The declaration of martial law over entire Mindanao with Duterte reserving an option of extending its coverage was as decisive and swift as can be done and should have resulted in innocent lives being saved despite again the reckless remark of the President that his martial law regime "would kill many people".


The decisive move primarily saved the lives of government forces who were being eluded by the terrorists for so long by covering ironically through the strict procedures of the law.


The rampage of the Maute group was triggered by the serving of an arrest warrant on Abu Sayyaf commander Isnilon Hapilon. Both the Abu Sayyaf and the Maute groups have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) terror organization.


The Hapilon episode is very much similar to the Mamasapano operations during the previous administration of Aquino III that claimed the lives of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos in January 2015.


In the so-called Oplan Exodus, the SAF tried to serve a warrant of arrest on Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and his Filipino cohorts.


The assault on the lair on Marwan resulted in a similar rampage from Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) who pounced on the outnumbered SAF.


The death of the SAF commandos in that case was blamed on the indecisiveness of those in command.


It was established in the Senate hearings that it was Noynoy and former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima, who was under suspension during the launch of the police operations against Marwan.


The Senate heard testimonies that Noynoy and Purisima "compartmentalized" Oplan Exodus to place out of the loop key security officials. With Noynoy and Purisima in command, the inevitable disaster happened.


Instead of acting decisively, it took Noynoy the entire day of January 25 to decide on a course of action that came too late as elements of the trapped SAF units were slain on the battlefield.


In contrast, the final option was used by Duterte in a decision he made while out of the country.


Also Duterte had seen it coming as he warned, even prior to the Davao City bombing last September which the Maute group had claimed to be its handiwork, that the IS threat is spreading and that he might opt for martial law to contain it.


Duterte also always say that the buck stops with him and he is responsible for whatever consequence his decision will have.


The President, nevertheless, should look into a military assessment that some local politicians were in cahoots with the Maute group in carrying out their terror operations.


Lt. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., commander of Westmincom, said there are politicians who are harboring the Maute group followers but did not identify them.


Thus far, the known fatalities on the government side were five soldiers while the Islamic bandits were reported to have indiscriminately killed civilians in efforts to get away or confuse pursuing soldiers.


At least 120 civilians were rescued as troops continue to fight the remaining members of the Maute group in Marawi City, Galvez said.


It is not known to what extent the swift action of Duterte had resulted in minimizing casualties on the side of the government.


Thus far, two day's after Duterte's martial law declaration on Mindanao the number is nowhere near the Mamasapano tragedy.


It behooves the yellow critics, thus, to blame the government for not anticipating the Maute group's moves.


Another tragedy would have struck had the indecisiveness associated with the previous regime continued to plague the government.



Sources: 

<ul class="article-sources">
<li>
Yellows should refer to Noy by Tribune Editorial, May 27, 2017, <a href="https://goo.gl/47ewke" target="_blank" class="news_link" title="Source">The Daily Tribune</a>
</li>
</ul>



(This article is adapted from the source listed above. We are unable to grant permission for any kind of reproduction other than social media shares.)

Yellow critics of Mindanao ML should refer to the Mamasapano operations of Aquino III