Australian tourists comment on Mamasapano carnage

GEN. SANTOS CITY - Like many Filipinos, two Australian tourists who were here over the weekend have so many unanswered questions about the infamous Mamasapano carnage.Keiran Gillespe said he really wondered why the Army which was a few kilometers away did not came to the rescue of the beleaguered policemen. I don’t understand why the president has not come and take action, I believe most foreigners action speaks better than words and what this massacre means a lot of foreigners, he said when sought for comments. It is terrible, they were left stranded in a place that there was no support and the 44 policemen left alone, sorrounded by gangs, and they were left, I don’t understand why the President hasn’t stood up and taken some responsibities on this,” Gillespe said.Gillespe said he was emotionally affected by the fate of fallen policemen and their families. He added the mission was accomplished but something went wrong somewhere. If it happened in Australia, our leaders take full responsibility, he said.Sydney Franciscos, a Melbourne-based Australian-Malaysian, said he was sad the brave cops lost 44 men. It is very sad especially for us foreigners, Ive taken this very very deeply, because in any other country, when you lose 44 soldiers in your own country not fighting overseas but in your own country, someone got to be responsible, and someone in your country has to answer to this questions why 44 of my people in my country, Franciscos said as he joined the discussion with Australians. When you talk about the Philippines, the way people see Mindanao is a different country, from the rest of the Philippines, still one nation, one people, friendly people, I don’t know about the fanatics around, but I would like to ask your president where was he when the 44 soldiers were killed, Franciscos said. Why that he needed to go somewhere else and open up a car factory, a car factory is more important than losing 44 of your brothers? Its incredible as a president...in any country this will never happen, so that is one thing I would like to ask him, he was the commander-in-chief. We are taking this so deeply because normally losing one life is a sad experience but losing 44 of them, its unbelievable,” he said.Chris Nayton who was from Perth, Australia, said he expect President Aquino to take full responsbibility of the carnage. The president is the first responsible, it certainly it should have been handled well, very sad,” Nayton said.Nayton said his embassy advised them to refrain from traveling to Mindanao but he insisted on coming over. Because we believe this is a beautiful country, and we enjoy the Philippines, and if you are scared to walk away from your own house, where ever you are in the whole world, then the terrorist wins, I believe we should enjoy and never thinkthat I would be kidnapped or be killed, Nayton added.