Duterte must punish looting soldiers
The heroism of soldiers who battled and eventually liberated Marawi from the clutches of Islamic terrorists has been dampened by reports of looting perpetrated by a few men in uniform. Some of these soldiers are now being investigated and part of their loot recovered. President Duterte, as commander-in-chief, should prosecute and punish the guilty. They have no place in the armed services.
Not only have they taken what does not belong to them, they have misappropriated what does belong to them –public trust. These soldiers were called not only to fight the enemy but to protect what is being endangered by the enemy’s presence. They were fighters and protectors at the same time. Seldom can you find a calling entrusted with such challenging responsibilities.
Aside from committing criminal acts, they also brought shame to all men in uniform. They betrayed their own buddies, both the living and those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, who must now contend with the doubts that surely must have arisen in the public mind as a result of such betrayal. What happened is clearly a lesson that needs to be relearned regarding how any misstep can cause the collapse of everything.
How sad that the Marawi experience, minus this sad and sorry incident, could have provided the elusive opportunity to rebuild trust between Muslims and their government. The utter devastation of the city, while difficult for everyone concerned, would have been easier to accept because of the unassailable fact that war was going on, provided nothing else happens beyond the natural consequences of war.
But then the looting happened. That takes the ravages of war a step further, making the consequences far harder to accept. And the looting that happened did not involve stealing food and similar provisions. That would have been understandable under the circumstances. The looting involved the taking of personal belongings and valuables such as pieces of jewelry and cash.
If men in uniform, who are supposed to serve and protect, and are trained to behave professionally, cannot be trusted, then who can the Filipino trust these days? That question has been a tough one for Duterte and will remain so after this incident. The president may not have a quick answer to that one but at least he can point us in the right direction again. And that is to punish severely those who do not take his promise to clean up seriously.