Worrying marching orders from Duterte

I am very much worried about the latest reports that our military’s Commander in Chief has given orders to his troops to keep on
engaging the enemies of the state despite
the presence of civilian hostages in their strongholds in Marawi City.

He also assured the soldiers not to worry about the possible charges that could be filed against them, as he would protect them from possible future prosecution.

With those instructions, the President apparently is becoming like the people he hates—the Islamic State-inspired Abu Sayyaf-Maute Group terrorists who kill and behead people at random.

It is a spine-tingling marching order from the President because it would provoke a serious culture change in the hearts and minds of our soldiers, to kill with impunity disregarding the lives of civilian hostages.

The Army’s official rules of engagement/code of conduct provides that “soldiers should avoid incidental injury or death of civilians and unintended damage of civilian objects.”

I agree that in any war, “collateral damage” such as the death of civilians may be unavoidable. But if deliberately done by soldiers just to achieve their objectives, it is a violation of local and international laws.

If the AFP and the PNP accept and follow the President’s latest directive, they have to amend, revise and adopt a new “rules of engagement/code of conduct” just to fit the desires of our President.

JOMARIE KAYE PATALINGHUG, [email protected]