Purisima broke chain of command in Mamasapano operation – 2 solons
MANILA, Philippines – Two congressmen – a former soldier and a former Moro rebel – believed resigned police chief Alan Purisima broke the chain of command in the Mamasapano operation.
In a press conference Tuesday, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano said Purisima breached the hierarchy of authority when he supposedly kept the operation secret from Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and other military and police authorities.
“If you follow an advice [from a higher officer], it becomes an order. If a commander wishes something from a subordinate, it becomes an order,” Alejano said.
Alejano said Purisima should have shared his intelligence about Marwan with the Philippine National Police officer in charge Leonardo Espina.
The Magdalo lawmaker said sacked Special Action Force (SAF) commander Getulio Napenas did not follow a legal order if he took the order from the suspended police chief.
For his part, Sulu Rep. Tupay Loong, a former Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) commander, said he agrees with his fellow lawmaker, saying Purisima broke the chain of command when he gave the order as suspended police chief.
“His role is uncalled for. For him to directly advice, I think it’s a violation of the chain of command,” Loong said.
Purisima is alleged to have called the shots in the botched operation with the blessing of President Aquino. Purisima, who has resigned due to public backlash, has denied he gave orders to Napenas.
The passage of the proposed Bangsamoro basic law at the House that seeks to implement the peace deal with MILF was stalled after its forces got involved in a supposed misencounter with the SAF commandos that left 44 policemen dead.
The counterterrorism troopers were in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao last January 25 to take down Malaysian terrorist Marwan and local bomb maker Usman, who were said to be holed up in an MILF-controlled territory. Marwan was supposedly killed in the attack, while Usman escaped.
The incident was largely blamed on the lack of coordination of sacked SAF commander with military and police authorities.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines maintained that it sent reinforcements but due to lack of coordination, it was too late.
