Purisima admits he’s accountable for ill-fated ‘Oplan Exodus’

MANILA, Philippines — Who was behind the Oplan Exodus, the mission to capture Southeast Asia’s Osama bin Laden Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan?

Fingers point at resigned Philippine National Police Chief Director General Alan Purisima.

Senator Loren Legarda asked the top officials at the resumption of the Senate hearing on Tuesday on who they think was accountable for the mission.

“We cannot pinpoint on the part of the Armed Forces on who is the overall commander of this operation inasmuch as there is still a lot of confusion on who launched this order,” AFP chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr. answered.

Purisima was asked next by Legarda.

“Your honor, the responsibility, accountability of Oplan Exodus rests on me. I have delegated the authority to the director of the [Special Action Force] but the planning, direction and control of the operations were delegated to the head of the SAF but the accountability rests with me,” Purisima said.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin also answered that he considers it was Purisima who was accountable.

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, also answered it was Purisima, but also tagged then SAF commander Director Getulio Napenas as answerable to Oplan Exodus.

“Whether it’s advice or order there was overt attempt to keep this away from the officer in charge of the PNP and SILG (Secretary of the Interior and Local Government),” he told Legarda.

Napenas, the ground commander during the incident, took responsibility.

“The operation of Oplan Exodus, I am the ground commander responsible in carrying out the mission plan. However, I would like to say this, that the operation started when the information was given to me by Dir. Gen. Purisima,” he said.

The Oplan Exodus, which targeted international terrorist Marwan, was carried out by SAF police troops in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25.

The terrorist was killed according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, but it was costly as the mission left 44 police officers dead in a day-long clash with the MILF and Bangsamoro Islamic Liberation Front fighters.

The bungled operation was kept from the military officials, and they were only informed when it was already happening, causing delayed reinforcements due to lack of coordination.

 First published Feb 24, 2015, 4:59