After weeks of investigation and a few delays in its completion, the Board of Inquiry on the Mamasapano incident on Thursday submitted its report to Philippine National Police leadership with its chairman expressing confidence the panel got the whole truth as regards the "misencounter" that caused the deaths of more than 60 people in late January.
Police Director Benjamin Magalong, the chief of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and the chairman of the BOI, even said that the committee was not influenced by President Benigno Aquino III's remarks blaming former Special Action Force chief Director Getulio Napeñas Jr. for the commandos' clashes with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
"Walang pressure. Hindi namin 'yon pinansin," Magalong told reporters as the panel prepared to submit its report to PNP Officer-in-Charge Deputy Director-General Leonardo Espina.
Magalong said the members of the investigation panel could look "look straight into the eyes of the family members of the SAF 44."
"We are confident that we were able to seek out the truth," Magalong said.
"Haharap kami sa tao na hindi mahihiya, kasama sa mga pamilya ng namatayan," he said.
Forty-four members of the PNP-SAF were killed after one of its teams neutralized suspected international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan in alleged MILF territory in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25. The mission was done without coordination with the Moro rebels despite the government's existing peace agreement with the MILF.
Forty-four members of the PNP-SAF were killed after one of its teams neutralized suspected international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan in alleged MILF territory in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25. The mission was done without coordination with the Moro rebels despite the government's existing peace agreement with the MILF.
A total of 67 individuals died in the clashes including 18 MILF fighters and five civilians.
Ahead of the release of the BOI report, Aquino on Monday said Napeñas fooled him on the operation.
Magalong said aside from the copy of Espina, they have also prepared four other sets to be given to Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and the government agencies investigating the clash, including the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the Department of Justice.
He added that once they clearance from Roxas, the report will be made public, and copies will be furnished to the agencies investigating the botched operation.
The families of the slain SAF commandos will also be given copies once Roxas will give a go signal, Magalong said.
"The creation of the BOI was ordered by Roxas, bilang paggalang sa bumuo sa'min, ipagpapaalam muna sa kanya," he said.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.