Students join the Unity Walk for Truth and Accountability march from the Luneta Park to Ermita Church in Manila on Sunday, to denounce the cover-up President Aquino’s role in the Mamasapano operation in Maguindanao last Jan. 25. INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines—About 300 students from different colleges and universities in Manila are urging President Benigno Aquino III to resign for his handling of the police debacle in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao province, and other issues of national importance.
Wearing crapes and white shirts with the hashtag #NasaanAngPangulo printed on them, the students marched from Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park to the Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de Guia Parish, or Ermita Church, on Sunday morning, calling for truth, justice and accountability for the deaths of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos in clashes with Moro rebels in Mamasapano on Jan. 25.
“We are still looking for the President and his presence and leadership in the Mamasapano massacre,” said Lianne Timenia, spokesperson for the Youth Action Now group that organized the march.
The group is composed of students from Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology, Colegio de San Juan de Letran and Universidad de Manila.
The group’s head, Lloyd Magsayo, said a month had passed since the Mamasapano incident, which also led to the deaths of 18 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters and five civilians but the President had yet to own up to his direct participation and command in the disastrous police operation to take down two terrorists.
“[Mr. Aquino] has shown us that he cannot be a leader. He hasn’t owned up to his participation a month after the incident, and then he goes to the families of the killed SAF members and ridiculously and sarcastically responds to their questions when he talked to them just last week,” Magsayo said.
He was referring to reports by the families of the slain policemen that Mr. Aquino was laughing and smiling while they were demanding answers and justice for their lost loved ones.
The relatives said that at one point, the President responded to questions by asking the families if they played video games, and that they were now on equal footing with him, as he also grieved for his father, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., who was assassinated in 1983.
Magsayo noted that the Mamasapano clash was not the first matter of grave and national concern that Mr. Aquino had botched.
“He also failed to take the lead in the aftermath of Supertyphoon ‘Yolanda,’ (international name: Haiyan) and [failed] to spend the budget [as] appropriated, [resorting instead to] the Disbursement Acceleration Program,” he said.
“The President has proven he is incapable and incompetent. So we urge him to resign now,” he said.
On reaching Ermita Church, the group offered Mass for the achievement of truth and justice through the Mamasapano investigation.
The Mass was also held in observance of National Migrants Sunday.
Timenia said Youth Action Now would participate in the 29th anniversary celebration of the People Power Revolution, or Edsa 1 at Ortigas on Feb. 25.
“We will carry on our protests until we get the truth, hold someone accountable, give justice and make Aquino resign over the Mamasapano massacre,” Magsayo said.
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