AFP, PNP leaders told: Shut up and apologize

MANILA, Philippines - Just shut up and apologize.

That's the suggestion of Sen. JV Ejercito to the top brass of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) amid the confusion on the covert police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

On Wednesday, the AFP and PNP held separate press conferences to give their respective versions of the incident that led to the death of 44 members of the police’s Special Action Force.

Ejercito said police and military officials must "refrain from rubbing salt into the wounded hearts of the families" of the slain elite cops.

"Instead of explaining things right now, APOLOGIES for what happened in Mamasapano are the best things to do," Ejercito said in a statement posted on his Facebook page.

"Any conflicting words of explanation relayed to media would only create confusion, not only in the hearts and minds of the SAF personnel and relatives, but to the general public as well," the senator added.

Ejercito said the officials should stop the blame game as it appears that they are trying to conceal the truth.

"Discussing problems in coordination, failure of communications, and lack of intelligence are not only the issues here. In fact, the people's sentiment with this finger-pointing is that all of our generals are trying to hide something," Ejercito said.

The military and police defended their actions Wednesday, with AFP chief of staff General Gregorio Catapang admitting that military troops were sent to Mamasapano mainly to extricate the SAF troopers and not to join the clash against Muslim rebels.

The Palace denied yesterday that the Mamasapano fiasco has created a rift between the PNP and AFP.

"Wala pong hidwaan o wala pong pag-aaway na nagaganap sa pagitan ng AFP at PNP. Sila po ay nagkakaisa sa ilalim ng iisang bandila at republika, at ginagampanan po nila ang kanilang tungkulin ng tapat sa bandila at tapat sa republika,” Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said during a press briefing in Malacañang.