Enrile: Noy allowed slaughter of SAF 44
President Aquino offers prayers for the slain SAF commandos at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan in January last year. STAR file photo
MANILA, Philippines – President Aquino was “directly involved” and allowed 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos to be slaughtered in Mamasapano last year. And the accuser claims to have evidence to prove it.
Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile made the allegations in open plenary session at the Senate yesterday.
“While the operation was going on, and SAF units were being slaughtered, (Aquino) did not do anything at all to save them,” Enrile said.
He took the floor to put on record that he has evidence to pin down Aquino and end debates on the reason for reopening the probe into the deaths of the so-called SAF 44 in Maguindanao on Jan. 25, 2015.
Enrile claimed that Aquino knew from day one about the operation to neutralize three foreign terrorists led by Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan.
“So that there would be no more questions about whether we should reopen the Mamasapano hearing or not, I would like to make it of record that I have evidence,” Enrile said. “First, that the President of the Philippines, Benigno S. Aquino III, actively and directly involved himself in the planning, preparation of Oplan Exodus.”
The President knew about the fighting in Mamasapano as he had flown to Zamboanga City, Enrile said.
He continued: “Second, that on the day of the actual operation, (Aquino) was monitoring the operations while he was in his plane going to Zamboanga City… and I am going to prove these with evidence in that hearing.”
Initially, Senate President Franklin Drilon said he wanted to clarify the definition of “new matters” after Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano interpellated Sen. Grace Poe on the ruling of the committee on rules that allowed the reopening of inquiry.
Sen. Vicente Sotto III seconded the motion when Enrile reiterated his motion in the plenary that the Mamasapano hearing should be reopened and be brought back to the committees.
“… so that I can present the evidence with respect to the participation of the President actively, extensively, directly in the planning of this particular Oplan Exodus and the fact that he knew it from the very beginning that there was going to be an operation on that day, Sunday, January 25, 2015,” Enrile said.
“…that he was onboard plane when they were monitoring the operation and third, he did not do anything to rescue the beleaguered Mamasapano assault group of the SAF.”
Enrile said he had studied the evidence presented in the committee, and he believes that some Cabinet members were not telling the truth.
“Mr. President, I will show that some members of the Cabinet who appeared in these hearings did not disclose the true facts, even though they knew it and yet they testified under oath and they did not disclose the facts properly and truthfully,” he said.
During session, Drilon put on record his “abstention” on the decision to reopen the inquiry, following his call to clarify the definition of “new matters.”
Drilon’s move came amid the interpretation of Section 32 of the Senate rules, which provides that “when a report is returned to a committee or is transmitted to another, unless it is returned for purposes of conducting further public hearings on new matters arising after the report, all previous proceedings in connection therewith shall be deemed to be void and that matter in question shall revert to its original status.”
Senators eventually agreed that Enrile should be considered to be in good faith when he claimed that he has “new matters” to discuss.
Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs chairman Poe had set the resumption of the Mamasapano inquiry on Jan. 27.
Enrile also debunked the existence of a national security concern about the inquiry since Mamasapano was “a pure police operation.”
“My question is, was there a national security matter involved in Mamasapano? Mr. President, there was none,” he said.
“This was a police operation involving the enforcement of our criminal laws. According to the basis of that operation, they were supposed to be enforcing a warrant of arrest. What is national security in that? The life of the nation is not involved. The question is, was there a criminal case filed? That is the question.”
Enrile said he had read the report.
“It was cited there a criminal number,” he said. “A case number. But there was no mention of the court, the judge, the corpus delicti or where and when a criminal case was filed.
“So what are we talking about national security here? I’ve been handling national security of this country for 17 years.”
Before the session started, Drilon criticized Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. over his statement that the executive can ask advance questions before allowing officials to attend Senate hearings.
“This is a committee hearing, the advance written questions will be available during the question hour. This is not the question hour,” he said.
Continuing cry for justice
Meanwhile, vice presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sees the government’s unfulfilled promises and the continuing cries for justice of families of the 44 slain SAF commandos as justifying the reopening of the Senate investigation into the Mamasapano massacre.
“Almost a year has passed after the Mamasapano massacre and yet we continue to hear complaints from some of the kin of the SAF 44 that they have yet to receive the assistance the government promised to them,” he said.
Marcos said widows Virgie Viernes and Merlyn Gamutan are complaining that they have not received the aid that the government had promised.
Their complaints run counter to the statement of the Philippine National Police last July that the families of the slain commandos have been given about P80 million in cash, as well as scholarships for their children, he added.
Marcos said the families of the SAF 44 are asking for justice for their loved ones.
“Yet until now no case has been filed in court to prosecute those responsible,” he said.
“We owe it to the families of the SAF heroes to resolve these issues and the Senate investigation will allow us the opportunity to do that.”
Marcos has consistently prodded the Department of Justice to speed up its preliminary investigation on the Mamasapano massacre and to file appropriate charges in court to begin the process of giving justice to the victims.
Malacañang will not stop the Senate from reopening the investigation, Coloma said.
“We will address these... if and when these are raised or asked at the proper forum,” he said.
“The Senate is at liberty to determine how it wants to conduct the planned reopening of the inquiry. Records will show that the executive branch had always been open and forthcoming in addressing all questions pertaining to the Mamasapano incident.”
Enrile vowed to establish the role of Aquino in the incident and what he was doing while the encounter between the SAF and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and vigilantes was going on.
Poe said Enrile must be given the chance to ask questions about Aquino related to the Mamasapano massacre.
Philippine National Police chief Director General Ricardo Marquez sees the slaughter of the 44 police commandos in Mamasapano last year as a game changer for the Special Action Force.
He hopes that all the citations and awards will be given to them.
Marquez said SAF chief Director Moro Virgilio Lazo believes his men have recovered from the tragedy.
“So the feeling of General Lazo is we have recovered from that incident,” he said.
“We have talked about this when I brought some people with the President. I guess that was a turnaround. It’s a game changer for the SAF.”
Marquez said the PNP has been planning to hold an awarding ceremony for the slain commandos and the survivors.
“We are inviting of course the families of our Gallant 44,” he said.
“I felt that it’s a fitting moment for our troops to finally be awarded appropriately. The will be given the second highest award, distinguished conduct medal.”
Marquez said they are awaiting the final phase of the awards – the Medal of Valor – which remains pending at the Office of the President.
“On the benefits, we have not left anybody. All of them received benefits due them,” he said. – With Perseus Echeminada, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Aurea Calica
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