Presidential Adviser on Mindanao Affairs Jesus Dureza (pictured above, right) claimed on national television yesterday (26 November 2009) that the chopper carrying him and Maguindanao massacre suspect Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. (pictured above, middle) was fired at while on its way from Shariff Aguak to General Santos City.
"At first I heard a noise from under us... only to find out later that we're being fired at," he said.
Engineer Zamsamin Ampatuan, undersecretary of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) and relative of Andal Jr. supported the claim and added, "Tinamaan ang chopper. Tumama sa sahig ng chopper (The chopper was hit on the floor)."
This is not to belie the claim of Dureza, as he also produced the bullet casings that was allegedly use, but what on earth are they thinking when they used this preposterous allegation? How did Dureza got hold of the casing unless the shooters themselves sent it to him on a silver-platter after they shot the chopper he was in. Or maybe after they were shot, he gallantly ordered the pilot to land where he thought that shooters are and boldly marched to where they left the casings.
It's amazing how one Malacañang official can window-dress the craven surrender of a suspected mass murdered as if it was the appropriate behavior of a forward-thinking statesman. The spirits of Christmas past, present and future must be restless just by thinking how some appeasing politician make it appear that the suspect is a victim of an attempted assassination.
At any other time and if any other member of the opposition party is suspected of any wrong-doing, the ruling LAKAS-KAMPI would be breathlessly bleating about treating the suspect like any other ordinary criminals, with handcuffs and mug shots. In some ways, their cynical U-turning in giving special treatment to mayor Ampatuan Jr. is even more obnoxious compared to the way the Abu Sayyaf terrorist abuse their victims.
Fortunately, there are still men in uniform who does not believe any of this bullshit from dreary, self-indulgent and cross-dressing political pantomimes. The police has already categorically denied Dureza and Ampatuan's claim that the chopper was fired at.
"There was no such report coming from others on board the chopper," said Chief Superintendent Felicisimo Khu Jr., deputy regional director for administration of the Police Regional Office-12, in a radio interview.
"At first I heard a noise from under us... only to find out later that we're being fired at," he said.
Engineer Zamsamin Ampatuan, undersecretary of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) and relative of Andal Jr. supported the claim and added, "Tinamaan ang chopper. Tumama sa sahig ng chopper (The chopper was hit on the floor)."
This is not to belie the claim of Dureza, as he also produced the bullet casings that was allegedly use, but what on earth are they thinking when they used this preposterous allegation? How did Dureza got hold of the casing unless the shooters themselves sent it to him on a silver-platter after they shot the chopper he was in. Or maybe after they were shot, he gallantly ordered the pilot to land where he thought that shooters are and boldly marched to where they left the casings.
It's amazing how one Malacañang official can window-dress the craven surrender of a suspected mass murdered as if it was the appropriate behavior of a forward-thinking statesman. The spirits of Christmas past, present and future must be restless just by thinking how some appeasing politician make it appear that the suspect is a victim of an attempted assassination.
At any other time and if any other member of the opposition party is suspected of any wrong-doing, the ruling LAKAS-KAMPI would be breathlessly bleating about treating the suspect like any other ordinary criminals, with handcuffs and mug shots. In some ways, their cynical U-turning in giving special treatment to mayor Ampatuan Jr. is even more obnoxious compared to the way the Abu Sayyaf terrorist abuse their victims.
Fortunately, there are still men in uniform who does not believe any of this bullshit from dreary, self-indulgent and cross-dressing political pantomimes. The police has already categorically denied Dureza and Ampatuan's claim that the chopper was fired at.
"There was no such report coming from others on board the chopper," said Chief Superintendent Felicisimo Khu Jr., deputy regional director for administration of the Police Regional Office-12, in a radio interview.