Understanding the Mamasapano incident
WAS it a problem of lack of coordination, lack of trust, or simply a botched PNP Special Action Force (SAF) operation? These are the questions I asked myself as I watched the Senate hearing last Feb. 9, 2015.
We heard the issue of lack of coordination on the side of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and their Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF). Our Armed Forces of the Philippines through its 6th Infantry Division also claimed that there was lack of coordination.
In a news article, Sen. Gringo Honasan said coordination should not have been limited to text messages, noting that it should have been "proactive." Then he said that "the Mamasapano incident should be looked into thoroughly since it involves "national security, political, constitutional, legal, social, economic and religious implications."
As I listened to Sen. Honasan, I remembered the importance of the study of applied anthropology.
The ongoing peace process between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the MILF requires an anthropological lens in understanding the historical injustice, the present context, and the diversity of Muslims and Islam in our country. Most of us cannot understand the local dynamics, the bloodlines, and the relationship of the MILF and the BIFF.
For some Filipinos, all these groups, including the MNLF and Abu Sayyaf, are one and the same. But in reality, they are not.
Trust. Institutions are important in a democratic society. Unfortunately, the present administration also has an issue of lack of trust in the different line agencies. Before we dwell on the issue of trust on the side of the government with the MILF, let's try to understand why was it that suspended PNP chief Alan Purisima was still instrumental in the operation last Jan. 25? Why was it that the OIC PNP Chief not aware of the full blown operation? The same thing with the secretary of the DILG and the Commanding Officer of the 6th ID, Philippine Army, why were they not informed.
Policies. The study of anthropology can also help us understand the present administration's policies and operations. We need to understand the existing peculiarities and dynamics within President Noynoy Aquino's government.
I say this because it seems that we view the government as one and the same. We view Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Cory Aquino, Fidel Ramos, and Joseph Estrada's government policies are one and the same. We also tend to see the past mistakes of sending our soldiers to kill our own people in Mindanao.
The problem on the issue of trust of the PNP and some institutions in the government with the MILF and even with the Muslim population is given. Take the result of the 2005 Pulse Asia survey that showed that 55 percent of respondents think that Muslims "are more prone to run amok," 47 percent think that Muslims are terrorists or extremists, but majority of the respondents do not have actual engagement with Muslims.
Moreover, the study concluded that, "a considerable percentage of Filipinos (33 percent to 39 percent) are biased against Muslims." Thus, the issue against the MILF is actually a general perception of Christian Filipinos towards the Bangsamoro people.
This too has to be studied properly. We need to review our history books and social sciences' projection of the Muslim Filipinos that adds up our biases and prejudices.
Oplan Exodus. Was it a problem of lack of proper intelligence on the terrain and the social landscape of the area? I also want to ask: Is it hard for our government to admit that it was a botched operation?
Randy David was right in saying that, "two state functions were at play in the Jan. 25 Mamasapano incident: the pursuit of terrorists and the pursuit of peace. The first is a strictly police function, governed by its own operational code. The other is political, involving the pursuit of a delicate government policy.
These two functions collided with one another at Mamasapano, resulting in a double fiasco for the government."- From Sun.Star Davao