‘Relax, it’s just a sympathy march’

FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Relax, we won’t ask for Aquino’s head.

The organizers of Sunday’s march commemorating the death of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, assured Malacañang and the Philippine National Police the gathering would not turn into an anti-Aquino rally.

Retired Chief Supt. Tomas Rentoy III, chair of the PNP Academy Alumni Association Inc. (PNPAAAI), said the daylong event coinciding with the 40th day of mourning for the “Fallen 44” was intended to only be a “sympathy march” by policemen and supporters of the slain troopers.

Rentoy said his group would not allow fiery speeches criticizing President Benigno Aquino III or calls for him to step down over the bungled Jan. 25 police operation to get Malaysian terrorist Zulifli bin Hir, or “Marwan,” and his Filipino lieutenant, Abdul Basit Usman.

More than 5,000 people are expected to show up for the 44-kilometer walk-run event set to start from Dasmariñas, Cavite, at 5 a.m. and end at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

“It really puzzles me why many in the government are so afraid of this event when this is just a sympathy march for the widows and other relatives of the SAF troopers killed in the Mamasapano incident,” Rentoy told the Inquirer over the phone.

“Nobody (from our group) will call for (the President’s) resignation. Why are they so afraid? They’re acting as if it’s the end of the world,” he said.

If there was anyone who might lose his post, it would be Senior Supt. Jerome Baxinela, a member of PNPA Class 1984 and president of the alumni group’s chapter in Camp Crame, the headquarters of the 150,000-strong national force.

Rentoy said a number of PNPA alumni had expressed their intention to “ostracize” Baxinela after he sent a text message discouraging graduates of the Silang, Cavite-based police academy from participating in the event.

As in the Philippine Military Academy, ostracism is the harshest penalty the PNPAAAI could mete out to an erring member.

Rentoy said he believed Baxinela was “under pressure” to dissuade fellow alumni from supporting the activity.

“It’s his right if he does not want to join us. But we will push through with the event. He’s free not to support us,” Rentoy said.

He said he phoned Baxinela on Friday for an explanation about the text message he sent to PNPA graduates, whom he addressed as “lakan” (nobleman) and “lakambini” (noblewoman).

“Baxinela said it was just an advice, not an order. He was just like General [Alan] Purisima,” Rentoy said with a laugh, referring to the resigned PNP director general.

Meanwhile, a text message purportedly coming from Baxinela was received by a number of PNPA alumni on Saturday.

In that message, Baxinela was supposed to have withdrawn his earlier statement and had decided to throw his support behind the gathering “upon the advice of my family and friends.”

When reached by the Inquirer, Baxinela denied he had changed his mind and that he was encouraging PNPA graduates to support the event.

“I maintain my conviction. I maintain the earlier position I had. The content of that text message is not true,” he said.

Rentoy said members of leftist groups such as Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) were free to join their activity, but they would be prohibited from unfurling antigovernment banners.

The activity, which would kick off in Barangay Salitran in Dasmariñas before dawn, will be followed by a march from Camp Crame to Claret School in Teachers Village, Quezon City, where a Mass would be celebrated by “running priest” Fr. Robert Reyes, a known political activist and critic of the Aquino administration.

Reyes, one of the march’s co-organizers, said the Mass was originally scheduled to be held at the Quezon Memorial Circle but the local government recalled the permit because the police-led activity has been given political color.

The Quezon City Police District (QCPD) yesterday confirmed that it had recommended the recall of the permit to local officials “because of reports received that several cause-oriented groups will be joining the march.”

“It may be joined by several groups with a different agenda, that may cause security threats and problems,” QCPD spokesperson Senior Insp. Maricar Taqueban said.