Time to move on, says Drilon

Senate President Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–President Aquino has nothing more to say and it is now time to move on, Senate President Franklin Drilon said on Tuesday.

The liability for the Jan. 25 Mamasapano massacre of 44 Special Action Force commandos lies with resigned Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima, Drilon said.

“I don’t think there is anything more to explain. It is clear that the President gave specific instructions, which if followed, maybe this unfortunate incident would not have happened, and particularly on the coordination,” Drilon told reporters in an ambush interview.

He noted that even if Purisima was suspended, it was clear that he was giving the orders regarding “Oplan Exodus,” the police operation to arrest Malaysian bomb expert Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” bypassing Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, named officer in charge after the PNP chief was suspended in December on corruption charges.

“He really violated the President’s order to tell General Espina about the mission, to coordinate with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and he admitted that,” Drilon said.

He said he thought the Senate inquiry defused tensions arising from the Mamasapano debacle. “All questions that have to be asked have probably been asked, and all were answered. In our report, we will evaluate all of these,” he said.

Drilon also said that with the hearing concluded, the resumption of the hearings on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law by the Senate committee headed by Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. would be the logical next step.

He said Marcos could take into account information gathered from the hearings.