Senate probe fails to name killers of SAF 44—Escudero

Sen. Francis Escudero. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — A Senate draft report on the Mamasapano incident tackles the lapses and liabilities of government and rebel entities involved in the bloody encounter but failed to identify those who killed 44 police commandos, said Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero late Tuesday morning.

Escudero, chair of the Senate committee on finance, said the copy of the draft that he read enumerated the “liabilities, actions, lapses, and missteps” of members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

It did not just focus on the roles of Director Getulio Napeñas and Director General Alan Purisima but also that of President Aquino, said Escudero ahead of the 1 p.m. scheduled press conference of Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday.

READ: Senate’s Mamasapano report touted to be ‘more hard-hitting’

Poe, chair of the committee on public order, led the joint investigation into the incident.

Escudero said the Senate investigation failed to identify those who killed 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF).

“Sinu-sino ba talaga yung mga tao na pumaslang at bumaril sa SAF 44, wala tayong identities ng mga taong yun,” (Who killed the SAF 44? We do not have their identities) the lawmaker said.

Escudero said he saw a portion of the draft report, which also pointed out the liabilities of members of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process, and the government and MILF peace panels.

The draft report, he said, was more complete than that by the Philippine National Police Board of Inquiry, which Escudero noted never had a chance to get the statements of some personalities in the operation.

BACK STORY: No sacred cows in Senate Mamasapano report, says Poe

Asked whether the criminal or administrative liabilities of those involved had been identified in the draft report, Escudero said: “With some yes.”

He added that the Senate report recommended appropriate charges against certain individuals but declined to give details pending the press conference of Poe.

He refused to elaborate further on the draft report, except saying that he had not signed it yet at the time he spoke to media.

Escudero said the draft report has to get the majority votes or signatures of all members of the three committees before it can be reported to the plenary for either rejection or approval.

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