Clarifying Manila Peninsula issues

 The recent incident in Manila Peninsula has gained national and international attention. It has generated critiques and allegations from different sectors of society, individuals and opposition groups. Some of the allegations hurled against the government was the use of “excessive force, unjustified arrest of media persons and failure of security to stop the walkout.”

I viewed these allegations against the national leadership as a mere propaganda in order to gain media mileage for the sake of popularity, which although baseless, it created a negative impact.

I think the swift and decisive police actions taken is a result of calculated decision making to save many lives and protect excessive damage to property. It is very clear that the government cannot allow the standoff at the Manila Peninsula to reach a degree equal or greater to that of the previous crises. In fact, there was no recorded casualty in the incident.

The government cannot just take lightly on its accusations against experts and specialists on warfare whose capabilities it knew needed just exact action to be applied in order to neutralize.

On the arrest of media people, authorities have warned and notified the impending police action for several times but their eagerness to cover the said standoff made warnings to fall into deaf ears. Police action taken is part of the Rules of Engagement (ROE) in a crime scene and not an act of arrest itself.  ROEs are meant to minimize loss of lives and excessive damage to property.

In fact, there was no failure of security to stop the walkout because the AFP security men followed legal laws and did not carry with them firearms inside court so as to effectively counter armed actions. The security details are always handcuffed with the suspects in going to the court and back to their detention cells and are trained on immediate actions. Their action to escort the fugitives despite the situation was part of their duty. These security details were able to update the Chain of Command on the ground zero actions of Trillanes and Gen Lim.

For the part of the AFP, it is very clear that the men and women of the armed forces remain loyal to the Constitution and the chain of command.  The principles of our soldiers are deeply rooted according to the mandate of the Constitution and that of the military profession and all attempts by individuals which violate these principles will not prosper or even entertained in the AFP.

Contrary to claims made by Sen. Trillanes that majority of the AFP is with him, the AFP is continuously a cohesive and united force for the people and not for him and is constantly vigilant and all set to foil further attempts to disrupt the country’s peace and undermine our democracy. Taking the siege of a hotel or any establishments is largely detrimental to the country and an indefensible act which goes beyond the mandate of a good officer and a senator.

Lastly, the rule of law sees to it that accountability falls unto those who engage themselves in seditious activities and the men and women of the AFP must continue to demonstrate to the people that we are united in our stand and that we are up to the task mandated to us by the Constitution. —  Maj. EUGENIO JULIO C. OSIAS IV  PA, Group Commander, 7th Civil Relations Group,  Civil Relations Service, AFP, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo