PASAY City, March 9, 2015—Hoping this will lessen the likelihood of yet another “Mamasapano massacre,” a Catholic prelate has called on authorities to instill in members of the country’s armed personnel the importance of “interconnectedness,” stressing communication and coordination are two ingredients integral to any successful relationship.
Bishop Leopoldo S. Tumulak, head of the Philippine Military Ordinariate (Photo: CBCPNews)
Importance of communication
In an interview with Church-run Radyo Veritas, Bishop Leopoldo S. Tumulak, head of the Philippine Military Ordinariate, stated officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) must always keep one another updated so that any future operations will have greater chances of success.
The prelate expressed hope that after Mamasapano, AFP and PNP have already decided to keep their lines open so that “one knows what the other is doing.”
Support probe
The bishop also expressed support for the ongoing probe on the Jan. 25 incident, and called on the Filipino public to fully welcome anybody or any group seeking to uncover the truth behind the event that led to the deaths of 67 individuals: 44 of whom commandos of PNP Special Action Force (SAF), 18 from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and the rest civilians.
40 days
The Military Ordinariate led by Tumulak dedicated a Holy Mass at the Shrine of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus in Pasay City Thursday, March 5, marking 40 days since the demise of the massacre victims.
Former PNP chief and Senator Panfilo Lacson had earlier blasted the Mamasapano mishap, concluding the event would not have been possible if not for a communication problem and lack of coordination among AFP-PNP officials. (Raymond A. Sebastián/CBCP News)
