Ex PNP SAF chief Napeñas enters Senate race under UNA party

Former PNP SAF chief Gen. Getulio Napenas meets with a few supporters across the Manila Cathedral before filing his COC for senator at the COMELEC office in Palacio del Gobernador building, Intramuros. LYN RILLON

It seems the Mamasapano issue will continue to hound the Aquino administration as a former ground commander of the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force (SAF) on Friday announced his senatorial bid by filing a certificate of candidacy, saying he wanted to pursue justice for the 44 SAF men under his command who died in an encounter with Muslim forces in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, in January.

Former PNP SAF chief Getulio Napeñas said he was running under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), Vice President Jejomar Binay’s political party, because “(Binay) was the first to honor the SAF 44 and extend help and sympathy to their families.”

But Malacañang downplayed Napeñas’ senatorial bid, with presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda saying, “It’s a free country.”

On rumors that Palace critics would use the Mamasapano incident to bring down the administration tandem of Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo, Lacierda said: “We expect candidate(s) to present their advocacy. It is premature for us to comment.”

‘Tagaligtas 44’ mural

Napeñas cited Binay’s recognition of the heroism of the SAF 44 men, and cited the “Tagaligtas 44” mural painted by members of the Erehwon Art Collective, that the Vice President had used as backdrop for his “true state of the nation” address in Indang, Cavite province, in August, and later transferred to his official residence at the Coconut Palace in Manila.

Binay had repeatedly slammed the Aquino administration for its alleged failure to get justice for the 44 SAF men. The Mamasapano bloodbath dealt one of the biggest blows against President Aquino and pulled down his satisfaction ratings to record lows.

Napeñas also criticized the government for pursuing peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), whose men were involved in the bloody encounter with the SAF.

But the former PNP official earlier admitted that he had bypassed the ceasefire mechanisms agreed upon by the government and the MILF when he launched his operation against Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” in January, saying he did not trust both the military and the Moro rebels.

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