Napeñas hits Aquino for blaming him over Mamasapano tragedy

Announcing his senatorial bid under the opposition on Tuesday, sacked Special Action Force (SAF) Commander Getulio Napeñas hit President Benigno Aquino III for blaming him over the bloody Mamasapano incident.

Speaking before an audience comprising mostly of residents from the slums of Welfareville compound, Mandaluyong City, Napeñas said Aquino even snubbed the arrival rites of the 44 slain elite cops.

Vice President Jejomar Binay, however, attended the arrival rites and had been behind him ever since, the embattled former SAF chief said.

“Hindi man lamang sinalubong nung inuwi sa airport. Si VP Binay, sumalubong dun at iba pang mataas na opisyal,” Napeñas said as he spoke on stage for the proclamation rally of the United Nationalist Alliance.

Napeñas hit Aquino for not only putting the blame on him, but also for having him sued before the Ombudsman for his role in the botched antiterror raid.

“Hindi katanggap tanggap ang ginawa sa amin. Kami po ay inutusan ng ating Pangulo, ginawa namin ang trabaho. Kami ay iniwanan at tinalikuran,” Napeñas said.

Napeñas said there would be no justice for the slain cops under the current administration.

“Sa admin na ito wala tayong nakikitang katarungan para sa kanila,” he said.

Napeñas was the commander of the SAF when it led an antiterror raid in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, on Jan. 25, 2015.

His being unable to coordinate with the military despite orders from Aquino as well as the delay in the deployment of reinforcements had been blamed for the massive number of casualties during the operation.

The elite cops were able to kill their target international terrorist Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan before Muslim fighters, including the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, fired at the besieged troops. RC