QUEZON City, Feb. 3, 2015—An ecumenical organization calls on the faithful to be “vigilant against another possible deceptive measure from the Aquino administration,” and pushes for the creation of an impartial and independent body which will look into the Jan. 25 incident that killed many from both the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) forces, in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
The ecumenical group Promotion of Church People's Response (PCPR) hold a prayer rally on Jan. 31, 2015 for all those who perished during "Mamasapano Black Sunday". (Photo: PCPR)
“We encourage everyone to stand together for truth and accountability and to seek peace based on social justice, democracy, and freedom,” shares the Promotion of Church People’s Response (PCPR) in a statement Monday, Feb. 2.
“The families of the fallen and the Filipino people, in general, deserve to be informed of the real truth,” the group stresses.
PCPR criticizes President Benigno S. Aquino III (PNoy), who, even as commander-in-chief, allegedly tries to put closure on the case and exonerates himself by putting all the blame on the PNP-SAF Commanding Director Getulio Napeñas.
“…we cannot accept calmly that this answers why the lives of these police officers were endangered. We believe this move intends to cover the truth and influence possible investigations to blame-shift,” it says.
According to PCPR, by allowing a covert operation without coordination in a known MILF territory, which has been under a peace agreement achieved in the ongoing peace negotiations between the government and the MILF, PNoy “discreetly initiated military provocation that hampers the on-going peace process.”
“Sadly, as a result, it put its own security personnel, especially the rank-and-file police personnel, on a death path,” the group laments. (Raymond A. Sebastián/CBCP News)
