MANILA, Philippines - Under fire from Malacañang, the Philippine National Police Board of Inquiry (BOI) is standing by its findings on the clash between PNP Special Action Force (SAF) commandos and Muslim rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
“With God as our witness, we just did our jobs the best we can,” one of the BOI investigators told The STAR yesterday.
Another investigator said, “We stand by our findings.”
The probers, all of whom asked not to be named, said they scrutinized every piece of evidence and all the statements of survivors and came out with conclusions that spare no one, even those in power, who may be held liable for the operation that resulted in the slaughter of 44 SAF operatives on Jan. 25.
“Any accused has the right to defend himself or herself. There is a proper time and a proper forum to prove anybody’s guilt or innocence,” another member of the team said.
The group also stands behind BOI head Director Benjamin Magalong for coming out with a credible report despite many challenges.
But investigators said they are leaving it to PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina to defend the BOI report since the panel has finished its task.
Investigators refused to comment further to avoid fueling political debates on the issue after Malacañang and the Department of Justice rebuked the BOI’s findings last Saturday.
The BOI found that President Aquino broke the chain of command when he exercised his authority to deal with now sacked SAF commander Director Getulio Napeñas in the execution of Operation Plan Exodus, which targeted Malaysian terrorist and bomb expert Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan in Mamasapano.
The BOI said in its report that the President broke the PNP chain of command when he bypassed Espina and dealt directly with his close friend suspended PNP Director General Alan Purisima, now resigned.
The BOI also found that Oplan Exodus was defective and that Napeñas failed to efficiently supervise the command and control tactics during the plan’s execution.
Purisima erred when he assumed duties as PNP chief even he was already suspended by the Ombudsman for graft charges and when he failed to coordinate with Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang for reinforcements for the SAF. There was also a seeming lack of urgency from the President and his security officials to act on Napeñas’ calls for reinforcements, the BOI added.
The BOI further noted that while it obtained information from key personalities, these were still limited because it failed to secure an interview with the President, Purisima, Catapang and Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero, commander of the Western Mindanao Command. Guerrero just submitted his affidavit to the body.
AFP Public Affairs Office chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc yesterday said that in due time, the military would comment on the BOI report that the AFP was less cooperative with the probe body in the investigation.
Lacson supports BOI findings
Former PNP chief and senator Panfilo Lacson expressed support for the BOI and lauded Magalong for coming out with a credible report despite apparent pressures from higher-ups.
In his Twitter account, Lacson posted a message for Magalong: “Your career ends when you retire; your character stays until the day you die. You can’t go wrong with the truth.”
Lacson also said he had “good reasons to believe that truth is the most important feature of the BOI report” despite its limitations, and that the people behind the report “deserve commendation” because they did their job well “without fear or favor.”
But retired Gen. Leocadio Santiago Jr., a former SAF commander, said the President did not break the chain of command since he is covered by “presidential prerogative” in dealing with subordinates at the PNP or the AFP.
Santiago slammed the BOI report for not touching on the real cause of the delay in reinforcements, which he attributed to the ceasefire mechanisms of the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panel.
“It omitted that the committee on cessation of hostilities can only assert its authority on government forces, and if only advantageous to the MILF. That is the only time that the MILF will honor it,” he noted. – With Jaime Laude