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US role in Mamasapano exposed

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A protest rally in front of the US embassy in Manila on February 4, 2015 exposed the role of the United States in the deadly covert operations in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. The January 25 commando raid and the ensuing 12-hour battle left 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troops, 18 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters and at least seven civilians dead. Among the speakers at the rally are Makabayan Coalition President Satur Ocampo and Amirah Ali Lidasan, Secretary General of the Moro Christian People’s Alliance (MCPA). US forces were seen by witnesses in the operations. Protesters demand justice for the victims, Pres. Aquino’s resignation and the abrogation of US military pacts, notably the US-RP Mutual Defense Treaty, the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). The rally was led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) and local affiliates of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS).

Panalangin para sa mga namatay sa Mamasapano, Maguindanao

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Sa pangunguna ng Promotion of Church People’s Response
Nag-alay sila ng panalangin para sa hustisya at katotohanan patungkol sa mga biktima ng Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Ginanap ito sa Camp Crame noong Pebrero 3, 2015.

Prayers for truth and accountability at fallen troopers’ wake

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The Promotion of Church People’s Response and Kapatirang Simbahan Para Sa bayan (Kasimbayan) offered prayers and songs for truth and accountability at the wake of the fallen police troopers at Camp Bagong Diwa last Friday night. They were led by San Carlos (Negros Occidental) Bishop Jerry Alminaza and United Church of Christ in the Philippines Bishop Gabriel Garol.

A battalion-strong Special Action Force unit of the Philippine National Police raided several adjacent camps of two Bangsamoro groups on a supposed mission to arrest two international terrorists last January 25. The said mission was reportedly based on intelligence information provided by United States agencies. The ill-planned operation, approved and ordered by President Benigno Aquino III, resulted in the death of 44 police troopers, at least 13 Moro fighters and seven civilians, including a child.

ITANONG MO KAY PROF: Podcast on Aquino’s statement on Maguindanao encounter (Part 7)

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ITANONG MO KAY KAY PROF: Tungkol sa talumpati ni Aquino hinggil sa sagupaan at maraming namatay na SAF sa Mamasapano, Maguindanao

Panayam ng Kodao Proucions kay Prof. Jose Maria Sison, January 28, 2015

7. Sinabi ni President Aquino sa kanyang pahayag na may binuo nang board of inquiry, mapagkakatiwalaan po ba ito ng mamamayang Pilipino?

Hindi mapagkakatiwalaan ang board of inquiry na yan. Mga tauhan ni Aquino ang bumubuo. Hindi nila kayang papanagutin si Aquino o ungkatin ang pag-utos ng mga opisyal na Amerikano kay Aquino. Hindi independent ang board. Ang kaya nilang sisihin ay yong commander ng SAF at yong mga isinubo sa tiyak na kamatayan.

ITANONG MO KAY PROF: Podcast on Aquino’s statement on Maguindanao encounter (Part 5-6))

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ITANONG MO KAY KAY PROF: Tungkol sa talumpati ni Aquino hinggil sa sagupaan at maraming namatay na SAF sa Mamasapano, Maguindanao

Panayam ng Kodao Productions kay Prof. Jose Maria Sison, January 28, 2015

5. Kailangan pa bang magpatuloy ang usapang pangkapayapaan sa pagitan ng MILF at GPH? Kung oo o hindi, bakit?

JMS: Dahil sa insidente, lalong kailangan ang usapang pangkapayapaan sa pagitan ng GPH at MILF. Kung matitigil ang peace negotiations, lalo pang mas maraming mamamatay sa labanan. Kasalanan ni Aquino na linabag niya ang ceasefire agreement sa pagbalewala sa konsultasyon at koordinasyon sa MILF.

Binalewala rin niya ang koordinasyon sa mismong mga sundalo niya sa PhIlippine Army sa paligid. Walang kwenta siyang commander-in-chief. Dahil sa kriminal na kapalpakan niya, baka matupad ang hangarin ng former defense secretary Norberto Gonzales na ikudeta siya.

6. Ano ang inyong masasabi sa pahayag ni dating president Erap na itigil na ang peace talks para hindi na maulit ang pangyayari?

JMS: Noon pang Presidente siya, nais na ni Erap na pulbusin ang MILF at Bangsamoro. Sinalakay niya ang mga kampo ng MILF. Pero hindi naman siya nagtagumpay sa panaginip niyang durugin ang MILF at Bangsamoro. Dahil sa pagsalakay niya sa Bangsamoro, lumubha ang kanyang budget deficit at lalong gumewang ang paghahari niya hanggang ibinagsak siya ng sambayanang Pilipino.

BAYAN MUNA CALLS FOR THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF PURISIMA, AQUINO AND U.S. HANDS ON THE BLOODY MAMASAPANO POLICE FIASCO
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As reports linking US operatives to Mamasapano incident surface

Bayan Muna Reps. Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate today said that as reports linking US operatives on the botched operation in Mamasapano are surfacing left and right thus it is imperative that a thorough investigation be launched by Congress to get to the truth.

President Aquino’s not admitting until now his responsibility, not telling the whole truth and passing the blame of the most bloody police fiasco to the commander of SAF is unacceptable and reprehensible. It is a vain attempt to hide the whole truth, especially his, Purisima’s and the US’ role in the botched operation to escape accountability.

As it is, newspaper reports say that agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and ranking Filipino police officials planned a secret operation aimed at getting a notorious international terrorist, a source who declined to be identified told the Inquirer.

The source said the target was on Washington’s list of priority terrorists: Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” who had a $5-million price then on his head. The bounty was later raised to $6 million.

Based on the reports, a former ranking police official in Central Mindanao, claimed that during the meeting, which he attended, the FBI agents shared an intelligence report on the exact whereabouts of Marwan and another terrorist, Filipino Abdul Basit Usman.

The source said the Americans were certain about their intelligence data because it was provided by a mole from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“They were paid cash in exchange for the information,” the source said.

The source said the FBI agents validated the information relayed to them by their mole through the use of “drones and global positioning system.“We can even see the hideout of their target,” he said.

During the meeting, it was decided that those involved in the operation would not share information with any other government agencies “to prevent a leak of the plan. They will only coordinate with other government troops—posted along the highway—on their way to their mission,” he added.

“Ito ang nakakalungkot dito ang US ang nagplano at ipinahamak ang mga SAF. Matapos ibala sa kanyon ang mga SAF pa ang may kasalanan sa pagkasawi nila,” said Rep. Colmenares

“This is one of our fears when the Philippines entered the Visiting Forces Agreements (VFA) and now the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) we are dragged into their fights and battle plans under the heading Target of US enemies. Filipinos are the ones dying for the US to get what they want. Worse because we are now seen as part of US military operations against its enemies, we also become a target of attacks by the enemies of the US. This should really be investigated and adds to the numerous reasons why these treaties should be junked,” added Senior Deputy Minority Leader Colmenares.

“Malala pa ay Si Pres. Aquino ay naghuhugas kamay at hindi ipinaliwanag kung bakit di pinaalam ang operasyon sa DILG Secretary at PNP chief. Ito ay patunay na totoo nga na si Gen.Purisima ang nagcommand ng operations.May pananagutan si Pres. Aquino sa ginawa nyang pag utos sa operasyon at pagdefy sa order ng Ombudsman na suspendido si Purisima at sa talumpati pa niya ngayon ay lalo lang nagalit sa kanya ang mga kamag-anak at kaibigan ng mga nasawi maging ang sambayanang Filipino,” he added.

“As for his part Rep. Zarate said that “even as other government agencies will conduct their own probes of the incident, Congress must also conduct a thorough investigation, since it appears that there was breakdown in the established mechanisms agreed upon by the GPH and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as well as to see the veracity of reports that US agents or troops were also in the area after the incident,”

“There are more questions now than when this was exposed. As for example, if SAF commander keep on insisting that Operation Wolverine is very much alike the US operation to get Osama bin Laden then he has already admitted that this botched operation has US backing, support and participation. Another question is how are we certain that the US agents seen in the evacuation of the dead and wounded SAF did not take the supposed body of Marwan or his cut finger for them to test for his DNA? These are just few of the questions that have to be answered for us to get to the truth,” ended Rep. Zarate. ###

Bayan presses gov’t to come clean on Mamasapano debacle

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Bagong Alyansang Makabayan chairperson Dr. Carol P. Araullo presses President Benigno Aquino to come clean on event surrounding the debacle that killed at least 44 police commandos last January 25.

Araullo reacts after Aquino addressed the nation Wednesday night in a speech that Bayan says lacked forthrightness. She said that the peace process between the government and the Bangsamoro people should continue despite this incident.

ITANONG MO KAY PROF: Podcast on Aquino’s statement on Maguindanao encounter (Part 3-4)

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ITANONG MO KAY KAY PROF: Tungkol sa talumpati ni Aquino hinggil sa sagupaan at maraming namatay na SAF sa Mamasapano, Maguindanao

Panayam ng Kodao Productions kay Prof. Jose Maria Sison, January 28, 2015

3. Binigyan-diin ng pangulo ang mga krimen nina Marwan at Usman sa umpisa ng kanyang talumpati. Ito marahil ay para mabigyan ng hustisya ang operation ng PNP-SAF sa Maguindanao, subalit hindi niya sinabi na siya at ang US ay sangkot sa operasyon na ito. Ano po ang inyong pahayag dito?

JMS: Walang kwestiyon na dapat hulihin sina Marwan at Usman dahil sa warrants of arrest at malulubhang paratang sa kanila. Pero walang karapatan si Aquino na isubo ang maraming sundalo ng SAF sa tiyak na kamatayan dahil sa estupidong plano at kawalan ng koordinasyon sa mga kinauukulan. Bale gumawa sina Aquino, Ochoa at Purisima ng malubhang krimen na isinubo nila ang maraming SAF sa tiyak na kamatayan. Lalong malubha ang krimen nila dahil sa sunud-sunuran sila sa mga utos ng mga bos nilang mga Amerikano at nasilaw rin sila sa malaking dolyar na reward money.

4. Nahahati ngayon ang opinyon ng mga kapulisan hinggil sa naging papel ng gubyerno sa madugong engkwentro, ano po ang inyong maipapayo sa kanila?

JMS: Dapat batikusin at isakdal ng PNP, SAF at sambayanang Pilipino si Aquino dahil sa kanyang kriminal na pagpapahamak sa mga nasawing sundalo ng SAF. Dapat ding tuligsain ang kanyang pagiging utu-uto ng mga bos niyang Amerikano.

ITANONG MO KAY PROF: Podcast on Aquino’s statement on Maguindanao encounter (Part 1)

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ITANONG MO KAY KAY PROF: Tungkol sa talumpati ni Aquino hinggil sa sagupaan at maraming namatay na SAF sa Mamasapano, Maguindanao

Panayam ng Kodao Productions kay Prof. Jose Maria Sison, January 28, 2015

1. Ano po ang inyong masasabi sa pangkabuuan sa mga ipinahayag ni Pres. Noynoy Aquino hinggil sa naganap na engkwentro sa pagitan ng PNP-SAF at MILF?

JMS: Sa kanyang pahayag sa telebisyon, nagsinungaling si Aquino at umiilag sa katotohanan. Hindi marunong tumanggap ng command responsibility, kahit na may direct responsibility siya. Hindi niya hinarap ang pinakaimportanteng tanong sa kanya: kung bakit isinubo niya sa tiyak na kamatayan ang maraming sundalo ng SAF?

Sa halip, mahaba ang satsat niya tungkol sa mga warrant of arrest, kung gaano kasama sina Marwan at Usman at gaano ring kasama ang mga katulad ng mag-amang Estrada na gustong ipawalang saysay ang peace negotiations sa MILF bago siyang umasta na buwayang lumuluha para sa mga pamilya ng mga sundalong napatay.

Bayan calls for accountability on the Mamasapano incident

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Militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan condoles with the bereaved families of those killed at the Mamasapano, Maguindanao incident last January 25 that killed dozens of police commandos, Moro rebels and a civilian. It also calls for an impartial investigation on the real nature of the incursion by the police and urges accountability for the terrible loss of lives, including the possible involvement of foreign forces in its planning.

Reports say as many as 64 Philippine National Police-Special Action Force commandos, along with four MILF rebels and a civilian were killed in a gun battle that lasted as long as 11 hours. Government authorities claim the police were in the area to effect a warrant of arrest against two “high value targets” which the United States have identified as “international terrorists.” The MILF, for its part said, they had no choice but to defend themselves from the incursion that was in violation of their ceasefire agreement with the government.

In this video, Bayan spokesperson Teddy Casiño issues their initial statement on the incident.