In his speech at the commencement exercise of the Philippine National Police Academy’s Lakandula Class of 2015, the day after the nation marked the second month of the Mamasapano tragedy, President Aquino said, “Ikinalulungkot kong may mga pamilyang nawalan ng asawa, ama, kapatid, anak, dahil sa nangyari sa Mamasapano. Ikinalulungkot kong sa pagnanais kong bigyan ng espasyong magluksa ang mga makakakita, sa unang pagkakataon, ng nasawi nilang kaanak, ay may mga nag-isip na ako’y manhid at walang pakikiramay. Ang intensiyon ko noon ay makatulong sa paghilom. Ang gusto ko po sana, kapag may nagtanong ng “Ano ang nangyari? Bakit sila namatay? Ano na po ang mangyayari sa amin?” ay may dala na akong malinaw na sagot. Kung ang naging tugon ko sa mga katanungan ay “Hindi ko po alam,” paano ako makakatulong sa kanilang paghilom? Ikinalulungkot ko ring nadadamay ang ating usaping pangkapayapaan dahil sa sentimyentong naikakabit sa naging resulta ng Oplan Exodus. Sa bawat Pilipinong nabigo at nasaktan dahil sa mga pangyayaring kaugnay ng operasyong ito: Buong pagpapakumbaba kong hinihiling ang inyong pang-unawa. (It deeply saddens me that there are families who are now without a husband, a father, a brother, a son, because of what happened in Mamasapano. I am saddened by the fact that, despite my effort to give the families space to grieve, as they were to meet their fallen loved ones for the first time, some people found fault in this by calling me cruel or without regard for such loss. My intention was to help them heal. I wanted to have clear answers should I be asked, “What happened? Why did they die? What will happen to us now?” If my response was “I do not know,” how could I help hasten the healing? I am also saddened that our peace process has been affected by the sentiments connected to the result of Oplan Exodus. To every Filipino who has felt failure or has been hurt because of the events related to this operation: It is with the abiding humility that I ask for your deepest understanding.)”
We all know that he was referring o his much-denounced absence at the Villamor Air Base on Jan.29, 2016 when the remains of the 44 members of the Special Action Force arrived. He chose to be at the Mitsubishi Motors launch in Sta.Rosa, Laguna. Why couldn’t he say it?
I’m sorry Mr. President. I don’t buy this thing about wanting to give the families “space to grieve.”
You thought that the people’s outrage over the bungling of the Mamasapano operation would die down after a few days. You never imagined that it would last this long and that’s because of your post-tragedy actions and statements.
In the Pulse Asia survey conducted first week of March, eight of 10 Filipinos disagree with your choice of viewing the parade of Mitsubishi cars over the coffins of the Fallen 44.
You are only compelled to seek for the people’s “understanding” because your approval and trust ratings drastically dropped.
This is all about saving yourself and your presidency.
That’s what we understand.
I’m making a list of stabilizers of the Philippines, and destabilizers, those who undermine the nation for self-gain or ego or whatever drives them to undermine . . .
Destabilizers
Jejomar Binay and family
Dingaling Tingting
FVR
Ellen Tordisillas
Until now, I had you in middle ground. But this article makes clear that spite drives your “journalism”.
A reader on my blog just the other day posted this enlightening remark:
“The Philippine logic ‘I feel it this way so it must be universally true.’ is not a correct logic.”
Nothing the President will say that his critiques will understand anyways, but whether he will be believed or not, the Truth will all find us out..
The people understand Mr. President.
But the logical question is: Do You Understand the Sentiments of many.
You created a body that will explain the BBL, what are their qualifications. It’s good that there are people you selected that comes from the judiciary.
But I have only seen one from Mindanao. Most of the affected people here are from Mindanao, yet you choose to include a Muslim representatives, but what about those non-muslims from Mindanao.
It is easy to ask for understanding Mr. President, but do you really understand the sentiments of the many.
Just asking…
the president is hurting NOT because his sacrifices for the country are NOT recognized by the people ALL because he knows he has had none any. he is hurting because each time he OPENS his mouth, NO ONE believes hsi word since all he can offer to us, the ordinary filipinos he always addesses his BOSS is arrogance of his stand in any issue he gets involved with daring anyone to pick which side to stick. in this particular incident where he failed to consider elements that would contribute to a smooth and fair relationship with the people, he hostilely points out scenarios he deem would soften the determination of his critics believing the only means to save his face is instilling fear, and we really are – FEARING for more lapses he will do during the remaining days of his presidency.
tsk. tsk. tsk.
why sorry always comes last?
why sorry always comes LATE?
@MPRivera, I agree the President should not apologize if he believes he acted earnestly, and the phone text information suggests he was more among those manipulated than those doing any manipulation. I further find people who demand apology to be rather needy, as if they can’t get over their grief by themselves, but require someone else to make them whole. And usually, in the Philippines, once someone takes that step of apologizing, they are crucified. For example, your distaste for the President is so intense, I don’t think an apology would change that at all, and you would just continue to hammer at him because apology would be a useful hammer placed near your hand. So why in the world should he apologize to you?
You wouldn’t respect it anyway.
But mostly I wonder why it is that you require someone else to take the grief off your shoulders. You aren’t strong enough to put it away yourself? The President has to help you?
ginoong pangulo, NAKAKALUNGKOT pong isipin na sa halos LIMANG taong mo nang panunungkulan ay PAWANG pagkalimot sa mga pangyayari ang iyong ginagawa.
ibig mo bang sabihin AY KAMI na lang palagi ang UUNAWA sa iyo?
kailan mo kaya mauunawaang SAWANG SAWA na kami sa lahat ng mga kasinungalingan mo lalo’t higit sa mga nagtatangatangahan mong mga tagapagsalitang PILIT isinusubo sa amin ang mga MALING katwiran at hindi kapanipaniwalang pantasya sa loob ng iyong enchanted kingdom?
The official response of Malacañang on that fiasco:
“It was not part of the schedule of the president on that date.”
I don’t know why such things are treated by Oblak that way, he avoids funerals and wakes altogether. Takot sa patay?
Ms. Tordesillas has her opinion, it is okay.
This one is from the inquirer http://opinion.inquirer.net/83685/youre-entitled-to-my-opinion .
So move on, baby move on, we got to be strong now, the feeling is so strong…..Phil Collins 😄
#10. That was a nice piece.
TonGuE-tWisTeD, well, maybe if you were an young man and saw your father’s murder, and never got to say good bye, and had bullets in your body from when they tried to kill your mother, you might have a point of view or feelings different from most. So why do most people figure the President should see it as they do? Most still have a father and a mother and no bullets in their body. The lack of Christian kindness in this place sometimes stuns me.
# 11
Hard hitting piece di bala? Hits the critics hard and scores a bunch for the President di bala?
Who wrote it?
Mart del Rosario (martdelrosario@yahoo.com) is a retired advertising-PR consultant.
Who are the Pajero bishops?
Bishop Rodolfo Beltran,
Bishop Leopoldo Jaucian,
Rev. Martin Jumoad,
Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos,
Archbishop Orlando Quevedo,
Rev. Ernesto Salgado,
Archbishop Romulo Valles
http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Pajero_bishops
Who are the bishops who called for resignation?
Aside from Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, other bishops supported the statement were Bayombong, Cagayan
Bishop Ramon Villena, Lipa
Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, Zamboanga
Archbishop Romulo dela Cruz, Davao
Archbishop Emeritus Fernando Capalla and Naval, Biliran
Bishop Filomeno Bactol.
manilastandardtoday.com/2015/02/15/vidal-bishops-ask-aquino-to-resign/
I don’t see a match. Do you?
I am waiting for this guy to offer the Quiapo Church for sale.
Agree. Move on na nga. Ninoy has been dead 21 years.
I don’t fault him for avoiding wakes and funerals. In fact, I don’t encourage people approaching their mayors, barangay captains, etc. to get donations in such events. It puts the local officials on the spot, forcing them, in one way or another, to allocate funds which they cannot provide legally from the local coffers, pushing them to a “little” corruption when this need arises.
Imagine a mayor who makes a few thousands from his meager salary having to shell out P300 for flowers and P500 for the abuloy at least 3 times at night to keep his constituents secured in his camp.
When my mother died exactly one year and 3 days ago, I put a sign on our gate: “Thank you but we will not accept flowers and cash donations. Instead, please send the money to our parish church”…and so on
What do you know, the flower delivery boys wouldn’t want to refund the buyers so the wreaths lined the full-length of our street we had to bring them all inside the garage and take down the sign. Flowers from the mayor, vice-mayor, 6 councilors, 2 congressmen and several barangay officials with their names shouting on huge ribbons all but reminded the neighborhood that even if elections were 2 years away, their officials are simply doing what is “expected” of them.
To me, I’m reminded that these guys are buying campaign moments with money they don’t even earn. Legally.
So yes, avoiding wakes makes good sense, too.
Nonoy is a hopeless case. He is too incompetent to do do anything right. People deserve somebody who can lead and not just a puppet of the Abad.
But what does a leader personal character got to do with leadership? Pierre Elliot Trudeau was Photograph giving a ONE Finger Salute to his Media Critiques, Telling those who peep on the govt house bedrooms when the pretty women came for a visit that even the Govt. has no business in the Bedrooms of the Nation..Sassied behind the Queen..that too was recorded… but he can not lose an election…(he was even photograph in his youth mimicking a Nazi Officer.) in Short, he was arrogant, rude that President Nixon was recorded in saying the expletives that when PET was told about what Nixon said about him..his reply was “I was called worse by better men” …
But there was some little in common in PET and Pnoy..they keep governing and both are bald…and other than short time marriage to Margaret enough to father 3 boys they prefer to be bachelors.. (also a father of another very smart girl at 71 which is a PM in waiting..miss Sarah Coyne..the Girl from Wharton, Philly U..now a financial analyst at Sach something…she is still very young at 25 to think politics and half brother Justin is trying to follow Papa Trudeau…but watch this girl..she got an invitation to lead the Liberals..but why would a carefree young woman with a gene of a playboy running thru her vein tie herself up with the office of the PM?? she is no fool..
Anak ng kuwagong duling naman. Canada na naman?
Canada is the greatest country in the world. Their people are the greatest. Hallelujah.
Okay na ba? That should cover this blog, and stop the paeans to Canada for ten years.
@ 18 getting on your nerve…you are much more sensitive than pnoy, and free to throw your worst but can not take any…well that says it all…
It is clear that BBL needs revisions and re-negotiation, covering both constitutional and operational aspects, and if that extends the original time-frame then so be it.
It actually gives more time to test the real motives of MILF and to regain trust.
The MILF still sound as though they are speaking with forked tongue, as is Pnoy Aquino, so a full and honest re-appraisal is essential, by Congress, Senate, and the people, particularly in Mindanao – they are the most affected, and are very clearly against BBL.
65% of people in Mindanao are against BBL.
There are also still outstanding issues to be resolved first, before anyone should be proceeding in any format. Most pressing is justice and accountability on both sides.
The rush to push BBL only shows further disrespect by Pnoy Aquino. He is already responsible for enough body bags, and his incompetence has become a legend in his own life-time. The Nobel prize for having no balls.
It’s becoming apparent that Malaysia supported the insurgencies in Mindanao to deflect attention from reclamation of Sabah. Ninoy Aquino connived with Malaysia to bring down Marcos and Malaysia is the biggest supporter of BBL. Malaysia must be counting on Mindanao seceding from Malaysia.
Pnoy should have been at Villamor to show solidarity with the nation at that time of sorrow. Its the right thing to do. Theres no excuse there. As a leader thats what he should have done. Now its too late! He did it to himself. Now Its up to the people to accept. History will speak for itself.
Princess diana once famously said – “there are three of us in this marriage” – and look what happened to her!
Instinct, and experience tells me that the problem mainly lies with the 3rd party- malaysia the mistress, and their strategic goals.
From pretending to be simply facilitating, just this week they have been saying there will be war if BBL not passed. So much for an independent neutral back room facilitator! The need for MILF to pass their report to malaysia first also shows who they report to and who is running the show.
Malaysia know that they have aquino in their pocket and need to push and rush before his term ends. The next president will not be so naive, whoever it is.
MILF – Malaysian Infiltration & Landgrab of Filipinos
#13. mag-32 YEARS na po sa ATO (august twenty one).
napatae, este napatay po si lolo ninoy nung 1983.
#23. wrong send po kayo. du’n po dapat yan sa kabilang pinto. lasing siguro ang delivery boy at namali ng katok.