BOI tags Purisima in Mamasapano tragedy from a report by Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News Posted at 03/12/2015

BOI tags Purisima in Mamasapano tragedy

from a report by Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News

Posted at 03/12/2015 8:58 PM | Updated as of 03/12/2015 9:08 PM

6 Americans in tactical command post

MANILA - Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima is front and center in the Board of Inquiry (BOI) report on the Mamasapano tragedy where 67 people, including 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos, died.
ABS-CBN News saw several pages of the BOI report on the Mamasapano operation that detailed Purisima's role and mistake.
The report begins with a disclaimer, citing limitations on the tight schedule given to the BOI, and its failure to secure interviews from several key personalities such as President Aquino, Purisima, and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officials.
According to the report, Purisima submitted a copy of his January 25 SMS exchanges with Aquino.
Only a few of the text messages had time stamps.
The BOI also noted an unusually long gap in the text messages between Purisima and Aquino that day.
The board also did not have access to the details of Aquino's visit in Zamboanga while the SAF troopers were in a firefight in Maguindanao.
The report also reveals there were three high value targets during the operation in Mamasapano -- terrorists Marwan and Basit Usman, and another Malaysian bombmaker Amin Baco.
The BOI report also details the briefing that happened in Bahay Pangarap in Malacanang last January 9.
In the report, then-SAF Director Getulio Napenas recalled that he accompanied Purisima and PNP Intelligence Group head Senior Superintendent Fernando Mendez for the briefing of the mission update and concept of operation with President Aquino.
After the President was briefed, Napenas said the President reminded them to coordinate with the AFP.
Napenas, Mendez, and Purisima had qualms about coordinating with the AFP, fearing the operation would be compromised.
Aquino asked the PNP officials if they really distrusted the AFP. They gave no reply.
The President allegedly sat in silence.
Napenas and Mendez then left Aquino and Purisima in the room.
After the meeting, Napenas said Purisima approached him and Mendez and said not to tell the "two" about the operation until it was already underway.
Purisima also told them that he would be the one to deal with AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr.
Napenas intepreted the "two" as Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and PNP officer-in-charge Leonardo Espina.
AMERICAN ROLE
The report also details the American involvement in the operation.
The report said Napenas revealed that they were coordinating with their US counterparts prior to the launch of the operation with regard to information on Marwan and Usman.
Superintendent Michael John Mangahis also revealed that there were 6 Americans in the tactical command post in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao to give real-time information at the eve of the operation.
US forces were also on hand to help in the medical evacuation of wounded SAF trooper after the firefight.
The finger that was extracted from the slain Marwan as DNA proof was turned over to FBI agents in General Santos City on January 28.
The BOI said Purisima lost all of his powers as PNP chief when he was suspended last December.
Only the PNP chief can approve an operation involving a huge number of policemen.
Purisima was still suspended when the briefing with the President was held, so the approval should have come from Espina according to the doctrine of chain of command.
The BOI said Espina was never consulted on Oplan Exodus.
It was Purisima who had knowledge and participation in the operation, even though he no longer had any say on the matter.
PURISIMA BLASTS NAPENAS, ROXAS, ESPINA
The Senate, meanwhile, has released a position paper submitted by Purisima.
Purisima's paper, dated March 11, 2015, lays the blame for the Mamasapano operation on Napenas.
The former PNP chief said that although he had operational control of the operation, he turned over control to Napenas.
Purisima also criticized both Espina and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas. - with reports from ANC