Martial Law: Murphy's Law

A funny thing happened on the way to the war.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/06/26/1828013/6-cops-killed-misencounter-army-soldiers

“They were conducting combat operations as part of their training when they were attacked,” he said. 

An initial police report said an Army lieutenant and 16 enlisted personnel from the 87th Infantry Battalion opened fire at the policemen. 

The firefight lasted for 20 minutes and ended when reinforcements from the police arrived. 

It was only then that the soldiers realized their mistake. 

Magaway could not say if the soldiers mistook the policemen for New People’s Army rebels. 

“We are conducting an investigation with our counterparts from the military to find out what exactly happened,” he said.

What a preventable tragedy this is. If the PNP stuck to being police and did not conduct combat operations then they would certainly would never be mistaken for NPA or Islamic terrorists. Many years ago the precursor to the PNP was a branch of the military but in 1990 this changed and the Philippine National Police was created.

The police force shall be organized, trained and equipped primarily for the performance of police functions. Its national scope and civilian character shall be paramount. No element of the police force shall be military nor shall any position thereof be occupied by active members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Special Action Force. — Headed by a Director with the rank of chief superintendent, the Special Action Force shall function as a mobile strike force or reaction unit to augment regional, provincial, municipal and city police forces for civil disturbance control, counterinsurgency, hostage-taking rescue operations, and other special operations.

Traffic Management Unit. — Headed by a Director with the rank of chief superintendent, the Traffic    Management Unit shall enforce traffic laws and regulations.

http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1990/12/13/republic-act-no-6975/

When have you ever seen the PNP enforcing traffic laws and regulations? I mean with any regularity. With patrols on the road going after drivers not using headlights or making illegal turns? Not just when they set up random checks for motorcycles. And it is always and only motorcycles they check not all vehicles. What a joke! If the PNP went about doing normal police functions incidents like this and the one in 2015 would never happen. Leave the terrorist fighting to the AFP. It's pretty simple and it's in Republic Act 6975.

Now the PNP and the AFP have the burdensome task of sorting out this horrible mess.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/06/26/1828111/afp-vows-transparency-probe-samar-misencounter

In a statement shared through state-run People's Television Network, Gen. Carlito Galvez, AFP chief of staff, said the military and police "have already mounted joint and independent investigations and we assure you that these will be transparent and no cover-up will be allowed to happen."

Well that's great. But why bother? Better to just toss out the investigation because Duterte has already absolved all AFP and PNP personnel involved and declared no one is to blame except himself.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1749849/Manila/Local-News/Duterte-clears-soldiers-says-misencounter-unintentional

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1750412/Manila/Local-News/Duterte-takes-full-responsibility-for-Samar-misencounter

In fact the root of the whole incident can be chalked up to that invariable scientific law which governs all men and things: Murphy's Law.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/06/27/1828357/pnp-army-misencounter-duterte-blames-murphys-law

But in last Monday’s incident, Farnacio said the coordination appeared to be “hazy.” He said the policemen contacted the Army detachment commander in the area to inquire if there is an ongoing Army operation in Sta. Rita. 

“There was coordination on the detachment level. They (police) coordinated there three days ago,” Farnacio said 

Farnacio said a 16-man team from the Army’s 87th Infantry Battalion was conducting combat operations for the last six days in the mountainous area of Barangay San Roque at the boundary of Sta. Rita and Villareal town. 

The military operation was in response to the repeated sightings of NPA rebels, he said. 

On the other hand, police troops from the PNP’s 805th Regional Mobile Force Battalion were also pursuing the same NPA group. They initially inquired from an Army detachment in Barangay Anibongon to find out if there is an ongoing Army operation in San Roque. 

“They only asked if there are military operations there. The detachment commander replied in the affirmative but the PNP only said ‘noted’ – they did not say if they are going in to operate in the (same) area,” Farnacio said.

Murphy's Law? Sounds more like bumbling incompetence from the PNP who did not inform the AFP they to would be conducting operations even while the AFP were conducting operations in the same area. 

Despite Duterte's humbleness and willingness to impute all responsibility for this tragedy to himself and hand out cash to the surviving families, the families are not having any of it.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/07/01/1829495/duterte-blame-families-slain-cops-disappointed

The families of the six policemen killed by soldiers in what was reportedly a misencounter have expressed disappointment at being told by President Duterte that the incident was “not intentional and no one should be blamed,” even as he took full responsibility for the incident. 

The President conferred medals on the dead and the wounded policemen, and ordered the release of P225,000 to each of the families of the victims. 

But after a brief talk with the President, the families of the fallen policemen came out dejected after he told them that he was solely to blame for the tragedy as commander-in-chief. 

“However, this is the best opportunity for us to ask President Duterte to help us complete the investigation in the soonest possible time to give us justice. We still feel na hindi niya kami papabayaan (he will not abandon us),’ Rosario and Rachel said. 

Earlier, the Philippine National Police (PNP) released P100,000 in financial assistance to each family of the victims. 

Rachel said accepting the money does not mean they are already “fine and OK” because what they demand is “genuine justice for this unfortunate incident.” 

In his speech at the Sangyaw Festival of Lights at the Balyuan Ampitheater in Leyte, Duterte said he was assuming “ultimate blame” for the deadly misencounter since he is the commander-in-chief. 

“I told them just to forget it, they didn’t mean to do it anyway,” he said, recalling his appeal to policemen. 

“And you know, Murphy’s Law operates the way it is. If things can go wrong, they will go wrong,” he said. 

“I told the policemen I’m also your and the Army’s commander-in-chief. Let’s just say it’s all my fault,” he said. 

“But since you are all my soldiers, let us forget the hurts. Allow the investigation to go on, and let us see what develops in the future,’” he added.

The family members of these dead PNP officers will be receiving 325,000 pesos for their loss. Maybe to shut them up. Can you imagine being told by the President to "just forget it." That is unbelievably callous. Why is he so eager to shut everyone up and dismiss this tragedy as if it were jus the result of Murphy's Law? Imagine if he said this about all the men killed in the drug war. "Just forget it, it's Murphy's Law." There would be even more outrage than there is now.

It all stinks.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/06/29/1828992/pnp-smells-ambush-dnd-blames-lack-coordination

The PNP and AFP better get their act together now that the peace talks with the CPP have been scrapped. The NPA will be out in full force. Whatever that means. Talk is cheap and the NPA seems to prefer small time terrorist and criminal activities to anything really revolutionary like storming the capital and ousting the President.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1005152/breaking-reds-now-focused-on-ousting-duterte-joma

“It is relatively easier and more productive for the NDFP to participate in the oust-Duterte movement and to prepare for peace negotiations with the prospective administration that replaces the Duterte regime,” Sison said.

Haha! What a joke.  The CPP, instead of tossing out Duterte themselves and setting up the kind of people's government they want, is just going to wait for the next administration and try for peace talks again? What kind of revolutionary talk is that!? Revolutions are not won through peace talks. They are won through force and the shedding of blood. Bolsheviks these people are not. Nor is Duterte up to the task of stamping out this evil group.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/06/27/1828341/duterte-vows-crush-reds-anew

“They will be decimated. It’s not time for us to journey into another ideological setup. Hayaan muna natin itong demokrasya na ito (Let’s live with this democracy for now). Of course, it’s a topsy-turvy thing,” Duterte said during the oathtaking of barangay officials in Zamboanga del Sur.

Decimated? That's big talk that he and others have said before and here we are back at the start of another cycle of war, talks, war, talks, war.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/728556/duterte-to-npa-rebels-prepare-for-peace-under-my-presidency

Duterte said the 46-year-old communist insurgency had to end and that it would be among his top priorities “should God puts me there (the presidency).” 

He said he would find a common solution to the communist insurgency and the Moro rebellion by inviting their respective leaders to talks. 

“Filipinos cannot continue on killing each other. This has to stop,” he said.

Don't expect the Reds to be "decimated" during Duterte's term. Don't expect there to be peace either.