The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Wednesday
there was no stand down order from the higher authorities, including President
Benigno S. Aquino III, when the Special Action Force (SAF) troopers encountered
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels and other armed groups while
carrying out "Oplan Exodus" to neutralize international terrorist
Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25 last
year.
At the reopening of the Senate inquiry into the Mamasapano
encounter that killed 44 SAF troopers, Senator Juan Edgardo Angara asked the
resource persons from the AFP as well as from the Philippine National Police
(PNP) if the President gave stand down order to prevent the peace process with
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) from being derailed due to the
Mamasapano incident.
AFP Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero
responded: “I did not receive any stand down order directly from any official
nor the President.”
Former AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said he
also did not receive stand down order from the President while National Defense
Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said he was not aware of the order.
Former Interior Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas, who
was not informed about the "Oplan Exodus," said there was not such
order, “neither I gave that order.”
Former PNP officer-in-charge Leonardo Espina, who was not
aware of the operation, said he was not with the President during the 11-hour
Mamasapano encounter.
In a PowerPoint presentation, AFP chief for operation Maj.
Gen. Angelito de Leon said there was no stand down order from the higher
authorities even as the AFP insisted that they, after checking all the
locations of the engaged SAF troopers, deployed air assets and mechanized
supports.
The same presentation also showed photo of former SAF chief
Getulio Napenas smiling in a meeting while the members of the 55th SAF company
were engaged in heavy fighting and also suffered many casualties from the
combined forces of the MILF, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and
private armed groups.
De Leon
”He also lacks grasp of the gravity of the situation and has
no intention to lead from the front. His mindset was a walk in the park,” De Leon
Senator Antonio Trillanes IV said the Mamasapano debacle
happened “because of the lack of coordination.”
In his defense, Napenas claimed the President had been informed
in a meeting attended by then suspended PNP chief Alan Purisima that the AFP
would be informed about Oplan Exodus ‘time on target.’
However, Napenas told the Senate Committee on Public Order
chaired by Senator Grace Poe that President Aquino did tell him directly not to
coordinate with the AFP about the operation ahead of time.
Napenas also said that Purisima told him not to inform Roxas
and Espina about the operation.
Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile blamed the botched
Oplan Exodus to what he called paralyzed line of command.
”The line of command was paralyzed that day and that was the
reason we lost SAF 44,” Enrile said.
Senator Teofisto Guingona III came in defense of the
President, saying there was no basis for President Aquino to be alarmed since
the Chief Executive was informed about the casualties only late in the
afternoon.
”It is unfair to say that there was no concern on the part
of the President. President Aquino was fed with wrong information that the
operation was going as planned. Purisima even told President Aquino that the
ground troopers were being supported by tanks and other machinery,” Guingona
said.
Senate President Franklin Drilon agreed with Guingona,
insisting that it was Napenas who crafted alone and carried out the Oplan
Exodus.
Drilon also downplayed Enrile’s conclusion that President
Aquino compartmentalized the Oplan Exodus.
”If there was somebody who compartmentalized, it was
Napenas, not the President,” Drilon said.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=851132
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