Aquino vows justice for slain soldiers in Basilan

MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino extended the nation’s gratitude to the fallen soldiers in the clash with Moro Islamic Liberation Front renegades last week, vowing that the state would “defend its citizens against all enemies in the territories under its control.”

He delivered a sharp warning to those coddling lawless elements pursued by government forces: “If you help those that are being hunted by the state, you will be counted among the enemies of the state, and you will be hunted down, too.”

In a late-night visit at the Libingan mga Bayani, on Friday, to pay his respects to 15 of the 19 slain Army men, the President pledged to their bereaved that the perpetrators in the Tuesday encounter in Al-Barka town in Basilan would be put to justice.

“I make no promises that this will be done tomorrow or the day after, in 24 hours or 48 hours. That’s not my style. But I guarantee that the state will hunt them down, and it will get them,” he said.

As for those who would like to meddle in the highly charged issue, he said, the state would not stand for it as well.

Aquino told the families of the slain Army soldiers that the nation was indebted to them for staying true to their sworn duty, and that they should be made to feel the people’s gratitude for the greatness of their deeds.

The President maintained his position against declaring an all-out war against the MILF, whose forces had owned up to a spate of recent other ambushes that killed at least seven more government troops.

“Our ceasefire with the MILF has been going on for a pretty long time. But for other groups, like the ASG (Abu Sayyaf Group), our operations continue… It would be better if the next operations were better-planned so we can demonstrate the full force of the state,” he said.

Aquino appealed for calm and sobriety, saying his government would not be cowed into making any hasty and irresponsible decisions while the peace talks with the MILF, which had been waging a decades-old campaign for Bangsamoro autonomy, continued progressing.

He said the claim that the MILF was also responsible for the ambushes in Zamboanga Sibugay remained speculation at this point. (Although the MILF had owned up the attacks, a military spokesperson said the site of the ambushes was not an MILF encampment.)