Category: PNP

Celebrities show conscience and heart for the 44 SAF heroes

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apl.de.ap leads a rousing tribute to the 44 SAF heroes.

apl.de.ap leads a rousing tribute to the 44 SAF heroes.


Wearing black arm bands emblazoned with “44”, apl.de.ap of the international hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas and one of the judges of The Voice PH, led the performance of one the group’s hits, “Where is the Love?” in last Sunday’s episode of the singing competition.

The lyrics were sharply apt: “Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism/But we still got terrorists here livin’….

“Madness is what you demonstrate/And that’s exactly how anger works and operates/…
“Father, Father, Father help us/Send some guidance from above/’Cause people got me, got me questionin’/Where is the love (Love)…

“Makin’ wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends/Not respectin’ each other, deny thy brother/
A war is goin’ on but the reason’s undercover…

“The truth is kept secret, it’s swept under the rug/If you never know truth then you never know love/
Where’s the love, y’all, come on (I don’t know)”

Click here to view performance: http://entertainment.abs-cbn.com/tv/shows/thevoiceseason2/videos/2015/02/01/be-where-is-the-love-by-apl-de-ap-abra-looney-ka-rit-le-nino-jason-f-monique-daryl-suy

Apl said the performance was a tribute to the 44 Special Action Force commandos who were killed in an operation to arrest terrorists Zulkifli bin Hir alias ”Marwan” and Basit Usman in Mamasapano, Maguindanao by combined forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

It was a powerful and moving performance which showed that behind the garishness of showbusiness, there are those who have their conscience and heart in the right place.

Social media was also a venue for celebrities with substance to express their condolences for the 44 fallen heroes and disgust over the way the Aquino government handled, rather mishandled, the operation and its aftermath.

Movie director Joey Reyes deep sorrow was felt in his Facebook posts: “My heart bleeds for the loved ones of those who yielded their lives in uniform, images of their bodies mangled on the muddy ground as they expired helpless and outnumbered.

“My being rages at the ineptitude, clumsiness, stupidity and lies, lies, lies that are shoved down my throat under the guise of explanation and demented logic.

“Like so many, I love my country but I am outraged by this perfidy.”

Movie and TV star Judy Ann Santos posted in Twitter her disappointment over President Aquino’s decision to attend the inauguration of a Mitsubishi Motors plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna instead of being on hand to honor the 44 when their remains arrived at the Villamor Air Base.

Judy Ann Santos' loaded tweet: Just saying... Obama knows his priorities.

Judy Ann Santos’ loaded tweet: Just saying… Obama knows his priorities.

Malacañang said the arrival honors for the 44 was not in the schedule of Aquino. As if one schedules a tragedy.

Juday posted the 2011 dramatic photo of U.S. President Obama President Obama arriving at Dover Air Force Base after he cancelled his schedule to condole with families of the 30 Americans that died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan.

Juday’s one-line photo caption was most eloquent: ““Just saying…Obama knows his priorities.”

A certain Ellah de Castro scored Juday: “Unfollowed. Wrong move.Ang isang public personality ay di dapat nagpo-post ng patama against sa ibang tao lalo na sa Presidente ng Bansa. Kung me opinion kang ganyan, sarilinin mo na lang. Di mo naisip magko-cause pa yan ng issue! Epal tawag jan.”

Juday stood her ground. She told de Castro: “I respect your opinion. Lahat tayo ay nagbabayad ng buwis. Kaya lahat tayo ay may karapatang magbigay ng sarilinng opinion at saloobin sa mga bagay na goyerno ang involved. You might want to check other accounts of othe r public figures as well. We all share the same sentiments. Tao lang kami. Kaya may karapatan kaming sabihin kung ano ang naramdaman naming. It is an issue already to begin with.”

Presidential sister Kris Aquino unfriended Judy Ann, reports said.

Who makes more sense?

Who makes more sense?

Grace Lee, the Korean TV personality whom the President once dated, joined Aquino’s critics.

Commenting on Aquino supporter Leah Navarro’s neither here-nor-there tweet “So how many of those people who dissed the President’s absence from Villamor where actually there to condole?”, Lee posted, “There is only one head of the state. Only one commander in chief! You CANNOT compare the value of his presence to the presence of any ordinary citizen then use it against them when they voice out their frustration and anger!!”

The statement of former Tourism Secretary and Miss International Gemma Cruz was through the classic poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade” written by Lord Alfred Tennyson in 1854 about the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!/ Was there a man dismay’d?
Not tho’ the soldier knew/ Someone had blunder’d:
Theirs not to make reply/ Theirs not to reason why/
Theirs but to do and die/Into the valley of Death/ Rode the six hundred.”

Yes, someone had blundered.

PBA star Arwind Santos condoles with family of SAF fan

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Insp. Joey Gamutan

Insp. Joey Gamutan

Police Inspector Joey Sacristan Gamutan, 33, of the elite Special Action Force, was a fan of the San Miguel Beermen.

He won a bet in the championship game for 2015 Philippine Cup title between the San Miguel Beermen and Alaska Aces last Jan. 21. He was so happy he told his wife, Merilyn, that he will treat her and their five-year old daughter Megan (they have a one year old child) when he comes home after the very important operation he is part of is accomplished.

It would be a triple celebration aside from his favorite PBA team’s victory: Jan. 26 is the birthday of Megan and Jan. 24 is their 6th wedding anniversary.

Joey never made it for the celebration he promised Merilyn and Megan.

On Jan. 25, he was part of the select group who went into Tukanalipao village in Mamasapano, Maguindanao to capture Malaysian bomb maker Zulkifli bin Hir alias ”Marwan” and Basit Usman, a bomb-making expert, high up in the terrorists list of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The FBI has put a $5 million bounty for Marwan’s head and $1 million for Usman’s.

It was Mission Accomplished as far as getting Marwan was concerned. However, getting out of the area controlled by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters became problematic and tragic.

The public has still to get the truth about the tragedy that claimed the lives of 44 of the country’s finest police officers including Gamutan.

Merilyn Gamutan, wife of Insp. Joey Gamutan, tells Arwin Santos her husband was his fan.

Merilyn Gamutan, wife of Insp. Joey Gamutan, tells Arwin Santos her husband was his fan.

Merilyn told San Miguel’s star player Arwind Santos, this year’s Most Valuable Player, who paid his respects to the 44 fallen heroes at the Camp Bagong Diwa wake last Friday,that her husband was his fan.
She said her husband would have been thrilled to meet him personally.

Arwind said he was glad to have been given the opportunity to render his tribute to the men who gave their lives for the country.

I asked Merilyn about her private meeting with President Aquino. She said she told him that she wants justice for her husband. She said the President said something like he doesn’t want war.

Why would justice for the slain law enforcers equate to war?

Merilyn apologized saying she can’t recall much about the meeting with the President. “Marami siyang sinabi. Hindi ko namasyadong napakinggan at nahilo ako.”

PBA star Arwind Santos with Rep. Ashley Acedillo pay their respect to the 44 gallant SAF officers killed in the encounter with MILF and BIFF llast Jan. 25.[/caption]She said, “Nagkuwento siya tungkol sa kanyang Nanay.”

She must have meant “Tatay” because when I commented, “Di ba yun na yung sinabi niya kaninang umaga?”, Merilyn said,” Yes.”

PBA star Arwind Santos with Rep. Ashley Acedillo pay their respect to the 44 gallant SAF officers killed in the encounter with MILF and BIFF llast Jan. 25.

PBA star Arwind Santos with Rep. Ashley Acedillo pay their respect to the 44 gallant SAF officers killed in the encounter with MILF and BIFF llast Jan. 25.

In his eulogy, Aquino said he knows about the grief of the families of the slain SAF officers and related his experience when his father, the late Sen. Benigno Aquino, Jr., was shot upon his arrival at the airport which has since been named after him 32 years ago.

In the two speeches of Aquino on the Masasapano tragedy, he justified the importance and urgency of of the operation and that was to get “the notorious terrorists. “ As if the death of the 44 was part of collateral damage.

“With the operation that SAF undertook, it is reported that the primary target, Marwan, was killed, “he said in his Friday eulogy.

He said the pursuit for Usman continues. He issued this warning: “Now, be assured that the second target that eluded us will be captured. You know this: I am a man of my word. Capturing Basit Usman is number one on our list of priorities. I have ordered the authorities to formulate a more effective plan to hunt down and apprehend this criminal. Your government is already working towards this end; in fact, even before speaking to you, we were already taking steps to meet this objective. We will prove that the law truly prevails in the Philippines. I assure you, we will get Usman.”

Let us all hope that Aquino and his advisers have learned lessons from the death of the 44 SAF. Because if not, God save the next batch of law enforcers tasked to get Usman. God save our country.

The nation mourns

Ellen Leave a comment

A laughing Aquino at the Mitsubishi plant inauguration at Sta. Rosa, Laguna while bodies of 42 the fallen SAF arrive in Villamor Air Base.

A laughing Aquino at the Mitsubishi plant inauguration at Sta. Rosa, Laguna while bodies of 42 the fallen SAF arrive in Villamor Air Base.


It took him four days to say something about the worst tragedy in the history of the country’s police force and when the bodies of the fallen police officers arrived at Villamor Air Base yesterday, President Aquino was at Mitsubishi plant Sta Rosa, Laguna inspecting and enjoying the classic cars on display.

What kind of a leader do we have?

Social media was raging over Aquino’s callousness.

Movie director Joey Reyes posted on Twitter: “My God! And you chose to be at an inauguration of an auto plant than to meet the bodies of our boys who died fulfilling their duties?!”

Others were at a loss for words.

Joe Bacero could only say “Lilintian!” Visayans know the rage in this expression. No English translation can capture it.

Ysabel Canlas didn’t mince words: “With all due respect Mr. President, isa po kayong gago at kalahati.

The gentle Yolanda L.Punsalan said, “I want to be an ostrich now.”

Worse, Malacañang dismissed the criticism on Aquino’s absence in the arrival of the slain police officers as not really “a majority view” based on their media monitoring.

Bad news for Coloma, according to ABS-CBN monitoring, the hastag #Nasaanangpangulo was trending number one worldwide in Twitter last night.

Besides, he said, the President has already expressed his grief over the tragedy in his televised speech
Wednesday night. “Naipahayag na po ng pangulo kagabi ang kanyang buong-pusong pakikidalamhati at ang kalungkutan ng buong bansa,” Coloma said.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President didn’t snub the arrival honors for the slain policemen because he was not really scheduled to be in that event. She said Aquino will attend the necrological service today.

What’s a schedule? That can be revised at the last minute for more important matters. That is if the President considers the death of the 44 members of SAF important.

Aquino’s absence at the arrival honors yesterday renders hollow his expression of grief in his speech: “As President and as father of this country, I am greatly saddened that our policemen had to lay down their lives for this mission. Without question, these people are heroes; they who willingly put themselves in danger to address threats to our security; they who were wounded; they who gave their lives in the name of peace.”
He has declared today, Jan. 30, as “National Day of Mourning to symbolize the sorrow and empathy of our entire country.”

The Filipino people are in mourning and it’s not just because of the Masasapano debacle. We are mourning the incompetence and callousness of the national leadership.

As one Facebook post articulated, “Sending men out to die for glory and money is repulsive. Sending out men who are trained to follow your orders to carry out a mission where they believe you have their backs and not protecting them is the highest betrayal of trust. Violating the laws you swore to uphold, leading without empathy and having complete disregard for the lives of policemen under your command constitute a crime against the Filipino people. I wonder, did you lose even one night of sleep?”

The nation mourns

Ellen Leave a comment

A laughing Aquino at the Mitsubishi plant inauguration at Sta. Rosa, Laguna while bodies of 42 the fallen SAF arrive in Villamor Air Base.

A laughing Aquino at the Mitsubishi plant inauguration at Sta. Rosa, Laguna while bodies of 42 the fallen SAF arrive in Villamor Air Base.


It took him four days to say something about the worst tragedy in the history of the country’s police force and when the bodies of the fallen police officers arrived at Villamor Air Base yesterday, President Aquino was at Mitsubishi plant Sta Rosa, Laguna inspecting and enjoying the classic cars on display.

What kind of a leader do we have?

Social media was raging over Aquino’s callousness.

Movie director Joey Reyes posted on Twitter: “My God! And you chose to be at an inauguration of an auto plant than to meet the bodies of our boys who died fulfilling their duties?!”

Others were at a loss for words.

Joe Bacero could only say “Lilintian!” Visayans know the rage in this expression. No English translation can capture it.

Ysabel Canlas didn’t mince words: “With all due respect Mr. President, isa po kayong gago at kalahati.

The gentle Yolanda L.Punsalan said, “I want to be an ostrich now.”

Worse, Malacañang dismissed the criticism on Aquino’s absence in the arrival of the slain police officers as not really “a majority view” based on their media monitoring.

Bad news for Coloma, according to ABS-CBN monitoring, the hastag #Nasaanangpangulo was trending number one worldwide in Twitter last night.

Besides, he said, the President has already expressed his grief over the tragedy in his televised speech
Wednesday night. “Naipahayag na po ng pangulo kagabi ang kanyang buong-pusong pakikidalamhati at ang kalungkutan ng buong bansa,” Coloma said.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President didn’t snub the arrival honors for the slain policemen because he was not really scheduled to be in that event. She said Aquino will attend the necrological service today.

What’s a schedule? That can be revised at the last minute for more important matters. That is if the President considers the death of the 44 members of SAF important.

Aquino’s absence at the arrival honors yesterday renders hollow his expression of grief in his speech: “As President and as father of this country, I am greatly saddened that our policemen had to lay down their lives for this mission. Without question, these people are heroes; they who willingly put themselves in danger to address threats to our security; they who were wounded; they who gave their lives in the name of peace.”
He has declared today, Jan. 30, as “National Day of Mourning to symbolize the sorrow and empathy of our entire country.”

The Filipino people are in mourning and it’s not just because of the Masasapano debacle. We are mourning the incompetence and callousness of the national leadership.

As one Facebook post articulated, “Sending men out to die for glory and money is repulsive. Sending out men who are trained to follow your orders to carry out a mission where they believe you have their backs and not protecting them is the highest betrayal of trust. Violating the laws you swore to uphold, leading without empathy and having complete disregard for the lives of policemen under your command constitute a crime against the Filipino people. I wonder, did you lose even one night of sleep?”

The nation mourns

Ellen Leave a comment

A laughing Aquino at the Mitsubishi plant inauguration at Sta. Rosa, Laguna while bodies of 42 the fallen SAF arrive in Villamor Air Base.

A laughing Aquino at the Mitsubishi plant inauguration at Sta. Rosa, Laguna while bodies of 42 the fallen SAF arrive in Villamor Air Base.


It took him four days to say something about the worst tragedy in the history of the country’s police force and when the bodies of the fallen police officers arrived at Villamor Air Base yesterday, President Aquino was at Mitsubishi plant Sta Rosa, Laguna inspecting and enjoying the classic cars on display.

What kind of a leader do we have?

Social media was raging over Aquino’s callousness.

Movie director Joey Reyes posted on Twitter: “My God! And you chose to be at an inauguration of an auto plant than to meet the bodies of our boys who died fulfilling their duties?!”

Others were at a loss for words.

Joe Bacero could only say “Lilintian!” Visayans know the rage in this expression. No English translation can capture it.

Ysabel Canlas didn’t mince words: “With all due respect Mr. President, isa po kayong gago at kalahati.

The gentle Yolanda L.Punsalan said, “I want to be an ostrich now.”

Worse, Malacañang dismissed the criticism on Aquino’s absence in the arrival of the slain police officers as not really “a majority view” based on their media monitoring.

Bad news for Coloma, according to ABS-CBN monitoring, the hastag #Nasaanangpangulo was trending number one worldwide in Twitter last night.

Besides, he said, the President has already expressed his grief over the tragedy in his televised speech
Wednesday night. “Naipahayag na po ng pangulo kagabi ang kanyang buong-pusong pakikidalamhati at ang kalungkutan ng buong bansa,” Coloma said.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the President didn’t snub the arrival honors for the slain policemen because he was not really scheduled to be in that event. She said Aquino will attend the necrological service today.

What’s a schedule? That can be revised at the last minute for more important matters. That is if the President considers the death of the 44 members of SAF important.

Aquino’s absence at the arrival honors yesterday renders hollow his expression of grief in his speech: “As President and as father of this country, I am greatly saddened that our policemen had to lay down their lives for this mission. Without question, these people are heroes; they who willingly put themselves in danger to address threats to our security; they who were wounded; they who gave their lives in the name of peace.”
He has declared today, Jan. 30, as “National Day of Mourning to symbolize the sorrow and empathy of our entire country.”

The Filipino people are in mourning and it’s not just because of the Masasapano debacle. We are mourning the incompetence and callousness of the national leadership.

As one Facebook post articulated, “Sending men out to die for glory and money is repulsive. Sending out men who are trained to follow your orders to carry out a mission where they believe you have their backs and not protecting them is the highest betrayal of trust. Violating the laws you swore to uphold, leading without empathy and having complete disregard for the lives of policemen under your command constitute a crime against the Filipino people. I wonder, did you lose even one night of sleep?”