PNoy constantly updated in plan to kill Marwan, Oplan a success despite 44 deaths - ex-SAF chief

From InterAksyon (Feb 9): PNoy constantly updated in plan to kill Marwan, Oplan a success despite 44 deaths - ex-SAF chief



Sacked PNP=SAF chief Getulio Napenas Jr. BERNARD TESTA/InterAksyon.com

(UPDATE2, 12:59 p.m.) President Benigno Aquino III was constantly briefed about the plans to capture the suspected top Malaysian bomb expert Zulkifli Abdhir alias Marwan, sacked Philippine National Police-Special Action Force commander Getulio Napenas Jr. told the televised Senate hearing Monday.

The regular updates were made by his former bodyguard and police chief, resigned Director General Alan Purisima.

Chief Supt. Napenas asserted to senators that the Jan. 25 Mamasapano incident was "Mission Accomplished" because it bagged a wanted terrorist whose bombs killed hundreds, but said much fewer than 44 police commandos would have died, had the requested artillery support from the military arrived on time.

At the same time, Napenas insisted that the mission was preceded by meticulous planning drawing from the lessons of previous aborted missions to bag Marwan over a span of 10 years; by preparations including the materiel and the coordination required; and pre-mission drills for the SAF men deployed, highly trained and combat-hardened as they already are.

That the SAF men deployed were capable and suited for the sensitive mission to get a "high-value" target was borne out, he said, by the fact that not just 18 of the other side was felled by the SAF in the 10-hour gun battle sparked by the operation to get Marwan - Zulkifli bin Hir - and his Filipino cohort, bomb maker Abdul Basit Usman.

Napenas said that contrary to claims of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the ranks of the MILF and those of their supposed breakaway the Bangsamor Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and other private armed groups sustained over 200 casualties, not 18.

Napenas said the overall assault commander on the ground, Raymond Train alone, had shot dead "25-30" of their attackers, who suddenly came from all sides as the SAF tried to exit after shooting dead Marwan.

“Notwithstanding the preparations and planning we made, just like in any other encounter, especially in this case where the subjects of the operations are high-value terrorists, zero-casualty is ideal, but it is highly uncertain,” Napenas said in a 14-page presentation at a joint hearing by three Senate committee.

Napenas said that the SAF troopers who made their way to Brgy. Tukalanipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao are highly trained individuals. “The know what they are doing and know what to do in times of adversity and hostility.”

“Had it been otherwise, the combined forces of the MILF, BIFF and other private armed groups would have not suffered at least 250 casualties in the midst of the firefight that took place almost the entire day,” he said.

However, Napenas said that the continued fire from the attackers made it difficult for the SAF men to hold on when their ammunition ran out.

Had the Armed Personnel Carrier (APC) of the Army Mechanized Brigade arrived on time as requested, this would have changed the result of the battle.

In other words, had the artillery support we requested arrived on time, the situation would have been entirely different. Though I admit, it may not have guaranteed zero-casualty on our part but at the very least, had the artillery support arrived hours earlier, the number of casualties would have been lesse than the actual figure we suffered,” Napenas explained.

“Sa madaling salita, at salungat sa kung ano ang mga nakasaad o nasusulat sa mga balita at pahayagan, ang mga SAF troopers sa Barangay Tukanalipao ay nagtungo sa lugar na iyon nang may humigit pa sa sapat na paghahanda at pagpalano,” Napenas said.

Usman has escaped, and President Benigno Aquino III dared the MILF to either help bag him, or "stand aside" while the government forces get him.

Appearing at the Senate committees on public order, on peace and reconciliation, and on finance, Napenas ended his presentation thus: "I stand firm with the words I uttered the minute" Oplan Exodus was reported: 'Mission accomplished'. These are the only words our SAF troopers wish to hear," except that it happened at the cost of 44 lives, he said.

Napenas said he had spent "10 years of my career" seeking to get Marwan, having seen up close the evil that a spate of bombings had caused in Mindanao when he was still assigned in Cotabato.

Past missions failed because of 'leaks'

He outlined to the senators previous missions to get Marwan, and the reasons they were aborted.

Tellingly, he said when Oplan Exodus was finally sealed for implementation, all concerned decided that coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines will be "timed on target," meaning, notice given once the SAF men are on the ground in Maguindanao.

Napenas said prior missions where details of coordinates and other information were shared with the military somehow failed - with Marwan escaping just hours before the mission arrived. And this was attributed to the possibility that the AFP had to coordinate with the MILF, which Napenas said was coddling Marwan.

Napenas explained his role in the January 25 Mamasapano incident that killed 44 PNP-SAF policemen, 18 members of the MILF, and four civilians.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/104681/pnoy-constantly-updated-in-plan-to-kill-marwan-oplan-a-success-despite-44-deaths---ex-saf-chief