Gov’t exec confirms viral shooting video taken during Mamasapano clash

SCREENGRAB from alleged SAF shooting video

MANILA, Philippines — A senior government official has confirmed that the video making rounds online showing a member of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) being shot at close range was taken during the Mamasapano incident last January 25.

The official, who asked not to be named  because he was not authorized to talk about the matter, said authorities have examined the video.

The video showed a man in camouflage uniform sprawled on a cornfield being shot at close range.
The video also showed a group of armed men taking magazines and other ammunition from several other fallen men. Gunfire is repeatedly heard in the background.

At least two of the perpetrators shouted, “Allah hu akbar!”

“We have confirmed that it is the Mamasapano incident,” the official told INQUIRER.net via text message on Wednesday.

Members of the SAF were on a mission to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir aka Marwan and Filipino bombmaker Abdulbasit Usman. A total of 44 SAF commandos were killed in the process.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, upon seeing the video said it was unjustifiable and an “overkill.”
“It should be investigated thoroughly to find out who did this because acts of cruelty or acts of atrocities at any setting is quite condemnable, completely unacceptable, and, therefore, must and ought to be, dealt with severely by our laws especially penal laws,” De Lima said.

“It cannot be justified at any circumstance because it’s an act of cruelty… Overkill. Why did they have to shoot him repeatedly? Even when there is war, even when there is armed conflict, there are rules of conduct, war conduct. If the person is helpless, he shouldn’t be harmed or killed and that’s also under international humanitarian laws.”

De Lima has already ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) through its Cybercrime Division to examine the video and find out who took the video, where it was originally posted, what time it was taken, among other important details.

“This can be used as evidence,” she said.

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