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MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – A total of 20 senators have signed the Senate report holding President Benigno Aquino III “ultimately responsible” for the botched police Special Action Force (SAF) operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, as of late Wednesday afternoon, Mach 18.
The report disagreed with the Malacañang position that there is no chain of command in the Philippine National Police (PNP) because it is a civilian agency. The number is more than the needed majority vote of at least 13 to transmit the report to the plenary for approval. (READ: Senate draft report: ‘Aquino must bear responsibility’)
The report said the biggest mistake of the President was allowing his close friend, suspended police chief Director General Alan Purisima, to continue his participation in the SAF operation even as he served a suspension order over graft charges.
The SAF’s decision not to properly coordinate with the military, the report added, was a “fatal mistake” because military resources could have saved the pinned down SAF commandos.
The report recommended criminal charges against Purisima, sacked SAF commander Director Getulio Napeñas, and the killers of the SAF commandos. (READ: FULL TEXT: Senate report on Mamasapano)
The 20 senators are the following:
- Senator Grace Poe
- Senator Francis Escudero
- Senator Vicente Sotto III
- Senator Sergio Osmeña III
- Senator Aquilino Pimentel III
- Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr
- Senator Alan Peter Cayetano
- Senator Nancy Binay
- Senator Ralph Recto
- Senator Pia Cayetano
- Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago
- Senator Jinggoy Estrada
- Senator Gregorio Honasan
- Senator Ramon Revilla Jr
- Senator JV Ejercito
- Senator Loren Legarda
- Senator Cynthia Villar
- Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV
- Senator Juan Edgardo Angara
- Senator Teofisto Guingona III
Poe chairs the committee on public order and dangerous drugs, which drafted the report with the commmittees on peace, unification, and reconciliation, and finance. – Rappler.com
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