Aquino draws heavy fire

By: Christian V. Esguerra, Christine O. Avendaño, Gil C. Cabacungan, Leila B. Salaverria, Tina G. Santos - 9 years ago

PRESIDENT’S GUARDS President Aquino troops the line of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) during the 29th anniversary of the PSG at Malacañang Park. In a speech, he hit back at critics demanding accountability over the deaths of 44 police commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, calling them “attention seekers.” GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines–President Aquino’s more detailed account of the circumstances that led to the Mamasapano debacle gave his critics more ammunition against him.

It drew not one praise but heavy flak from allies and critics alike, with one accusing the President of a cover-up, a day after he blamed the former head of the Special Action Force (SAF) of feeding him wrong information about the Jan. 25 police operation against two terrorists that ended in the slaughter of 44 police commandos.

A defiant Aquino on Tuesday hit back at critics demanding his accountability over the death of 44 police commandos, describing them as “attention-seekers.”

The President unburdened himself during the 29th anniversary of the Presidential Security Group, citing the “most intense criticism especially fabrications from attention-seekers.”

“I have courage because I’m doing what is right, and if I have shortcomings, God will take care of them, including my security,” he said in a speech.

“The President is engaging in a brazen cover-up of his responsibility and that of his trusted aide (resigned Philippine National Police Director General Alan) Purisima for the tragic SAF mission and placing all blame on the ground commander (Getulio) Napeñas,” said his erstwhile ally, Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello.

“This is the latest development in the shrinking of the man from a credible President to a small-minded bureaucrat trying to erase his fingerprints from a disastrous project,” said Bello, who declared on Tuesday that he was cutting his ties to the President.

Before a gathering of evangelical church leaders on the grounds of Malacañang, Aquino on March 9 absolved himself of responsibility for the Mamasapano fiasco, saying he “was given wrong information by the people who knew most of what was happening.”

The President noted that Napeñas, who was later sacked as SAF commander, had given him conflicting reports on the Mamasapano mission to get Malaysia terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” and his Filipino deputy, Basit Usman. Marwan was shot dead but Usman was able to escape.

Aquino acknowledged that he was communicating with Napeñas through Purisima, then suspended in connection with a graft case in the Office of the Ombudsman. Purisima resigned days after the Mamasapano debacle.

The President further claimed that Napeñas had failed to coordinate with the military, had refused to abort the mission even if the risks were getting higher, and had “fooled” him.

‘Scapegoat’

Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, who is among the clerics calling on the President to resign, said Napeñas was just being used as a scapegoat.

“I hope he (Napeñas) tells the whole truth,” Arguelles said.

Asked about Aquino’s claim that he was fooled by Napeñas, Arguelles said: “If subordinates can deceive a higher-ranking officer, definitely there is gross incompetence.”

“Other AFP and PNP support units were not far away (from the clash site). It seems there was an order to refrain from intervening or the order to intervene was withheld. Wasn’t Aquino himself in Zamboanga monitoring the operation?” he added.

Equally responsible

Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs, said Filipinos were not fools.

“The more the President blames others for that botched operation, the greater the belief of the Filipino people that he is as equally responsible for it,” he said.

Secillano said Aquino’s claim that he was fooled by Napeñas should not be used as a defense not to take responsibility for the Mamasapano fiasco.

“His being fooled does not absolve him of any responsibility for that operation,” Secillano said in a text message to reporters.

Sen. Nancy Binay said Aquino should take responsibility for the fiasco.

“Maybe, in a way, because if you follow the line of command, he’s the one on top, at the very top,” Binay said.

She said the No. 1 question was why Purisima had a role in the Mamasapano operation.

Senators’ take

Sen. Francis Escudero said he did not think the President was able to answer the people’s questions on Monday.

“He has not been able to show the public that he was hurt by what befell the 44 policemen and that those who killed the policemen would be made to account while seeking peace with the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front),” Escudero said.

Sen. JV Ejercito said it was impossible that the President was fooled about the police operations against Marwan and Usman.

Ejercito pointed out that on that fateful day, Aquino was in Zamboanga City the entire day with his top police and military officials, and could have easily asked information from them.

“If you were the Commander in Chief why would you rely on one person if you have the luxury of getting access and information from all top officials with you the whole day? So, it’s hard to believe that,” the senator said.

Be more sensitive

Ejercito said he hoped Aquino “shapes up, be more sensitive… listen more” and just tell the truth.

“What probably people are waiting for the President, as Commander in Chief, [is] to assume responsibility because he knew (the operations) from the start, and probably apologize for the debacle to the families of the SAF 44, to the nation in grief,” he said.

Ejercito asked the President to show more empathy and sincerity.

Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the President blaming Napeñas was sowing confusion because there would be a need to look into what these supposed lies from Napeñas were.

Marcos said Aquino earlier told House of Representatives members and relatives of the slain SAF troopers that Purisima had also provided him with false information about the Mamasapano mission.

“That brings us back to the question. Why did you listen only to them?” Marcos said.

He said there was a need to look into the President’s statements and to determine their implication. “How does this fit in with all the rest of the testimonies that we have received in the public hearings and in the executive session?” he said.

Incomplete

For Sen. Grace Poe, the President’s statements were consistent with what the Senate had heard in its hearings on the Mamasapano incident.

But Aquino’s statements were incomplete, particularly with regard to the role of Purisima and the MILF, Poe said.

She added that there were many investigating bodies looking into the incident, including the Senate, and they could fill in the gaps.

Preempting BOI

In the House of Representatives, lawmakers said the President’s third public statement on the Mamasapano fiasco preempted the findings of the PNP board of inquiry (BOI).

Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco, United Nationalist Alliance interim president, said the President cleared himself and Purisima of any wrongdoing.

“Can we expect the BOI members to say otherwise when the President absolved himself of any blame, barely mentioned his BFF Purisima, and dumped the blame on Napeñas. Either he is indirectly reporting the contents of the BOI report or sending a subtle message to the BOI on what should the report contain,” Tiangco said.

‘Ultimately responsible’

Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said the President “glossed over the fact that he was the one who broke the chain of command and allowed a suspended general to take command of a very sensitive operation.”

Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon said it was the President and not Napeñas who was making a fool of the public.

“He’s saying to us that Napeñas’ poor judgment and direction made Operation Exodus a ‘mission impossible.’ Yet at the end of the day, we have to return the question: ‘Who greenlighted the mission? Who authorized the offensive?’ Napeñas cannot issue commands without delegated authority from his superiors. And Aquino as Commander in Chief is ultimately responsible,” Ridon said.

Responsibility, culpability

Malacañang on Tuesday acknowledged that “the buck stops” with the President.

But Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. made a distinction between “responsibility and culpability,” saying the President “clearly had no involvement” in the “so-called lapses” committed on the ground during the Jan. 25 operation.

“Are responsibility and culpability the same in doing actions with willful intent?” he said in trying to explain why Aquino on Feb. 6 assumed responsibility over the fiasco but heaped all blame on Napeñas.

“If we make this clarification, we will better understand that there is no contradiction… In the ultimate analysis, there is no higher authority than him and the buck stops here. After this, there have to be corrective actions and he considers that his responsibility.”