“ Was there a failure of intelligence on the part of government?

Congress has the proclivity to conduct investigations at the drop of a hat. The proximity of the elections is a compelling factor when members feel they will enjoy free media exposure. Recently, we read them sponsor resolutions to probe the “tambay” crackdown, alleged “Mahindra” patrol cars anomaly, death of local executives and others. They are fast on the draw riding on controversial issue that will project their names publicly for the voters’ recall come election day.

This comes to mind because of the unexplained apathy of Congress to the Marawi siege, a tragedy unparalleled in magnitude and ramification in our history, bar none. National issues and controversies earlier investigated by Congress pale compared to the Marawi battle in terms of the number of casualties, the catastrophic emotional, social and infrastructure damage and the global attention it generated.

The siege had become a microcosm of the global battle against extremism and the world will be interested to know how to win such war and how “not to win it” because of the unimaginable damage it inflicted on the country. Yes, Marawi was liberated but at what cost? It was a pyrrhic one.

Could our military tacticians have strategized to temper the number of casualties and destruction? How and why did bombing operations go haywire with our jet fighters hitting our own troops? Was there a coordination snafu? Was there malfunction in the jet’s bombing mechanism or pilots’ nonfeasance? Is it true that the terrorists sent feelers for a possible truce, if not surrender that would have saved the city from the Aleppo (Syria)-like destruction but was snubbed outright by government subalterns? In the face of a challenging situation, how does our military commanders arrive at a certain strategy? Is it true that there was a sinister plan to make Marawi a theater of war and extricating the Maute-ISIS was not the sole reason for the protracted war? Was there a failure of intelligence on the part of government? Is it true that the siege has a political dimension with some candidate-relatives of the Maute family threatening publicly to “burn” Marawi if they loss in the last elections? Is there a deliberate cover-up? What kind of cover-up? These and a host of intriguing questions beg for answers.

The residents who suffered the brunt of destruction have long seethed with anger over the lack of move to ferret out the truth about the circumstances and the “hows and whys” of the war that led to their abject suffering and the death of dream for a better tomorrow.

This situation is a fertile ground for rumors and finger-pointing in a blame game that can easily morph into rage against government.

The hitherto nonverbalized protest by the residents found expression in a resolution adopted by the Sangguninang Panglungsod of Marawi requesting the Senate “To Conduct a Probe on Circumstances Surrounding Before, During and After the Marawi Siege.”

“The siege had become a microcosm of the global battle against extremism.

Resolution 78, series of 2017 took note that the siege led to the declaration of martial law and “…civic society organizations clamor(ed) for the probe…” The resolution was adopted almost a year ago and is most likely gathering dust in the Senate archive.

This is a legitimate request which should be considered seriously by Congress, the Senate specifically, to which it was addressed. Residents hope that truth will filter out through the scathing Socratic investigation skill of some senators. If the investigation could compromise national security they can always conduct it in Executive Session away from the prying eyes of media.

Anthropologists will describe the siege as a symptom of a complex historical, socio-political, cultural and religious disorder, still it is a legitimate and well-grounded concern that merits prying into. The inquiry might hopefully mirror the weakness and strength of our security and defense forces and make them more equipped and ready against future Marawi-like attacks.

It’s Congress’ call. And the Maranaws hope this will shake the solons off from nonchalance and their Monday morning quarterbacking about the recent golpe in the House of Representatives.