Aquino to address nation on Purisima ‘resignation’–source

Philippine President Benigno Aquino III addresses the nation in a live broadcast Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015 from Malacanang Palace in Manila, Philippines. Aquino warned on Wednesday that the collapse of a peace deal with the country’s largest Muslim rebel group would abet terrorism and fresh violence after criticism of the accord followed the killing of 44 police commandos in what authorities said was an accidental clash with the guerrillas. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

MANILA, Philippines—Just nine days after he delivered a speech on the botched Mamasapano operation which resulted in the death of 44 commandos from the Special Action Force (SAF), President Benigno Aquino III is set to address the nation again on Friday evening, the Malacañang has announced.

A Palace official who spoke on condition of anonymity told Inquirer that the President will discuss suspended Philippine National Police Chief Director General Alan Purisima’s reported resignation.

The official announcement said the address will be at 6:30 p.m. and tagged it as an “additional schedule.”

Circulating reports said that Purisima had quit and that Aquino had accepted his resignation. This was not confirmed by the Malacañang as of posting time. PNP spokesman Chief Superintended Generoso Cerbo Jr. also said that the organization has no official document or comment proving that Purisima had indeed resigned.

Puurisima is on a six-month suspension since December amid corruption charges.

Purisima and Aquino are criticized for allegedly personally overseeing the top secret operation to arrest two high-profile terrorists—Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and his Filipino deputy Basit Usman.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation said that based on DNA tests, Marwan was killed in the operation.

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