Many readers of the Inquirer probably cried on Monday when they saw the pictures of soldiers who died fighting Moro extremists in Marawi City.
The heroes in uniform who didn’t hesitate to make the supreme sacrifice were young with bright futures ahead of them.
Let us not forget to thank them, their wounded comrades and those who continue to fight the enemies of the state.
This newspaper paid the highest tribute to those fallen heroes by citing a passage in the National Anthem: “Ang mamatay nang dahil sa iyo (to die in the country’s service).”
How sweet it is to die fighting in defense of the fatherland!
So what’s wrong if US special troops are involved in the fighting in Marawi, not only as advisers but as combatants, too?
Terrorism is a global problem and all countries that want to preserve peace should take part in stemming its tide.
Every country which is a member of the United Nations has a stake in the outcome of the fighting in Marawi City.
If the Philippines sends peacekeeping troops to other countries upon the request of the United Nations, there is no reason why those countries, on the principle of reciprocity, should not come to our aid.
President Digong was shown in another newspaper grieving with one of the widows of the soldiers killed in Marawi.
This Chief Executive is so unlike the one he replaced.
Instead of meeting the remains of the Mamasapano heroes at Villamor Airbase two years ago, the previous President attended the inauguration of a car plant in Laguna.
The leadership row at Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) could have been resolved a long time ago had Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea acted decisively.
Medialdea should have put Martin Diño in his right place when the latter questioned the appointment of lawyer Randy Escolango as officer in charge of the office of the SBMA administrator.
But when Medialdea showed weakness in not stopping Diño, the former chair of a barangay in Quezon City, the latter thought it was okay to arrogate unto himself the functions of lawyer Wilma Eisma as permanent SBMA administrator.
Now Diño has formed a task force to inspect and monitor the business and financial operations of SBMA, a function assigned to Eisma.
Everything goes wrong when an ignoramus is given a task way above his head.