Trillanes defends AFP amid criticisms over Mamasapano incident

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Antonio Trillanes IV defended the military at a Senate hearing on Tuesday amid criticisms that it failed to provide reinforcements to engaged police troops in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25.

“Based on the timeline of the [Armed Forces of the Philippines] and including [Special Action Force] it’s not as if the AFP sat on the information, they did something based on the information given to them,” Trillanes, a former military officer himself, said.

Members of the SAF were after top terrorists Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and Basit Usman when it battled with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. The botched operations led to the deaths of 44 elite police officers.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. NOY MORCOSO/INQUIRER.net

The military, which was only told of the operation while it was already going on, has been criticized for not sending immediate reinforcements.

“Just in defense of the Armed Forces, particularly the 6th Infantry Division under General Pangilinan, everybody or at least in the line of questioning earlier parang ang bine-blame was ang dilly-dally ng military on artillery fire. Ang sinasabi ni General Pangilinan, nag stick sya sa protocol sa doctrine ng artillery fire support,” Trillanes said.

“Ang advice ko ngayon is you continue to stick to that…Dahil kung sakali lang nagpaputok kayo ng artillery without necessary information at yoon ang pumatay sa mga SAF troopers palagay ko yun ang hearing ngayon, kung bakit kayo nagpaputok na kulang ang information. Mas mahirap yun, or worse, kung may natapakan na civilian communities doon,” he added.

Major General Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said in the same hearing that artillery was held until they were given complete details of the firefight, adding that he did not regret his decision.

“Alam niyo yung artillery hindi yan exact na science. Maraming factors yan, may killing radius that may affect both hostile and friendly forces. Mas mahirap na investigation yun sa Army for breaking the basic doctrines for the use of artillery,” Trillanes said.

“Marami sa atin dito hindi familiar sa doktrina na ito e ang iniisip na parang 911 tawag ka at mag report may putukan ito nandito ang grid coordinates. It’s not that simple. Yun ang hindi ma articulate ng ating Army officers because precisely it’s complex. Tayo simple lang tayo mag isip para tayong mainipin. Ganun yung nakikita kong sitwasyon so Gen Pangilinan, you stick to what you’re supposed to do, the doctrines,” he added.