Hataman slams AFP official over remark on Jabidah Massacre

MANILA, Philippines — Deputy Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv on Friday chided a military official for describing the Jabidah Massacre as the “original fake news.”

“We Moros have been commemorating this unfortunate incident in our history year after year. The Jabidah massacre cost dozens upon dozens of young Moro lives,” Hataman pointed out in a statement.

“It is an extremely dark occurrence in the Moro history, and is considered by the Bangsamoro people as one of the tipping points of our struggle for justice and self-determination,” he added.

Maj. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Deputy Chief-of-Staff for Civil-Military Operations, reportedly said that the Jabidah massacre is being used as propaganda to “agitate the young to rise against the government.”

But Hataman called out such remark of the military official and advised him to be careful with what he says because it could “fuel radicalism” especially that the Bangsamoro is in the process of attaining a “meaningful and genuine autonomy.”

“This revisionism of history does not help our transitional efforts for justice – one that aims to continue healing the country, especially for the families of casualties in the conflict in Mindanao,” Hataman said.

“The last thing we need right now is the denial and erasure of our history as a people in this country,” he added. /kga