House Mamasapano report out before congressional break – Belmonte

A YEAR has passed since the bloody Mamasapano incident and yet the House of Representatives has yet to release the findings of its investigation on the botched anti-terror raid that claimed the lives of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) policemen, 17 MILF rebels and five civilians.

But Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Monday said this is about to change, as both committees which jointly conducted a hearing are set to issue the findings of its investigation before Congress goes on break on Feb. 5.

“The two chairmen assured me na lalabas, before we adjourn, I suppose,” Belmonte said in an ambush interview after a Mass at the House to commemorate the first year anniversary of the incident.

The Jan. 25 attack gripped public attention as 44 SAF commandos and five civilians were slain in a firefight with private armed groups and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The attack derailed the timetable for the passage of the Bangsamoro basic law (BBL), which seeks to implement the government peace deal with the MILF.

Belmonte also urged the prosecution team to expedite the charges against the MILF fighters and others responsible for the attack.

“It’s time for us to move on. But it’s also time for the prosecution people to do their job thoroughly. Justice must be done. But as a people, we have to move on,” Belmonte said.

Last year, the House public order and safety committee conducted three public hearings and one executive session on the Mamasapano with the House peace reconciliation and unity committee.

While the Senate is set to reopen its probe, the House committee chairperson ruled out a new Mamasapano inquiry, fearing that the investigation may be used for politicking.

“May mga pulitika ito. Ang purpose natin ay mabigyan ng justice yung mga namatay… Baka naman gamitin lang sa pulitika,” Negros Occidental Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer, chair of the House public order and safety committee, has said.

Ferrer denied that the committees are covering up the findings of the congressional investigation, saying they are only focusing on coming up with a comprehensive report.

To commemorate the first year anniversary of the Mamasapano, Belmonte led a Mass at the House of Representatives followed by a reading of poems written by audit commissioner Heidi Mendoza dedicated to the SAF 44,

“Today, we honor the memory of the 44 SAF troopers who died last year in the service of our country. I would like to think that their deaths were not in vain but has left a legacy where they now serve as symbols of men and women in uniform who have passed on while bravely serving and protecting our country for the cause of peace,” Belmonte said in his speech during Mass.

WHAT WENT BEFORE

On January last year, the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) commandos went to Moro rebel-controlled Mamasapano town in Maguindanao province to arrest Malaysian terrorists Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” and Amin Baco, alias “Jihad,” and their Filipino associate, Basit Usman.

The commandos killed Marwan but Baco and Usman escaped. As they withdrew from the town, the SAF forces ran into rebels from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. A gun battle that would last for 12 hours began. The battle left 44 SAF troopers, at least 17 MILF rebels and five civilians dead.

Besides the investigation by the PNP board of inquiry, other inquiries into the massacre were conducted by the Senate and the House of Representatives, by the MILF’s special investigation commission and by the International Monitoring Team, a group of foreign military officials that monitors the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between the government and the MILF.

On Feb. 9, the Senate committee on public order, chaired by Sen. Grace Poe, along with the Senate committees on peace and finance, opened an inquiry into the Mamasapano operation.

After five hearings, the Senate committees concluded the inquiry on Feb. 24.

On March 17, Poe presented her committee’s draft report on the Mamasapano clash. Poe said the report was based on five public hearings, five executive sessions and 73 hours of full discussion attended by 37 resource persons and agencies. It was also based on more than 4,300 documents, she said.

The Senate report found that  President Aquino had given assent to and had failed to prevent then suspended PNP Director General Alan Purisima’s “unlawful exercise of official functions” of the SAF operation called “Oplan Exodus.”

For this, the report found Mr. Aquino “ultimately responsible for the outcome of the Mamasapano mission and must “bear responsibility” for the carnage.

It also spelled out the liabilities of the personalities involved in the operations but left to government prosecutors to determine their “conclusive liability.”

In September, calls to reopen the inquiry were expressed after President Aquino, in an Inquirer multimedia forum, hinted about an “alternative version” on how Marwan was killed. Mr. Aquino later affirmed that the terrorist was taken down by SAF men who raided his hut. Inquirer Research/ AC

Sources: Inquirer Archives