Alan Purisima: Suspension prevented me from participating in ‘Oplan Exodus’

Resigned PNP chief Alan Purisima. RAFFY LERMA/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Resigned Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director Alan Purisima narrated his “direct participation”  in the Mamasapano operation in a position paper that he submitted to the Senate,  in which  he denied  knowing when  the police operation  would be launched.

The  police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25 resulted in  the deaths of 44 members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF).

“My direct participation in  Operation  Exodus ended with the implementation  of my preventive  suspension,”  Purisima  said in a 13-page position paper that he submitted on Wednesday, March 11, to the Senate committees on  public order, peace, reconciliation and unification, and finance that investigated the incident.

He was placed  under preventive suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman in  December 2014 over an allegedly anomalous   courier deal in the  PNP.  He resigned  after the  botched Mamasapano operation.

“I categorically deny giving any orders to any PNP official or personnel regarding Operation  Exodus  during  my preventive suspension.  I did not even know when the PNP SAF would  launch Operation Exodus,” the resigned official  said.

Purisima’s  statements  contradicted  the  testimony  of  sacked PNP-SAF head, Director Getulio Napeñas  when   he testified  at the Senate last February  23 where   he admitted that  it was the resigned PNP chief who gave   him the  go signal to launch the Mamasapano operation.

READ: Napeñas admits Purisima gave go-ahead for Mamasapano operation

Under  the PNP Operational Procedures, Purisima  said  the implementation  of the  operation and tactical details of Operation  Exodus  falls on the   ground  commanders.

“Hence, the  management and details of implementation are of law enforcement  operations are left to the ground  commanders,”  he pointed out.

Purisima  explained that   when  he assumed   his post in December 2012, several continuing  law enforcement operations   were already  launched  against high  priority  targets, including Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan” and  Abdul Basit Usman, who were  the targets  of the Mamasapano operation.

“Prior to Operation Exodus in January 15 were Operation Wolverine 2  in April 2014, Operation Terminator in November 2014 and  Operation Terminator 2 in December 2014,”  he said.

As then  PNP Chief, he said he was  aware  of the  full details of the continuing law enforcement operations against Marwan and Usman to effect their arrest.

“I knew  about said continuing law enforcement operations until the Office of the Ombudsman issued a preventive order against me in December 2014,”  said Purisima.

“Having  been preventively suspended and since the effectivity of said  preventive suspension, I no longer had any authority to direct or issue orders to any PNP officer and personnel,” he further said.