Special panel given 1-month extension to complete 2nd Mamasapano report

JUSTICE Secretary Leila de Lima gave the National Bureau of Investigation-National Prosecution Service (NBI-NPS) a month-long extension to complete its investigation on the January 25 incident in Mamasapano that killed 44 members of the Philippine National Police’s elite Special Action Force (SAF).

“[I] gave the team one month extension to complete their probe and submit their report-part II,” de Lima said in a text message.

De Lima said the team gives her regular updates on the investigation.

“The team gives me regular updates but the probe is yet to be concluded, hence, the extension,” de Lima said.

Part 2 of the report is supposed to cover the circumstances surrounding the death of members of the 84th Seaborne as well as the death of members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and civilians.

Last April, the panel released part I of their report and recommended the filing of complaints for murder against 90 MILF members for the death of 35 of the 36-members of the 55th Special Action Company.

The team also recommended the filing of a complaint for theft.

The complaint filed was based on the testimony of the government’s witness given the codename Marathon. AC