PRESIDENT’S GUARDS President Aquino troops the line of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) during the 29th anniversary of the PSG at Malacañang Park. In a speech, he hit back at critics demanding accountability over the deaths of 44 police commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, calling them “attention seekers.” GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines–President Aquino’s more detailed account of the circumstances that led to the Mamasapano debacle gave his critics more ammunition against him.
It drew not one praise but heavy flak from allies and critics alike, with one accusing the President of a cover-up, a day after he blamed the former head of the Special Action Force (SAF) of feeding him wrong information about the Jan. 25 police operation against two terrorists that ended in the slaughter of 44 police commandos.
A defiant Aquino on Tuesday hit back at critics demanding his accountability over the death of 44 police commandos, describing them as “attention-seekers.”
The President unburdened himself during the 29th anniversary of the Presidential Security Group, citing the “most intense criticism especially fabrications from attention-seekers.”
“I have courage because I’m doing what is right, and if I have shortcomings, God will take care of them, including my security,” he said in a speech.
“The President is engaging in a brazen cover-up of his responsibility and that of his trusted aide (resigned Philippine National Police Director General Alan) Purisima for the tragic SAF mission and placing all blame on the ground commander (Getulio) Napeñas,” said his erstwhile ally, Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello.
“This is the latest development in the shrinking of the man from a credible President to a small-minded bureaucrat trying to erase his fingerprints from a disastrous project,” said Bello, who declared on Tuesday that he was cutting his ties to the President.
Before a gathering of evangelical church leaders on the grounds of Malacañang, Aquino on March 9 absolved himself of responsibility for the Mamasapano fiasco, saying he “was given wrong information by the people who knew most of what was happening.”
The President noted that Napeñas, who was later sacked as SAF commander, had given him conflicting reports on the Mamasapano mission to get Malaysia terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” and his Filipino deputy, Basit Usman. Marwan was shot dead but Usman was able to escape.
Aquino acknowledged that he was communicating with Napeñas through Purisima, then suspended in connection with a graft case in the Office of the Ombudsman. Purisima resigned days after the Mamasapano debacle.
The President further claimed that Napeñas had failed to coordinate with the military, had refused to abort the mission even if the risks were getting higher, and had “fooled” him.
‘Scapegoat’
Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles, who is among the clerics calling on the President to resign, said Napeñas was just being used as a scapegoat.
“I hope he (Napeñas) tells the whole truth,” Arguelles said.
Asked about Aquino’s claim that he was fooled by Napeñas, Arguelles said: “If subordinates can deceive a higher-ranking officer, definitely there is gross incompetence.”
“Other AFP and PNP support units were not far away (from the clash site). It seems there was an order to refrain from intervening or the order to intervene was withheld. Wasn’t Aquino himself in Zamboanga monitoring the operation?” he added.
Equally responsible
Fr. Jerome Secillano, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Public Affairs, said Filipinos were not fools.
“The more the President blames others for that botched operation, the greater the belief of the Filipino people that he is as equally responsible for it,” he said.
Secillano said Aquino’s claim that he was fooled by Napeñas should not be used as a defense not to take responsibility for the Mamasapano fiasco.
“His being fooled does not absolve him of any responsibility for that operation,” Secillano said in a text message to reporters.
Sen. Nancy Binay said Aquino should take responsibility for the fiasco.
“Maybe, in a way, because if you follow the line of command, he’s the one on top, at the very top,” Binay said.
She said the No. 1 question was why Purisima had a role in the Mamasapano operation.
Senators’ take
Sen. Francis Escudero said he did not think the President was able to answer the people’s questions on Monday.
“He has not been able to show the public that he was hurt by what befell the 44 policemen and that those who killed the policemen would be made to account while seeking peace with the MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front),” Escudero said.
Sen. JV Ejercito said it was impossible that the President was fooled about the police operations against Marwan and Usman.
Ejercito pointed out that on that fateful day, Aquino was in Zamboanga City the entire day with his top police and military officials, and could have easily asked information from them.
“If you were the Commander in Chief why would you rely on one person if you have the luxury of getting access and information from all top officials with you the whole day? So, it’s hard to believe that,” the senator said.
Be more sensitive
Ejercito said he hoped Aquino “shapes up, be more sensitive… listen more” and just tell the truth.
“What probably people are waiting for the President, as Commander in Chief, [is] to assume responsibility because he knew (the operations) from the start, and probably apologize for the debacle to the families of the SAF 44, to the nation in grief,” he said.
Ejercito asked the President to show more empathy and sincerity.
Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the President blaming Napeñas was sowing confusion because there would be a need to look into what these supposed lies from Napeñas were.
Marcos said Aquino earlier told House of Representatives members and relatives of the slain SAF troopers that Purisima had also provided him with false information about the Mamasapano mission.
“That brings us back to the question. Why did you listen only to them?” Marcos said.
He said there was a need to look into the President’s statements and to determine their implication. “How does this fit in with all the rest of the testimonies that we have received in the public hearings and in the executive session?” he said.
Incomplete
For Sen. Grace Poe, the President’s statements were consistent with what the Senate had heard in its hearings on the Mamasapano incident.
But Aquino’s statements were incomplete, particularly with regard to the role of Purisima and the MILF, Poe said.
She added that there were many investigating bodies looking into the incident, including the Senate, and they could fill in the gaps.
Preempting BOI
In the House of Representatives, lawmakers said the President’s third public statement on the Mamasapano fiasco preempted the findings of the PNP board of inquiry (BOI).
Navotas Rep. Tobias Tiangco, United Nationalist Alliance interim president, said the President cleared himself and Purisima of any wrongdoing.
“Can we expect the BOI members to say otherwise when the President absolved himself of any blame, barely mentioned his BFF Purisima, and dumped the blame on Napeñas. Either he is indirectly reporting the contents of the BOI report or sending a subtle message to the BOI on what should the report contain,” Tiangco said.
‘Ultimately responsible’
Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said the President “glossed over the fact that he was the one who broke the chain of command and allowed a suspended general to take command of a very sensitive operation.”
Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon said it was the President and not Napeñas who was making a fool of the public.
“He’s saying to us that Napeñas’ poor judgment and direction made Operation Exodus a ‘mission impossible.’ Yet at the end of the day, we have to return the question: ‘Who greenlighted the mission? Who authorized the offensive?’ Napeñas cannot issue commands without delegated authority from his superiors. And Aquino as Commander in Chief is ultimately responsible,” Ridon said.
Responsibility, culpability
Malacañang on Tuesday acknowledged that “the buck stops” with the President.
But Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. made a distinction between “responsibility and culpability,” saying the President “clearly had no involvement” in the “so-called lapses” committed on the ground during the Jan. 25 operation.
“Are responsibility and culpability the same in doing actions with willful intent?” he said in trying to explain why Aquino on Feb. 6 assumed responsibility over the fiasco but heaped all blame on Napeñas.
“If we make this clarification, we will better understand that there is no contradiction… In the ultimate analysis, there is no higher authority than him and the buck stops here. After this, there have to be corrective actions and he considers that his responsibility.”
Boy Sisi can't accept the blame.
SIGE MGA PAMILYA NG 44SAF.... MAGPAUTO KAYO SA MGA CBCP AT MGA PULITKONG KAWATAN.....
PAG-UPO SA GOBYERNO NG MGA NANG-UUTO SA INYO, TINGNAN NATIN KUNG MAAALALA PA RIN KAYO!!
WOOOOO!!!
SI BINAY AY MOMOOOO!!!
KAY MONGOLOID NA LANG TAYO!!!
WOOOOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!
LIARS AND BLAME-PASSERS DON'T DESERVE THE HIGHEST OFFICE OF ANY COUNTRY...
EVEN NIXON, A VERY BRILLIANT PRESIDENT HAD TO GO...
EH SI PNOY PA KAYA, NA SIRA ULO NA, B0B0 PA???
the Vice President has his great big headache with his corruption legal case with the Ombudsman. The president has a popularity problem emanating from the likes of lance Armstrong, boy Tulo, accomplicemen, The Padjeros, Ting2 and Babalu, Gonzales, the left, his rabid datractors with an agenda, ETc. Guess who is in better shape after the smoke clears?
PNOY HAS NO ONE TO BLAME FOR HIS DILEMMA BUT HIMSELF...
WHY BLAME OTHERS???
SEE???
PATI MGA SIRA ULONG TAGAHANGA NI PNOY NA GAYA MO, NAHAWA SA KANYANG SAKIT!!!
You can't hurt or affect the President, you are a nobody that hangs around the Internet probably unemployed and you blame it on the President.
NOGNOG...... ANG BAGONG PANGULO NG PILIPINAS..... BWAHAHAHA!!!
Even the mighty US elite forces has botched operations too nobody's perfect and Pnoy is no exception he may be imperfect but he still is a good president because he is trying his best to uplift the country and has not been involved in any kind of corruption.
This critics on the other hand has done nothing for the country but spewing lies and rubbish and has the severe kind of crab mentality!
As President and Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of the Philippines, in a mission, win or fail you are accountable following the chain of command, why was it complicated and why it took a longtime to accept this, it is only prolonging the agony of the families and the people. Under this scenario, 2015 will be a year of tension and instability. Pnoy will not resign and the clamor will be relentless.
Nansense Binay said: “Maybe, in a way,[the President should take responsibility] because if you follow the line of command, he’s the one on top, at the very top.” Following this line, VP Binay should take responsibility for the massive corruption at Makati City Hall - from the overpricing of hospital equipment, parking building and science school, to the lutong makaw security contract for all Makati city buildings.
ANG MGA PILIPINO TALAGA..... MGA "OA"... OR TALAGANG HINDI NA NAAALIS ANG MGA TALANGKA MENTALITY"....
TINGNAN NA LAMANG NINYO ANG NANGYARI SA AMERIKA, MALI RIN ANG DESISYON AT PLANO ANG NANGYARI SA IRAQ..... LIBO NA ANG MGA NAMATAY NA MILITAR AT HANGGANG SA NGAYON AY TUMATAAS PA RIN ANG BILANG... SINISI BA NG MAMAMAYANG AMERIKA SI GEORGE BUSH SA PAGKAMATAY NG MGA LIBO-LIBONG MILITAR SA MALING INPORMASYON NA IBINIGAY SA KANYA??
DITO SA ATIN SA PINAS, 44 NA SAF AY WALANG TIGIL ANG PAG-IYAK NG MGA TALANGKA AT ANAY SA LIPUNAN..... MGA NAGHAHANGAD NG MGA MALAKING POSISYON SA GOBYERNO PARA MAGFIESTA ULIT ANG MGA MAGNANAKAW NA PULITIKO.......
SIGE NA..... TANGGALIN NA NATIN ANG PANGULO AT HUWAG NG HINTAYIN ANG 2016 ELECTION...... SIGURADONG ANG UUPO AY ANG NAGHAHARING KAWATAN NOGNOG...... UMAANGAT NA NGA KAHIT MAY KABAGALAN ANG EKONOMIYA NG PINAS.... GUSTO BA NINYONG IBALIK SA PANAHON NG MGA DIKTATURANG KAWATAN MARCOS?...... SUSGINOO.
Pinaka malaking Boodle boodle fight from Aparri to Jolo ng mga Mandarambong at mga Kawatan.
enough of this Mamasapano.. the families are being used by intrigeros.. lalo na ang simbahan katolika. If I were the government.. better tax the church if they want to meddle into politics.. WE ARE SICK AND TIRED OF THESE MAMASAPANO NEWS.. let us move on.. let the victims rest in peace.. the families are just taking advantage.. dami na ninyong nakuhang benefits.. sobra na..
TAMA KA NGA..... DAMI MGA MILITAR AT PULIS NA NAPATAY NA BAGO PA MANGYARI ANG MAMASAPANO, AT WALANG KASING LAKING BENEPISYO ANG NAKUHA NG MGA NAMATAYAN KUMPARA NGAYON SA 44SAF..... GINAGATUNGAN KASI NG MGA KAWATAN SA SIMBAHAN AT MGA KAWATANG PULITIKO ANG MGA PAMILYA NG 44SAF..... GINAGAWA NILANG MGA UTU-UTO KAGAYA NG MGA NAKIKINIG SA KANILANG SIMBAHAN.
if you have shortcomings…you're answerable to the people…stupid president not to God…don't take the name of God in vain…bakit sinasama ang God sa usapan…stupid president ka nga
hindi lang stupid, indiot pa.
HEAVY FIRE FROM WHOM?????
From NTC and the DAMASO and DAMASAS of the CBCP CULT? The COMMUNIST DOGS and PUPS? The BINAY group? Arroyo? Marcos? Estrada??
It's CLEAR, DESPERATE SHOTS BEING FIRED FROM the GARBAGE and SCUM of the earth!! TRY HARDER LOSERS!!
hoy si boy sisi sang desperate…iba-bang occasion iba-ibang istorya…hindi consistent yong script niya…cover-up lies
Ahhh.. YES YOUR BOY BINAY is really DESPERATE!! YOU ARE A REFORMED B0B0TANTE!! HA! HA! HA!
ano pakialam ni binay dito…kawatan kawatan
Everybody whose illegal racket have been put on hold because of their fear of getting incarcerated like jinggoy, Enrile, and Revilla.
"Napenas was just being used as a scapegoat"
Napenas accepted the job of being in charge. The president did not order him not to coordinate with the AFP. The President did not order him not to provide adequate protection for his men. The President did not order for the rescue team to stand down.
So, why is Napenas not the main goat?
If we didn't ban the use of foreign troops, the SAF troopers would still be alive.
Mentally retarded people don't lie...
They might be mentally challenged, but they are not evil minded...
PNOy might look like one of them, but he definitely is not...
He is just one ugly, cunning, lying motherf*cker
And you a rotten and lying supporter of crooks!
TRY HARDER PATHETIC LOSER!! HA! HA! HA!
halatang bayaran ka you're everywhere
REALLY? BOBOTANTENG RABBIT!
HES A DRUG CHEAT CYCLIST TOO..... BWAHAHAHA!!!
What "heavy fire"are the 5 authors of this article talking about ?. These are all rehashed charges of PNoy's critics, nothing new.
It's better for Pnoy to keep talking, denying and blaming others. The more he does it, the more his ignorance and irresponsibility are exposed. So it is right to deny, lie, blame others and allow a suspended general to give orders to the police rank and file. What kind of president do we have? It's a pity for those who blindly lend support to him.
I still support the President.
Continue to do what is right, Mr President .. We are praying for you .. . And thank you for what you have done for our country .. May you continue to have the strength to face all your distractors.
I am behind WHAT'S GOOD FOR MY COUNTRY and that is PNOY!
Court martial for napenas!
The biggest glaring proof of CNoy's idiotic protestation is his continued allegation that Napenas should shoulder all the blame because "he did not coordinate with the AFP."
As if the Filipinos are so ignorant that they did not understand Purisima's admission in live tv coverage, when Purisima told Napenas "Ako na ang bahala kay Catapang." when Purisima reminded Napenas on ":time on target" policy. Inamin na ni Purisima sa poubliko pero pilit pa ring baluktutin ni CNoy? See the pork king butthead's glaring stupidity?
For an incorrigible liar and Pnoy hater like you the president will always be wrong because you are a rabid supporter of crooks like Binay! Shame on you!
Hundred super like for your comment.
I don't see, please explain further.
Aquino is a complete 1DIOT.
And you a complete as!@hole!
OK! I admire this 1DIOT foe being able to JAIL the CROOKS and steer the ECONOMY TO AN ALL TIME HIGH!! So if PNOY WAS ABLE TO DO THIS and not GMA, ERAP or even MARCOS, WHAT DO YOU CALL THESE FORMER PRESIDENTS????
Critics? nansense critics, same old useless trash.
wag pansinin mga KSP nga.
Aquino claims that he's been fooled but I disagree. You can't fool who's already a fool to begin with.
The families and relatives of SAF44 should be given justice since they asked for it. Justice can only be achieved in the proper court. They should file a case. May be a class suite. But they should not also be allowed MORE compensations and donations that other soldiers and security forces did not get. Meaning the compensation they get should only be up to extent the others received. No more no less. The fund that they get from the president should be returned or credited as their advance compensation. It is UNFAIR to other relatives and families if they receive MORE with the same job and responsibilities that they gave to the mother country. They should be allowed to protest everyday, it will be there right provided they carry it within the bounds of the law. Justice in the Philippines is slow as the turtle. They should be allowed to experience it, like those martial law victims, desappearados like the missing father Romano, the Olalia case, Mangundadatu massacre, several failed coup d'etat that almost takes the life of the present president, and the failing to pinpoint the master mind of the murder of Ninoy Aquino, etc. like cases pending in courts. What they asked for direct admission of the president's liability or culpability is INJUSTICE and a short cut of due process and runs counter for the JUSTICE they seek. They should not be given a free ride to get more and excessive compensation and seeking justice in the guise of justice with political agenda. The SAF44 were heroes, but the families and relatives are not. So, let us be fair. Give justice and let the axe fall. Let them also experience the slow justice. No short cut please. They are not the favored one.
Given the numerous highly-paid experts and advisers available to him to validate the planning and oversee the operation... he elected, to just be a spectator......
Now he is reduced to hurling and tossing blame like manure.
What's next.... he will blame Abad too... saying he was fooled on DAP?
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