MANILA, Philippines — A “totally devastated” Senator Richard Gordon is eyeing the reopening of the Mamasapano incident investigation following the dismissal of charges against two former police officials for their roles in the botched operation.
Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Gordon said he was “severely disappointed” and “totally devastated” by the dismissal of usurpation of authority and graft charges against former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima and former Special Action Force (SAF) head Getulio Napeñas.
“Mamasapano is one of the great injustices of our time. We sent people who are simple folks who became soldiers and policemen to their deaths,” he said.
“Ang dami-daming namatay. Forty-four yung namatay, pagkatapos walang responsible? dereliction of duty yan,” he added.
(Many were killed. Forty-four died, and then no one would be held responsible? That’s dereliction of duty).
As chair of the powerful Senate blue ribbon committee, Gordon said he can reopen the Mamasapano investigation motu proprio or on his own initiative.
“I’ve always been trying to open up Mamasapano (investigation). To my mind, mukhang nagkulang ang prosecution na naman,” he said.
(I’ve always been trying to open up the Mamasapano investigation. To my mind, it seems that the prosecution have been lacking).
“Pwedeng i-reopen sa tingin ko even here in Congress. Kausapin ko muna si Senator (Grace) Poe…I will talk to the Blue Ribbon. I’ll talk to the Committee on Justice, most importantly I will talk to the other senators,” he added.
(It can be reopened I think even here in Congress. I just need to talk to Senator Poe first. I will talk to the Blue Ribbon. I’ll talk to the Committee on Justice, most importantly I will talk to the other senators).
It was Poe who led the Senate committee on public order in 2015 in investigating the botched “Oplan Exodus” where 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers died in an ambush in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
It was discovered in the Mamasapano investigation that then President Benigno Aquino III had allowed Purisima to take part in Oplan Exodus despite being suspended as chief of the Philippine National Police at the time of the operation.
According to the Senate’s Mamasapano report, Purisima violated the preventive suspension order issued by the Ombudsman when he participated in the planning and execution of Oplan Exodus.
It was Napeñas, meanwhile, who led the SAF troopers in Mamasapano in an attempt to capture Malaysian terrorists and bomb-maker Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan.
“I have to respect Senator Poe, kung gusto niya we can join together. Maybe we can see something that was not presented before,” Gordon went on.
(I have to respect Senator Poe, if she wants we can do it together. Maybe we can see something that was not presented before).
“Aaralin ‘yan, hindi basta…kailangan makita natin. When I would take it, I have an idea how to write the report para talagang hard-hitting para mahirap hindian. I think that’s a very easy case. Very clear case of injustice yun,” he added.
(That needs to be studied. It can’t be be done haphazardly. When I would take it, I have an idea how to write the report so that it will be hard-hitting. I think that’s a very easy case. That’s a very clear case of injustice).