44 Men of Valor.
44 Men of Bravery. 44 Men Fought for the Country. 44 Men Fallen. January 25, 2015 (SUNDAY), a police operation took place at Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao between the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). This mission called Oplan Exodus by the PNP-SAF was made to serve arrest warrants for high-ranking terrorists, Jemaah Islamiyah-affiliated, “Improvised-Explosive-Device” experts Zulkifli Abdhir (aka Marwan) and Basit Usman. A bloody encounter happened which left 44 SAF commandos dead. Oplan Exodus may be successful in pinning down the target “Marwan” (Philippine officials claim that it is "highly likely" that Marwan was killed during the encounter despite claims of MILF that he is still alive), but was it worth the death of these FALLEN 44? January 29, 2015 (THURSDAY), 42 caskets each wrapped with our national flag arrived at the Villamor Airbase. Each laid the body of a fallen hero. Bereaved families, with broken hearts, waited as they were one by one brought down from the C-130 planes. The Arrival of Honors … A picturesque of pain and anger. A scenario were almost every Filipinos felt the same, the feeling of dismay. Dismay for it has been hundred of years where our country cries for peace and still there’s none. Dismay for these young men who left families, mothers, wives & children to mourn for their lost. So many stories narrated, stories of their few last moments. Stories on what & whom they last laid eyes on. Stories on how they pleaded for help and reinforcement. Stories of their lives… Whoever he is who ordered them to dash fearlessly in the land of Mamasapano, may he have the courage to face the people now. May he take the consequences for this tragedy. Justice should be served so that the death of these 44 men will be worthy. It made me think, is there still hope for a peaceful country to live? Where do we Filipinos go now? What is there that the future holds for us? May the government go extra mile to achieve the peace and unity of Filipino Christians & Muslims. May all of us, Filipinos, still would have the character of patriotism. That whatever right we are fighting for, we fight for our country’s dignity. For the FALLEN 44, they may be gone by now, but their legacy continues. A story to tell and a history never to be forgotten.
0 Comments
|
AuthorMayet Belarmino-Ocariza Archives
January 2017
Categories
All
|