Duterte recalls Aquino role over Mamasapano

“YOU FED the soldiers to the lion’s den to be eaten by death.”

So went President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Tuesday as he recalled his predecessor’s role and the alleged involvement of the United States in the Mamasapano killings of Jan. 25, 2015.

Meanwhile, state prosecutors, on the eve of the second-year commemoration of that tragedy, filed charges against dismissed Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Alan L. M. Purisima and former Special Action Forces (SAF) Commander Getulio P. Napeñas, Jr. before the Sandiganbayan.

The Mamasapano operation was a controversial terror hunt mission carried at the price of 44 Special Action Forces operatives killed in the hands of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

Apart from the police fatalities, 18 MILF fighters and five civilians were also killed.

The aftermath of Mamasapano became the biggest scandal to rock the administration of President Benigno S. C. Aquino III, and this led to his peace deal with the MILF effectively scuttled.

In his remarks before relatives of the fallen police commandos, Mr. Duterte asked a slew of questions, among them, why Mr. Aquino sent cops instead of soldiers to neutralize Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan, who had a $5-million bounty on his head.

“Why the police? Why not the Army with the artillery?... Because under the agreement, if you want to arrest a criminal, not rebellion connected, you have to inform the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front),” Mr. Duterte said.

He also criticized Mr. Purisima, whom Mr. Aquino “forgave for all of his sins and corruption,” Mr. Duterte said.

“Ikaw, General Purisima, hindi tayo magkalaban pero do not… Alam mo na, isang katutak din ang kasalanan mo sa pulis and even sa corruption, madami (You, General Purisima, we’re not enemies but do not... You know, you have much to answer for, to the police, even when it comes to corruption, a lot),” the President added.

Mr. Purisima, acting with Mr. Aquino’s consent, supervised the Mamasapano operation, as would be later unraveled in congressional investigations, particularly by the Senate.

Messrs. Purisima and Napeñas now face charges of violating Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code on usurpation of authority or official functions as well as section 3 (a) of the Anti- Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Prosecutors of the Ombudsman said Mr. Purisima “wilfully, unlawfully, and criminally persuade, induce or influence” Mr. Napeñas to violate the PNP chain of command, thereby bypassing Officer- in- Charge PNP Chief Leonardo A. Espina. Mr. Purisima by his involvement in the Mamasapano operation also defied the preventive suspension order issued by the Ombudsman against him.

Mr. Purisima’s suspension stemmed from a graft case over the anomalous courier deal that the PNP awarded to WERFAST Documentary Agency in 2011.

Five months after the Mamasapano operation, the Ombudsman ordered Mr. Purisima’s dismissal from the service. Mr. Napeñas retired the next month, July.

Mr. Duterte, at times appearing to show exasperation as he recalled the tragedy, also criticized his predecessor’s response as the police operation blew into a crisis.

“Patay na lahat, mabaho na nga eh tapos sabihin mo sa isang heneral, ‘ kung ikaw ang nagpunta doon…’ Ma- remember mo kung sino ’ yung general na itinuro mo? What would you do... What would you have done? Ano dapat ang — ano ang gawin mo ( Everybody had been killed by now, they’re already rotting, and then you tell a general, ‘ If you were there, what would you have done’)?” Mr. Duterte said.

“Sinenyasan ko ’ yan si Bong, sabi ko, ‘ Umalis tayo dito’( I signaled to Bong [Go, my aide], let’s just leave).”

‘AMERICAN ADVENTURE’

Mr. Duterte also said, referring in part to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States: “Let it be brought to the open, it was an American adventure with the cooperation of some and apparently with your blessing.”

“Bakit ninyo tinago na iyon ( Why did you hide that this) was an operation of the CIA?” he added.

Mr. Duterte then tasked PNP Chief Director- General Ronald M. dela Rosa to “carefully” study the possibility of giving all fallen SAF commandos the Medal of Valor after Mr. Aquino only gave the said award to Senior Inspector Gednat G. Tabdi and Police Officer 1 Romeo C. Cempron last year.

Mr. Tabdi was the Team Leader of the 84th Special Action Company of SAF who severed the finger of neutralized high-profile terror suspect Marwan, for DNA analysis. — with