You are quoting the Philippines Army PR Officer. He is expected to defend the actions of his men and spin tales. That's his job.
General Singh rejected the COS resignation because it was above his pay grade. No point in trying to spin it into something else.
The Chain of command exist for a reason. You are required to follow every "stupid" general orders else you end up looking unprofessional, undisciplined and cowardly. Which is exactly what happened.
Engaging a vastly superior force(300-350 armed thugs) for 7 hours and killing three and then only withdrawing from their besieged position after their ammo ran low is "cowardice"?
Low ammo prompted Filipino peacekeepers to bolt Position 68
By: Priam F. Nepomuceno, Philippine News Agency
September 3, 2014 3:14 AM
MANILA, Philippines -- Low ammunition supplies prompted the 40 Filipino peacekeepers from Position 68 to make a daring night-time escape across a minefield early Sunday morning (Syrian time).
It was either that or face the possibility of being massacred by the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Syrian rebels whom the Filipinos traded shots with for more than seven hours, said Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang on Tuesday, divulging the conversation he had with the Filipino peacekeepers via video conference who narrated to him the details of what happened.
"As a backgrounder, our peacekeepers in Position 68 and 69 were surrounded by the rebels. And then they (Syrian rebels) brought two Fijian officers; they wanted to show that the 44 Fijians were hostaged. They were negotiating with us to lay down our firearms," he disclosed.
This took place during the early part of the stand-off Thursday morning (Syrian time).
However, the Filipinos peacekeepers stood their ground while looking for a means to solve the deadlock between the two forces.
"We told them, you want the firearms, you ask the Fijians to give another 44 firearms. So our firearms is not for giving. It’s a great dishonor for us if we give up our firearms," the AFP chief quoted the Filipino peacekeepers.
During the negotiation, the Syrian rebels became impatient and attacked the Filipino soldiers Saturday morning (Syrian time).
"And they (Syrian rebels) attacked us for seven hours. So what shall we do? And when they were already tired attacking us, they again asked for a negotiation of the ceasefire," the Filipino peacekeepers told the AFP chief.
While talks were ongoing, Catapang said the Philippine peacekeepers were monitoring the enemy who were observed to be regrouping and amassing.
At this point, an order from United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) commander Lt. Gen. Igbal Singh Singha came through telling Filipino troops that "once you are again attacked, the best thing to do, the order is, surrender your firearms (and) put up the white flag."
The order, Catapang said, was not negotiable.
He added that the AFP contingent to Golan Heights already had an idea the Syrian rebels will attack the following morning.
"So we had to make the greatest escape for the soldiers," he said.
"So, from that time on, we assessed, they were coming in with reinforcements, then we think that the following day (Sunday), we will be attacked again. And that will be the end of it. We will be massacred, as the good Secretary Voltaire Gazmin stated. Because we didn’t want the people to know, we had a news blackout, they (Filipino troops) were low of ammunition," he revealed.
By this time, the ammunition of the Filipino peacekeepers were already depleted after the seven-hour long firefight with Syrian rebels Saturday.
"So we planned for the greatest escape. And hopefully, with God’s grace, the area was … it was not foggy, and we were able to run in the middle of the night when the rebels were sleeping," he said.
"We made our greatest escape because it was a difficult escape route, because the route that we will pass through has mines, it was also mined. We had a guide, Capt. (Nilo) Ramones, the company commander," he added.
The AFP chief said the 40 Filipino troops from position 68 went down from their post.
When asked if they were not aided by UN armored personnel carriers in their attempt, the AFP official said: "Gen. Singha ordered no military operations."
"We were fortunate that we were reinforced (and extricated by the Irish contingent) in Position 69. But unfortunately, they really wanted us to surrender and give our firearms in Position 68," Catapang said.
"So, it’s still to be investigated, why the order of Gen. Singha was, there will be no reinforcement. Because he was already there, we were monitoring him. And then all of a sudden, he changed his mind. And then, another negotiation came in. When he told us that if the next attack comes in, surrender your firearms, put up the white flag," the AFP chief said.
Catapang said the Filipino peacekeepers were trying to inform Singha of their escape plans but the latter told Col. Ezra Enrique (UNDOF chief-of-staff) that he does not want to hear the escape plans of the Filipinos.
Low ammo prompted Filipino peacekeepers to bolt Position 68
I"m wondering why are there Indian nationals defending this incompetent Indian general who's fit only for latrine duty. Gen. Singha should be sacked immmediately and replaced.
It was because they post had low ammo, they were asked to raise a white flag while the leadership Negotiated a surrender with the rebel chiefs.
This was not a War, this was a UN Peacekeeping mission who's primary objective was to SAVE LIVES, if possible ALL LIVES. General Singha was responsible for the lives of both the Fijian and Filipo soldiers and he chose the path which presented teh least risk to the men under his command.
The filipo soldiers showed courage by fighting back but showed cowardice by not following a direct order and endangering the lives of Fijian soldiers. They acted dishonorably by not trusting the leadership and Experience of their General and commanding officer. Especially since the leadership was buys Negotiating with the Rebels for their Negotiated withdrawal and Release of Fijian soldiers.
Real courage would have been if they had risked their lives to save the lives of Fijian fellow soldiers. Which is what soldiers are expected to do, endanger their own lives to save the lives of others.
When the Fiipo soldiers acted to save their own lives and endanger the lives of the Filipo soldiers and the Irish soldiers who was dispatched to save them, they displayed cowardice. Their action endangered the lives of all concerned, the Filipo, the Irish and the Fijian.
Everyone fights to save their own lives, real soldiers are expected to save others lives.
Writing this in bold red does not change this fact. The only one supporting incompetence is you by spinning an act of cowardice into heroism. The world sees otherwise.
Good luck Fiji with ever getting an UN posting again.
Fijian solders showed exemplary courage and discipline by following orders and surrendering as per the Negotiations. They demonstrated courage by trusting their leadership and by showing courage to follow orders.
Same cannot be said true for the Filipo soldiers. In fact after his demonstration by the Filipo soldier which endangered the lives of other UN soldiers wich UN soldier would risk their lives to save a Filipo soldier in danger ? which commander would want to command a Filiopo platoon ? They have brought shame to their entire country.