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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