Duterte directs PNP's Dela Rosa to get to the bottom of Mamasapano

From InterAksyon (Jan 24): Duterte directs PNP's Dela Rosa to get to the bottom of Mamasapano

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday directed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Director-General Ronald Dela Rosa to lead a renewed investigation into the facts and circumstances surrounding the ill-fated Battle of Mamasapano where the #Fallen44 commandos of the PNP Special Action Force lost their lives.

One day before the first anniversary of the botched anti-terror operation that occurred on January 25, 2015, President Duterte told a gathering in Malaccañang of the SAF44's surviving kin, President Duterte issued the marching order to Dela Rosa, with an explicit directive to try and wrap up his probe in 30 days.

In a speech at the gathering, Duterte pointedly said and addressing the previous administration, in Filipino, that all of the previous investigations have left a void, with "maraming issues at tanong (many issues and questions) unresolved: "Unless we address the issues, they [the survivors] will bring to their grave the hurt and agony ... You fed the soldiers to the lion's den. Hindi na lumabas ang totoo (The truth has not come out)."

The SAF mission, dubbed Oplan Exodus, was launched to arrest a Malaysian bomb maker sheltered inside rebel territory in Maguindanao Province. It left 44 SAF commandos dead, even as, on the other side, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front acknowledged 14 fatalities, while at least two civilians also lost their lives. The SAF commandos were ranged against hundreds of combined fighters of the MILF, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and private armed groups in Barangay Tukanalipao.

Duterte said he would be forming a commission for the purpose, to be composed of "men of integrity and honor." He contemplated, among others, commissioners from the Supreme Court.

"I will not recommend anyone close to me," he said, adding that they will all be "independent in all aspects, free to summon anybody, honor the process."

Duterte also mentioned, in passing that Mamasapano was "an American adventure." He alluded to a Central Intelligence Agency operation, and bashed the "misplaced loyalty, to the Americans" of certain officials. "Stop it!"

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/136486/duterte-directs-pnps-dela-rosa-to-get-to-the-bottom-of-mamasapano