Aquino

Aquino reiterated that he should not be charged with anything, saying that he did whatever was necessary to minimize the casualties in Mamasapano where 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos died in an encounter with Islamist extremists on Janu

In a news conference at his home on Times Street in Quezon City yesterday, the former president also said that in posting bail, he was merely exercising his rights based on the Constitution and that he did not see himself

the court’s Third Division on

Aquino was accompanied by sisters Viel Aquino-Dee, Pinky Aquino- Abellada, and Ballsy Aquino- Cruz; former Palace Paolo Benigno Aquino 4th; for former Transportation secretary

In accusing Aquino of graft, the Ombudsman alleged in the charge sheet that he “persuade[d], La Madrid Purisima, then the chief of the Philippine National PNP chain of command, the Ombudsman’s preventive suspension order, and then- OIC PNP Chief Leonardo Espina’s order for Purisima and other stop performing their respective

The Ombudsman preventively suspended Purisima for six months in December 2014 pending investigation into the allegedly anomalous courier deal forged by the PNP with Werfast Documentation Agency,

Aquino allegedly “utiliz[ed] the services of Purisima for Oplan Exodus prior to and during its implementation” and allegedly gave “instruc- tions to, receiv[ed] reports and recommendations from and approv[ed] the actions of Getulio Pascua Napeñas, then Director of the PNP-Special Action Force (SAF), thru Purisima relative to the preparation, conduct and implementation of Oplan Exodus,”

In another charge sheet, the Ombudsman accused Aquino of under Article 177 of the Revised

It alleged that he, “in conspiracy with” Purisima and Napeñas, “cause[ d] Purisima to perform and/or exercise the function of the Chief of the PNP over Oplan Exodus prior to and despite accused Aquino III having knowledge that Purisima was

Aquino said on Friday that and Napeñas to look out for loopholes in their operation and repeatedly reminded them of the

Aquino said that he gave the green light because he trusted the people involved and that he was assured by Napenas that the op

Aquino added that until now, he did not know of any reason as to why Napenas “tricked” him into thinking that the operation

“From the time it happened up to today, anong pumasok sa isip nito na susugal na ganyan katindi (what compelled him to take the risk)? What drove him to embark on this? I do not ( There are a lot of) specula

The operation, known as Oplan Exodus, was aimed at the capture of Marwan and his protégé Abdulbasit Us

Over 60 people, including 44 PNP-SAF members were killed in

Usman was later killed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in