Some say that the military assault against the group of Senator Antonio Trillanes at the Peninsula Manila is an overkill. Rounds from a Caliber 50 machine gun were fired at the main entrance of the hotel and an armored personnel carrier ran through the front door. After watching the video, would you say that it’s overkill?
The poll posted here (now closed) reflects the following results, as of December 2007 — 59% (26 votes) considered the assault as an overkill, while a close 41% (18 votes) believes that it wasn’t.
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by warrior
30 Nov 2007 at 18:48
Yes, its an overkill.
It is an overreaction to situation that could have been handled peacefully. Some of us may not agree with Mr. Trillanes on many points including this latest caper. But Mr. Trillanes is a senator of the Republic. The authorities should have deferred to him with some respect befitting a senator.
In both instances of standoff staged by Trillanes and his group, they have not fired a single shot at any civilian or soldier. While they are armed, it still remains that Trillanes and his group are outnumbered by government forces.
I am wondering why the government could not apply the same force and method of assault against drug dealers and bandits, notably the 200 or so ASG and against other malevolent factors in our society.
by Joselito Basilio
01 Dec 2007 at 14:38
What happened in Manila Pen was an illegal assembly. It’s not rebellion, insurrection or sedition.
The military force employed was so cruel and those warrantless arrests on media people are reflection of how poorly educated our police are on constitutional law.
by Baldo
07 Dec 2007 at 07:19
Tama lang ang ginawa ng mga pulis.
Sa ganitong mga sitwasyon, kailangan manindigan ang mga pulis upang mapanatili ang kapayapaan. Ang grupo ni Trillanes ay pumasok a isang hotel na mga civilian na maaring madamay sa kanilang mga ginawa. Dapat naisip nila iyon kung mapayapang paghahayag lang ng damdamin ang gusto nila. Ang tanong, bakit sila armado kung kapayapaan ang nais nila?
Sa kanilang pananalita, pag-aaklas sa gobyerno ang nais nila sa pamamagitan ng isang rebelyon. Napakasimpleng intindihin ang kanilang gusto nguni’t ang iba’y kusang inilalayo ang paksa sa pamamagitan ng pag-akusa sa mga pulis ng kanilang pamamaraan ng pagtigil ng mga akson nila Trillanes.
Malay ba ng mga pulis kung sino ang mga media, lalo na ang mga taong nasa likod ng kamera. Binalaan ang mga media na lisanin muna ang hotel upang ang mga pulis ay magawa ang kanilang tungkulin. Nguni’t sila’y tumanggi. Kung sakaling naipit sila sa mga putukan ng mga magkabilang panig, pulis din ang sisisihin nila. Kawawang mga pulis, sala sa init, sala sa lamig. Di ba’t pinakawalan din naman sila pagkatapos mapatunayan na sila nga ay media. Dapat bang maging diyos ang media at hindi sila pwedeng galawin? Di ba’t nakatakas si Faeldon dahil nagpanggap itong sibilyan o media? Kung hindi nagmatigas ang mga pulis, kahit sino na lang ay maghahangad at mag-sasagawa ng ganitong mga aksyon.
Respeto kay Trillanes bilang senador? Kortesiya, maari pero ang respeto ay hindi ibinibigay kundi ito ay pinaghihirapan upang matamo. Paano mo bibigyan ng respeto ang isang taong barumbado at hindi iniisip ang kapakanan ng mamamayan. Inihayag ni Senador Pimentel na siya ay nahalal bilang isang mambabatas at hindi para gumawa ng aksyon upang patalsikin ang pangulo. Sana tingnan niyo ang interview niya kay Korina bago siya ngaging senador, para siyang basang sisiw at masyadong mahinahon. Nguni’t nuong siya’y nahalal, ito’y naging tigre, barumbado, at akala mo’y kaya na niyang tapakan ang sinumang makipag-bungguan sa kanya.
Bago niyo husgahan ang ginawa ng pulis, suriin niyo muna ang sitwasyon. Ang tunay na isyu dito ay ang mapangahas na aksyon na ginawa ng grupo ni Trillanes.
by phillip
17 Dec 2007 at 14:18
i dont think it was an overkill.
in my opinion the government used, what in its judgment is sufficient force to end the siege quickly and as bloodless as possible.
a lot of people, particularly the media screamed overkill at the sight of tanks and apc’s inside and around manila pen. they say that the government used to much force, that there was an unnecessary display of brute. and while i agree that there was use of overwhelming force by the government but i disagree that it was an overkill.
we must remember that at the time the government entered manila pen, it was as yet uncertain as to the extent of armed force that was behind general lim and senator trillanes and to the nature and extent of resistance that lim’s group would be able to offer, it was therefore prudent on the part of the government to use as much force as possible to ensure the succesful capture of the rebels.
but i think the main reason why the government used such kind of force was to shock and awe (remember iraq, kuwait, the gulf war). the point of which is not only to ensure that any resistance by the enemy would be futile but to demonstrate upon said enemy that any resistance would be absolutely futile thus crushing the enemy’s will to resist and break their spirit, leaving the enemy so demoralized as to no longer offer any resistance. which is exactly what happened in the manila pen siege. lim’s group was overwhelmed by the onslaught of government forces so massive and so numerous making any resistance futile and hence they did’nt offer any. the result being a succesful arrest of the enemy with no casualty or loss of life.
of course this is just my opinion, im sure others have different opinion but at the end of the day, the rebellion was crushed, stability was restored and well no one is dead.