Aquino doesn’t deserve blame for Mamasapano deaths

Only the terrorists, their sympathizers and the groups which protected them should be blamed in the Mamasapano encounter.

Why blame President Benigno Aquino III, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, PNP officer in charge Leonardo Espina or suspended PNP chief Alan Purisima? It is part of their duties to stop terrorism in the Philippines.

The how, where and when to carry out the operation against terrorists are tasks the Special Action Force was expected to perform—which is why they were sent to the area. They had the best training to do the job. And they were dedicated, brave and willing to perform their duties—the reason they accepted the assignment to spearhead Oplan Exodus’ execution, even to the extent of risking their lives.

Why did Oplan Exodus fail?

Anyone who has an independent mind, with nary a bias or ulterior motive won’t be hard put to see the most sensible reason: failure of intelligence—the information that was fed to the SAF did not match realities in the area of operation, specifically the huge presence of terrorist sympathizers.

If President Aquino should be blamed, it is only for his failure to bury the 44 heroes at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

The combined costs of the media coverage on the Mamasapano incident and related issues and on separate investigations conducted by different bodies could have been better spent to help the families of the 44 SAF heroes.

—SESINANDO M. MASAJO,Barangay San Felix, Victoria, Laguna 4011