Poe finds Purisima testimony ‘unbelievable’

Video by Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Grace  Poe who is leading  the Senate investigation on the Mamasapano incident found some of the statements of resigned  Philippine National Police Chief  Director General Alan  Purisima “unbelievable.”

“Alam mo may mga ibang panauhin tayo dito na nag-attend  nga ng hearing, at least nag-attend ano, pero ang problema alam naman nating hindi buong katotohanan ang mga sinasabi,” Poe,  head of the Senate committee on public order, told reporters after the hearing on the Mamasapano incident on Monday.

Poe’s committee is the lead body, which is investigating the incident  that  left 44 members of  the PNP-Special Action Force dead during the bloody Mamasapano encounter last  January 25.

Asked  if she was referring to  both Purisima and  relieved SAF  Director Getulio   Napeñas, who appeared before this Monday’s hearing,  Poe said: Si General Purisima.  Hindi ba merong  mga hindi dun kapani-paniwala, halimbawa sa sabi nga nya it was just an advice not a command.”

During the hearing,  Napenas said it was Purisima  who  told him not to inform  both Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas  and  PNP officer  in charge  Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina about  the operation.

But  Purisima said what he said to Napenas was just an advice, and not an order.

Poe said the resigned PNP chief should  have made this  clear when he talked to the sacked SAF commander.

Resigned Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Alan Purisima, left, is greeted by Armed Forces Chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang prior to the start of the Philippine Senate probe on the police operation to capture Malaysian bomb-maker Zulkifli bin Hir, or Marwan, one of Asia’s most-wanted terror suspects, Jan. 25 that killed 44 elite police commandos, Monday, Feb. 9, 2015 at suburban Pasay city, south of Manila, Philippines. AP

“Kailangang klaruhin mo  kasi syempre kahit papaano meron pa rin syang (Purisima) point  of authority kaya kailangang nag-iingat sa mga ganun,” she said.

Purisima  was still under preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman over an allegedly anomalous courier deal, when  he  gave his advice to Napenas.

Poe said she was  also not “convinced” by  Armed forces  Chief of Staff General  Gregorio Pio Catapang’s  explanation that   the military could not  grant the  artillery support requested by the SAF during the  operation as it would   hit  innocent  civilians  and  the action might also be interpreted by the  Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that “we are back to war.”

“Again, what hindered the military operations  are political considerations,”   she said.

“In any military operations,  there’s always a political  consideration  and I think that’s what hindered them from being able to go through with the operations…” said the senator.

The Senate investigation will resume on Tuesday.

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