Screen shot from the purported video of suspected Moro Islamic Liberation Front gunman finishing off a wounded Special Action Force commando in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao province. (Mindanao Examiner)
MAGUINDANAO – A purported cell phone video of suspected armed Moro Islamic Liberation Front members finishing off wounded police commandos has emerged on Facebook on Tuesday and showed gunmen stripping off the dead of their combat gears as sporadic gun fires can be heard on the background.
The six-minute clip was uploaded in several Facebook accounts and went viral and provoked a deluge of angry public comments. It can be accessed on this URL: https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=835624783175219&set=vr.835624783175219&type=2&theater
The video, believed recorded from a cell phone by one of the attackers, showed only his hand holding a .45-caliber pistol and shooting several times a wounded commando – his patch and uniform identified him as a member of the elite Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police – until he was dead.
The unidentified gunman then went on to strip other dead commandos of their combat equipment and gear as he shouted “Allahu Akbar” or God is great.
The clip also showed other gunmen as they took turns in stripping more fallen commandos of their weapons and uniforms and they too shouted “Allahu Akbar” as they ran towards the river bank where the sound of automatic gunfire intensified and slowly faded after several minutes.
The area was believed to be where the village of Tukanalipao in Maguindanao’s Mamasapano town where 44 commandos had died fighting the MILF on January 25.
The elite police unit was in a secret mission to capture Malaysian bomber Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, in his hideout deep inside the MILF territory, but eventually killed him after he shot and wounded two commandos.
The team was heading back to rejoin over 300 other commandos deployed outside the village when MILF forces attacked them, sparking a daylong battle that also left 18 former rebels dead.
The MILF signed a peace deal with the Aquino government last year and the recent fighting is now threatening not only the peace process, but the presidency of Aquino as public outcry for his weak leadership continues to mount.
The video, shared by Zaldy Balds Suson on his Facebook page, drew angry comments from those who have watched the clip. It was unknown how Suson got hold of the clip, but other Facebook accounts also posted the same video.
“And you say you want peace? You don’t even respect humans and you don’t act like humans. No wonder your place is like hell,” wrote Son Retamalliv.
WinYeon Nam said: “Putashet talga oh! Sana sa susunod na bumagyo, Jan sa mga bwisit na lungga ng mga yan! Tamaan pa sana ng kidlat. Mga dimonyo.”
Vincent Lee Rana Bengal said the wounded commando who was finished off by the gunman in the video was believed PO2 Amman Esmula. “If hindi ako nagkakamali at kung totoo ito na sa Mamasapano parang si PO2 Amman Esmula ito,” he said.
But other reports said it was PO1 Joseph Sagonoy.
“Grabe naman to! Sabi sa (Senate) hearing (Tuesday on Mamasapano clash) nila hindi daw malapitan ang barilan ng SAF bakit sa video na to may pinatay ng .45-pistol,” asked Caranthir Calaelen Celebrindal. (Mindanao Examiner)
Like Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mindanaoexaminer
Follow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MindanaoExamine
Read Our News on: http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com/ and https://mindanaoexaminer.com/
Share The News
Follow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MindanaoExamine
Read Our News on: http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com/ and https://mindanaoexaminer.com/
Share The News
20