep saving unworthy ones, where would this country be a decade or so hence?