Militant groups from Southern Tagalog marched to Mendiola and the United States embassy today to protest what they claimed as the US’ hand in the police’s botched operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao that killed 44 Special Action Force commandos, 18 MILF fighters and 7 civilians on January 25.
Gil Sediarin of Karapatan from Southern Tagalog said they demand that the government and the US “be held responsible for the killing of the SAF troops and civilians and the dislocation of some 1,500 families.”
Karapatan said that the supposed death of an American soldier during the firefight further strengthened the theory that US forces have been directly involved in the police operations. This, following firsthand accounts by human rights group Suara Bangsamoro citing a local witness who saw the body of a US soldier.
