Army soldiers move into the town of Mamasapano in Maguindanao province at dawn of Jan. 26, hours after 44 police commandos were killed following a successful operation to get international terrorist Marwan. JEOFFREY MAITEM/INQUIRER FILE MINDANAO
MANILA, Philippines–Suspended Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima had prevented erstwhile Special Action Force commander from informing PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina about the plan to arrest wanted terror suspects in Maguindanao unti the operation has started.
Police Director Getulio Napeñas, who was sacked from his post after the botched police operation that killed 44 of his men, confirmed this in a rare media briefing in Camp Crame on Wednesday.
Napeñas said he directly reported to Purisima despite his suspension because he had “all the intelligence information on Marwan.”
Terrorists Marwan or Zulkifli Bin Hir and Abdul Basit Usman are the targets of the operation in Mamasapano town.
Napeñas said Purisima had instructed him to keep Espina out of the loop until the “Operation Exodus” commences on the fateful day of January 25.
“Sinabihan ako mismo ni Purisima na sabihan mo si General Espina kapag nandoon na kayo,” he said.
(Purisima directly instructed me to inform General Espina only when we get there.)
Asked why did not they inform Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas, Napeñas said he was not allowed to report directly to Roxas.
“Hindi ako pwede na dumeretso sa kanya kasi that would be a violation of the chain of command,” he said.
(I could not go directly to him because that would have been a violation of the chain of command.)
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