Emotional Army general: All efforts done to help SAF

MANILA, Philippines – Another general broke down in the Mamasapano investigation as 6th Infantry Division Commander Major General Edmundo Pangilinan lamented continuing allegations that the military failed to extend enough help to beleaguered elite cops. 

Pangilinan turned emotional in the Senate hearing on Tuesday, February 24, as relieved Special Action Force (SAF) commander Getulio Napeñas again blamed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for failing to provide artillery support to SAF commandos under fire in the Mamasapano clash. 

Senators held an executive session with police and military officers Tuesday morning for the very purpose of avoiding a public blame game pitting the police against the military.

Senate public order committee chairperson Grace Poe asked Napeñas to publicly acknowledge the help the AFP extended to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

While Napeñas began by thanking the AFP, he ended up blaming the lack of artillery that he said could have avoided the death of 44 SAF commandos.

It was at this point that Pangilinan turned teary-eyed and raised his voice in response. 

“Nagpapasalamat po ako at least narecognize nila kahit napakaliit at nabawasan ang sakit na naramdaman ko sa ngayon. Ang ‘di ko matanggap: nagpasalamat but just the same we are still blamed for the death [of the SAF commandos] at ‘yun po ang masakit sa akin,” Pangilinan said.

(I thank you for at least somehow recognizing in a small degree our contributions, and the pain I feel now was alleviated. What I cannot accept is that you thanked us but just the same, we are still being blamed for the death of the SAF commandos.)

Pangilinan said that he and Napeñas already talked in executive session, where he “made many revelations” that he has not brought up before. He said top security officials ordered him to avoid further clashing with the PNP, and aggravating the “wound” of their subordinates who suffered lower morale.

“Pero paano naman ang damdamin namin? Paano ang damdamin ng mga tumulong? Iyan po ang masakit sa akin.I do not want to be emotional here. Naibigay ko na po sa inyo lahat,” Pangilinan said.

(How about our feelings? How about the feelings of those who helped? This is what is painful to me. I gave you my all.)

Pangilinan told Napeñas: “But just the same, thank you sir for recognizing at least, our very little effort, what you think are very little efforts. But for me, all the efforts were done in order for you to be helped in spite of the things you’ve done, not coordinating with us.”

This is the fifth Senate hearing into the Mamasapano clash that also killed 18 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and 3 civilians. The SAF troopers were on a mission to arrest Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan but Moro rebels and armed men overwhelmed the policemen as they were withdrawing from the area. 

Since the first Senate hearing and one hearing in the House of Representatives, police and military officials have been exchanging allegations on the SAF’s lack of coordination, and the AFP’s delay in sending reinforcements that supposedly contributed to the heavy death toll.

Napeñas’ half-baked thank you

The episode started when Senator Loren Legarda asked Napeñas for lessons learned, and if the tragedy would have happened if the SAF coordinated with the AFP.

Napeñas acknowledged that the “we could have done better” and the military was a “very big help” in providing mechanized and infantry support, and in rescuing the policemen. 

Yet he then recounted “with due respect” how previous operations coordinated with the AFP failed. He even mentioned an operation of the military in June 2014 when soldiers were unsuccessful in arresting Marwan. (READ: Why SAF didn’t trust the military)

“I don’t know if they knew the location of Marwan in Pinsandawan. I don’t know if they have been following up the location of Marwan from the time he left in the June 10 operation then transferred to Pinsandawan,” Napeñas said.

Yet it was his last statements that sparked Pangilinan’s emotional response. 

Napeñas said: “I would just like to say this from the way I feel. Had we been given the support of artillery which we have been asking since the very morning that day, have we been given that they are requiring 3 requirements, forward observer, the coordinates and all those things, maybe we could gave complied with it.”  

In previous hearings, Pangilinan explained that the AFP could not grant the SAF’s request for artillery support because the 3 requirements were not met. He enumerated these as the location of the enemy or target, the location of the troops and friendly fire, and a forward observer who will direct the fire. 

Napeñas said: “The reason they (AFP) gave us is there were civilians in the area which I later answered that there were no more civilians because of the fighting. Maybe if we were given the 3 requirements to comply [with] to avail of the artillery, maybe we could have done this, and avoided this incident of losing 44 lives.”

Poe admonished Napeñas for his half-baked gratitude. The senator said Napeñas was given an opportunity to speak in the hearing and the executive session precisely to mend the PNP’s rift with the AFP.

“All of us have faults here. The military can also say, for example, that you could have coordinated earlier. We are not siding with anyone here but if that is how you say thank you that you will withdraw with your accusations, then that is for nothing,” said Poe.

The chairperson said the meeting should have ended productively.

“We will include this in our writing what the AFP also did. It’s not possible that the AFP did nothing.” – Rappler.com