Remembering Al-Barka

A few weeks ago, the Inquirer came out with an editorial on the death of Fr. Giancarlo Bossi titled “Bless you, Fr. Bossi.” Allow me to recall excerpts from the article:

“Giancarlo Bossi, the Italian Catholic missionary priest who was abducted in 2007 by a breakaway group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front died on Sept. 23 in his order’s infirmary in Milan. He worked for 32 of his 61 years in the mission fields of Mindanao and had wanted to come back and be with ‘my people.’ But his superiors would not allow it. He died without a homecoming.

“A member of the papal missionary order Pontifico Instituto Missioni Estere (Pime), Bossi was abducted in Payao, Zamboanga Sibugay in June 2007 and released a month later.”

The editorial went on to mention other Pime missionaries who served in the Philippines and suffered the same fate as Father Bossi, undergoing even worse treatment from their abductors. Probably the most shocking of these cases was that of Fr. Tulio Favali, who was killed by paramilitary cultists led by Norberto Manero. Favali was shot 22 times, and witnesses claim the killers also ate bits of the priest’s brain. Manero spent 23 years in prison for the crime and was released in 2008.

“In nearly all of the Catholic mission churches in Mindanao, there’s a parish or a mission school, a cooperative, and a medical clinic… most of the time, the bishop relies on foreign missionary orders to extend his pastoral solicitude to the remote hinterlands. In short, the Church and her missionaries are agents of peace and development.

“It is quite sad that Father Bossi was unable to make it back ‘home’ before he died. His passing leaves in its wake the shining example of a Christian who sought to build bridges of dialogue and development in a territory riven by conflict. The government does injustice to his memory by being blasé about crime and violence in the South.”

It is necessary to remember the work of foreign missionaries in our country. They spend a lifetime in the service of some of the most marginalized sectors of society, often working under very difficult conditions. The editorial does highlight this.

However, something was missing.

There was no mention of the 14 Marines who were killed at Al-Barka, Basilan, while returning from a search-and-rescue mission aimed at recovering Father Bossi. This was in July 2007. While passing through so-called MILF-controlled territory, their unit was ambushed by MILF/Abu Sayyaf bandits (who knows?). The bodies of some of the victims bore signs of torture and mutilation; some were beheaded.

The response of government at that time was to launch an offensive even bringing in elements of the Presidential Security Group. The Army commander was ordered to move his headquarters to Zamboanga City for closer supervision of the operation. We were treated to the sight of officers of the Philippine National Police attempting to serve warrants of arrest in Al-Barka. As expected, what they came across was a deserted village except perhaps for some women and children. Nothing much happened and after a while, Al-Barka was forgotten.

Last year, on October 18, Al-Barka was once again in the news. This time, 19 Special Forces troopers were massacred by MILF /Abu Sayyaf bandits (who knows?). They suffered the same fate as the Marines had in 2007. No offensive operations were carried out presumably because of ongoing peace negotiations.

Last week marked the first anniversary of the second Al-Barka tragedy. The criminal elements responsible for the massacres at Al-Barka in 2007 and 2011 remain at large. Instead we have the sight of four senior Army officers facing court martial proceedings for operational lapses in the deployment of troops.

During oral arguments at those hearings, the military-led prosecutor apologized to the members of the court martial tribunal, saying, “We cannot demand dismissal (referring to the officers) from the service.” But even if allowed to remain in the service, the careers of these officers are in limbo and it will be a long and uphill battle to recover lost ground.

Personally, I cannot see how we can impose any disciplinary action on our officers if we are unwilling to proceed against the very same criminal elements that initiated the violence against our Marines who were on a rescue mission to set free Father Bossi. We must keep in mind that these elements were the targets of the actions initiated by our Special Forces last October.

*   *   *

The recent signing of a framework agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) must be viewed with some restraint. Remember that this is not a peace agreement. It is merely a framework that hopefully will lead to one.

The legal beagles may have a lot to say about the legal aspects of the agreement. My concern is really the decommissioning process. How do you keep track of 12,000 armed fighters and their weapons? If integration is a possible option, let me remind you of the experience with Moro National Liberation Front recruits after the 1996 Final Peace Agreement. It didn’t work out. A few years later, the same fighters rose up in arms against the government.

Still we must give peace a chance. But let us also be prepared for disappointments and frustrations, and there will be many along the way.

At this point, I wish to acknowledge a letter from AFP Chief of Staff General Jessie D. Dellosa. He writes that “the loss of soldiers undoubtedly affects the morale of our men and women and I agree with you that the sacrifices of our soldiers deserve the best that the AFP can provide—the best leadership, the best operational and medical support, the best welfare programs for them and their families. The AFP is bruised with this setback but it has not dampened our soldiers’ spirit nor our resolve. Our commanders are hands-on leaders, responsible, dedicated and capable, who remain focused on our mission and possessed of the professional knowledge that the military works in conjunction with the other instruments of national power to ‘win the peace.’

“I would like to assure you that discipline and troop morale in the AFP, in the headquarters and in the front lines, remain high. Adherence to the chain of command is strong and our leaders are focused on the accomplishment of the mission and the welfare of our men and women.”