Lacson, Napeñas hit Aquino’s Mamasapano ‘alternative truth’

No other truth. Ex-SAF chief Getulio Napeñas (left) and former-Senator Panfilo Lacson say there is no alternative truth in the killing of terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir or Marwan (top). INQUIRER FILES

Former Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and former Special Action Force (SAF) chief Getulio Napeñas criticized on Monday the “alternative truth” floated by President Benigno Aquino III regarding the death of terrorist Marwan in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, on January 25, 2015.

“Isa lang ang katotohanan sa Mamasapano. At ito ay pinatay si Marwan ng Special Action Force troops,” said Napeñas in an interview over ANC news channel.

“Hawak naming ang credible at solid evidence na kinuha ng mga credible at honorable na troopers natin doon scene of the crime,” he pointed out, referring to the finger that SAF policemen cut from the right hand of Marwar, a Malaysian whose true name was Zulkifli bin Hir.

BACKSTORY: Marwan finger cut off for DNA

For his part, Lacson lambasted the supposed alternative truth behind the operation which led to the death of 44 SAF men in the corn fields of Tukanalipao, Maguindanao.

According to the former senator and chief of the Philippine National Police, the new “twist” is the distortion of the truth based on the report of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on the incident.

BACKSTORY: ‘Marwan killed by aide’

In a forum with the Inquirer Multimedia Group, President Aquino said that there was an emerging alternative truth that was putting the official police version in question.

Following the statement of Aquino, the MILF said that Marwan was not killed by the SAF but by one of his own aides.

Lacson stood by the version of the SAF and the official report of the PNP’s Board of Inquiry. CB

RELATED VIDEO