While supporting calls for justice for the fallen Special
Action Force (SAF) members, Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces
Agreement executive director and former Armed Forces chief-of-staff Gen. Eduardo
Oban also called for "extreme restraint" as some sectors are calling
for military response against the perpetrators.
Oban made this appeal during his speech at the Philippine
Military Academy (PMA) alumni homecoming event at Borromeo Field, Fort Gregorio
Del Pilar, Baguio
City
"As men-of-arms ,we (must) act with extreme restraint
for it does not take too much to fuel our outrage and muster men in combat than
to lead our fellowmen in the more intricate road to peace," he said.
And while it may be easy for one Army to win a war, it will
take the efforts of the entire nation to win the peace, peace can never be
something fleeting for it cannot be anything than lasting, Oban said.
"It has been said the truth shall set us free, yes we
hear cries for justice, nararapat lang na magkaroon ng mga kasagutan sa ating
mga agam-agam, justice should not only conform to sound reason, it should also
dispel doubtful hearts, in the midst of all these we continue to hear among the
many tales of gallantry in Mindanao the cries of Pata Island, of Patikul, of
Al-Barka, and lately of Mamasapano," the former AFP chief said.
Last Jan. 25, 44 SAF men were killed in the ensuing
encounter with Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom
Fighters during an operation, which succeeded in neutralizing Malaysian
terrorist Zulkipli bin Hir alias "Marwan," in Mamasapano,
Maguindanao.
"We convulse with the thought that too many lives have
been lost but the greatest casualty here is the peace we altogether seek,"
he said.
However, Oban clarified that when in seeking peace, a
mechanism must be also implemented to give both parties a feeling of security
and absence of fear.
"Peace therefore presupposes a feeling (of) security,
we must be secured in our homes, secured in our beliefs, secured against forces
which conspire to disrupt our day to day lives including threats posed by
terrorists, rogue forces and aggressive echelons and to secure and protect our
people," the VFA executive director said.
Protecting the people and nation has been the mandate of all
PMA graduates, whom Oban fondly calls the "long gray line".
"It is the reason for existence as cavaliers, it is the
reason why we are gathered here today, to draw strength from our alma
"(And) should the bugle call for whichever road we need
to take, we the 'long gray line' will never hesitate, we take pride in our
Medal of Valor awardees, Cavaliers Paulino Santos Class 14, Mariano Castaneda
Class 15, Conrado Yap, 43, Arturo Ortiz 79, Ariel Querubin 79, Noel Buan, 84,
Cerilito Sobejana 87, Custodio Parcon 87, Robert Eduard Lucero 87, Bartolome
Bacarro, 88 and Herbert Dilag 98," Oban said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=737777
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