Pagsasamantalahin ito ang kalaban! Ping stresses need to temper emotions amid Sulu incident

Saying the enemies of the state may exploit the situation, Sen. Panfilo Lacson reminded the police and military Wednesday to keep their emotions in check in the wake of the fatal shooting of four Army agents by police in Sulu.

Lacson said that while he can easily understand the loss felt by Army chief Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, emotions running high at this time would be “the last thing they need”

“While I can easily relate to Philippine Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay and understand how he feels about the Army officers slain in Sulu, emotions running high at this point is the last thing they need,” Lacson, who chairs the Senate’s defense committee, said in a statement.

“For all they know, their common enemies such as the terrorists and armed insurgents are already celebrating the Sulu incident – and even making plans to exploit it,” he added.

Lacson had served in the military and police forces, after graduating from the Philippine Military Academy in 1971.

He noted the enemies of the State and the Filipino people, through their legal fronts, are quite capable of “fanning the flames of animosity” between the AFP and PNP.

They are able to create intrigues to further divide the country’s two major security forces, he warned.

“Such fronts have demonstrated their capabilities in sowing disinformation about the proposed Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and the National ID system, among other measures designed to improve the lives of the people,” Lacson noted.

“Ultimately, decisiveness, not divisiveness, is needed in dealing with the enemies of the State and the Filipino people,” he added.

On Tuesday, Lacson stressed the need for a speedy but thorough probe of the incident by the National Bureau of Investigation.

He said that while it is important to hold accountable those responsible for the incident, ground commanders of both sides must be in full control of the situation to avoid it from escalating.

“Our security forces already have their hands full in their fight against their common adversaries such as terrorism and insurgency in Mindanao. Allowing disunity in any form would give the enemy an unwanted advantage that could prove fatal for our nation,” he said.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)