Police Director Benjamin Magalong shows to the media the bulk of papers the PNP Board of Inquiry has gathered and examined in the month-long investigation on the Mamasapano incident that killed 44 policemen. JULLIANE LOVE DE JESUS/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–Pressing questions on the deadly Mamasapano incident are expected to be answered on Thursday as the police investigating body finally finishes its report on the bloodiest police operation in recent history.
After more than a month of probing the debacle, the chairman of the Philippine National Police’s Board of Inquiry is expected to officially hand over to PNP officer in charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina the final copy of the report.
The team of BOI chair Police Director Benjamin Magalong vowed to finish the report on March 12, Thursday, after it sought anew an extension of the deadline of submission.
According to a Criminal Investigation and Detection Group source, the official turnover will be between 3 and 4 p.m.
The BOI was supposed to finish the report on February 26 but Magalong asked Espina to move the deadline on March 6.
However, due to lack of time to analyze findings of the BOI’s operational audit team, Magalong asked again to extend the submission date on March 12.
READ: Release of Mamasapano probe report delayed anew
It took more than a month for the BOI to sift through voluminous documents, interview 400 resource persons, inspect the site in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province where 67 individuals were killed.
The BOI was formed a day after the January 25 mission to arrest terrorist Zulkifli Bin Hir or “Marwan” that claimed lives of 44 Special Action Force troopers after a bloody encounter with Moro rebels.
The report will be submitted on three levels: Magalong will give the report to Espina, who will then hand it over to Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II.
Roxas, upon receipt of the report, will furnish the Office of the President a copy of the BOI findings.
Malacañang said once the BOI report reaches President Benigno Aquino III, he would call a legal team to study the report before making public statements.
READ: Aquino awaits report on Mamasapano clash
In earlier interviews, Roxas and Espina, who were both kept in the dark in the operation against international terrorists, said they have questions they expect to be answered by the BOI report.
Roxas’ five main questions were:
- Matino ba ang plano?
- Ginawa ba at nagawa ba ang lahat para masiguro ang kaligtasan ng ating mga tropa?
- Nasunod ba ang atas at utos ng Pangulo?
- Meron ba, at kung meron nga, ano ang partisipasyon ng mga Amerikano sa operasyong ito?
- Sa equipment, gumana ba ng maayos ang mga radyo, vest, baril, at bala ng ating mga tropa?
For Espina’s part, he said he wants to know “what happened from start to finish based on facts.”
“I want this to be very factual. I was very, very emphatic about it, about the truth behind it. ‘Yan ang guideline dyan, ‘yung totoo lang ang ilabas niyo. Walang labis, walang kulang,” Espina told reporters on Wednesday.
Aside from Magalong, the BOI is composed of seasoned police officers including Police Director Catalino Rodriguez, Chief Superintendent John Sosito, Senior Superintendent Robert Po, Senior Superintendent Ronald dela Rosa, Senior Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag, Senior Superintendent Benigno Durana Jr. and Chief Inspector David Joy Duarte.
RELATED STORIES
On eve of board of inquiry report, cops told to move on
SAF 44 kin fear ‘scripted’ PNP BOI report on Mamasapano clash