The Armed Forces of the Philippines had its own operations against international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir also known as Marwan, AFP Chief General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. admitted during a senate hearing on Tuesday.
According to Catapang who was being questioned by Senate fact finding panel member Senator Loren Legarda, these operations were named operation plan Psalms and coplan Stalker which focused on Marwan's neutralization.
“We have a list of intelligence projects that included this (Psalms and coplan Stalker) but may I request that we be given an opportunity to provide an answer in an executive session,” Catapang said.
He then cited “security implications” as the reason for the brief answer which was granted by Legarda.
Catapang also clarified that the AFP had no involvement with operation plan Wolverine and Exodus which was under the Philippine National Police.
Meanwhile, sacked PNP Special Action Force head P/Dir. Getulio Napeñas Jr. during the same session said he wasn't aware of operation plan Psalm.
“What I'm aware of is oplan Wolverine which was executed on April 25 of 2014 and the Exodus which was executed on January 25, 2015,” Napeñas said.
“Operation plan Wolverine was approved by Police Dir. General [Alan] Purisima when he was then the Chief PNP in the early part of April,” he added.
Napeñas said that these operational plans were presented in an executive session he attended with Purisima, President Benigno Aquino III, Interior Government Secretary Mar Roxas and former ARMM police director Supt. Noel Delos Reyes.
Late request
In the same session, Catapang said the PNP-SAF was too late in asking for reinforcements.
According to Catapang, the PNP-SAF mostly kept them in the dark with their operation in Maguindanao against two international terrorists including Marwan.
“Wala silang utos na be prepared to reinforce us... So lahat po ito ay hindi napagplanuhan ng maigi kaya nang nagsimula na sila humingi ng reinforcement ay napapabakbak na po sila,” Catapang said.
The AFP has recently been receiving flak from the public following allegations that they had a lapse in sending reinforcements to back up the members of PNP-SAF of which at least 40 were killed.
For his part, Major General Edmundo Pangilinan who heads the AFP's 6th Infantry Division stationed in the area of operation supported Catapang's statement during the senate session.
“'Yung kauna-unahang text message na aking na receive about the encounter was 6:18 a.m. [on January 25] but it is just an information that they (PNP-SAF) are being encountered [by armed groups],” Pangilinan said.
He then said his ground commander who was constantly coordinating with the operations officer of the PNP-SAF finished their exchange of information around 7:28 a.m. afterwhich reinforcements was requested.
But Pangilinan said they were still able to deploy reinforcements including armored vehicles even though they were missing vital information and the request was a short notice.
He also denied when asked by Legarda that someone higher than him ordered the AFP to stand down and not send reinforcements.
“There was no such order,” Pangilinan said.
Meanwhile, Catapang clarified that the AFP knew as early as 5:30 a.m. that PNP-SAF was conducting an operation but emphasized there was no request for backup during that time.
“Indeed, we were just informed 0530 but there was no request for reinforcement but we were just informed that they were conducting operations,” he said.
On January 25, the Philippine Government launched a massive operation against two notorious international terrorists in Mamasapano, Maguindanao which was a known moro rebel stronghold.
Some 400 elite lawmen from the PNP's SAF branch conducted the operation but at least 44 were killed and 12 were injured after a support unit was allegedly flanked by armed rebels.
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