Cayetano tags Marwan's MILF 'handler' as suspect in Mamasapano killings

From InterAksyon (Mar 11): Cayetano tags Marwan's MILF 'handler' as suspect in Mamasapano killings

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday named a commander of  the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as the handler of Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan, who was believed killed by police commandos sent to arrest him in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25.

In a 21-page privilege speech, Cayetano said  there is strong evidence pointing to Commander Wahid Tundok, commander of 118th Based Command of MILF, as the handler of Marwan.

According to Cayetano, Tundok and his men should be considered the principal suspects in the massacre of 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF), who were pinned down by heavy fire from the MILF and its breakaway group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) as they tried to exit the area after killing Marwan.

The acting PNP chief, Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, had demanded prosecution of any MILF or BIFF men involved in the deaths of SAF men, citing medico-legal reports showing more than half of the 44 were killed, not in a firefight but were shot at close range, after being stripped of their bulletproof vests.

“Based on evidence, there is no doubt that the MILF knew Marwan was in their area during the encounter, at ang MILF mismo ang pumoprotekta kay Marwan [and it's the MILF itself that was protecting Marwan],” Cayetano said.

Who is Tundok?

In his presentation, Cayetano described Tundok as one of the senior and best combatants of MILF. 

“He faces many charges of multiple murder, arson, robbery, and other crimes. Commander Wahid Tundok is the Commander of the 118th Base Command of the MILF,” Cayetano said, in Tilipino.

The senator said  the Philippine National Police had arrested Tundok in February 23, 2014 for various crimes including multiple murders, arson, robbery and others, "but he was released just after three days!" at the behest of the government peace panel..

Commander Tundok was released due to the insistence of the peace panel led by the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process Teresita Deles and chief government negotiator Prof. Miriam Coronel-Ferrer.

“Commander Tundok and his men are also the initial suspects in the massacre of our 44 SAF heroes.  It is clear that the 118th battalion is among the groups that were in the area, where the SAF men were minassacred,” Cayetano said.

According to Cayetano, Deles allegedly insisted that Commander Tundok was the one who complained about the misencounter and who brokered the cease-fire on January 25, “at hindi siya maaaring kasama sa sumasagupa sa SAF.”

But if that were so, Cayetano asked: “If he really helped forge the cease-fire why did he reject an invitation to be interviewed by the [PNP] Board of Inquiry?”

Cayetano presented  footage from a television network showing Commander Tundok allegedly refusing to be interviewed by BOI.

“The reason [for snubbing BOI] is simple. There are questions that Commander Tundok cannot answer. For example, who was supporting, helping and protecting Marwan?” Cayetano said.

“Kumander Tundok cannot answer this because HE is one of the MILF Commanders who helped protect Marwan,” he added.

Marwan emails

Cayetano also presented email exchanges between Marwan and his brother,  showing that Commander Tundok was the one informing Marwan of sources to purchase weapons.

“Pinakita namin noon ang mga email ni Marwan sa kanyang kapatid habang nandito siya sa Mindanao. Dito din sa mga email na ito makikita na si Kumander Wahid Tundok mismo ang protektor ni Marwan,” Cayetano said.

“Tundok was the one telling Marwan to be on high alert and not to sleep because soldiers were planning to attack,” he added.

He said that Tundok was also the one telling Marwan to watch out for US drones spying on their camps.

“Marwan was telling his brother detailed information about Tundok and the operations against Tundok,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano said the government and the peace panel knew this information.

“So alam nila na si Kumander Tundok ang protector ni Marwan [So they - the government peace panel - knew that Kumander Tundok was protecting Marwan],” he said.

OPAPP has to explain

Meanwhile, Cayetano asked Deles and Ferrer to explain why they sought the release of Tundok despite evidence showing the latter is the handler and protector of Marwan, the subject of Oplan Exodus.

 “So, why did the government peace panel work to have Kumander Tundok released in February 2014?” Cayetano asked in Filipino.

“What was the quid pro quo for the release of Wahid Tundok? And why did Deles and Ferrer seem in a hurry to clear Kumander Tundok and his men in the Mamasapano massacre?” he added.

The government, he stressed, should answer this. “We deserve to know the truth. This and other evidence that arose from our hearings here are proof that the MILF knew Marwan and Usman were there, and they had been coddling these terrorists for a long time."

'Marwan’s hut owned by MILF'

Also, Cayetano revealed that Marwan was living in a hut right in the  middle of the MILF/BIFF community.

“The hut that Marwan was living in belonged to deceased MILF Commander Ustadz Bagindali (based on GMA 7 investigative report),” Cayetano said.

Cayetano said that Marwan was seen constantly praying in a Mosque inside the MILF/BIFF camp.

“So it is impossible for the MILF/BIFF not to have known he was there,” Cayetano said, adding that Tundok was issued safe conduct by the peace panel in all MILF territories.

“And common sense dictates that if you are a wanted International Terrorist with a $5 million dollar price on your head, and have been the subject of 10 operations in the past four years, would you hide in a place where you';re not welcome or safe?” Cayetano said.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/106733/cayetano-tags-marwans-milf-handler-as-suspect-in-mamasapano-killings