Purisima invited to Senate probe on SAF-MILF clash

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Grace Poe said suspended Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Alan Purisima should explain before the Senate how his name got dragged into the police operation in Maguindanao, which left 44 elite cops dead. 

The Senate committees on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, and Peace, Unification and Reconciliation will probe the incident on Wednesday, February 4.

In an interview with dzBB’s Nimfa Ravelo on Sunday, February 1, Poe said the following officials have been invited to attend the probe:

• Interior Secretary Mar Roxas
• Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin
• PNP Officer-in-Charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina
• 6th Infantry Division chief Major General Edmundo Pangilinan
• Relieved PNP SAF commander Police Director Getulio Napeñas Jr
• Suspended PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima
• Government peace panel negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer
• Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) negotiator Mohagher Iqbal

Poe said the probe aims to figure out who ordered the operation last January 25, when some 392 members of the PNP’s Special Action Force (SAF) entered Mamasapano town in Maguindanao to kill two “high value” targets: bomb maker Zulkifli Abdhir, alias “Marwan” and Abdulbasit Usman. 

The clash with members of Muslim rebel group MILF has threatened to derail the ongoing peace talks between the two sides.

In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Napeñas took responsibility for the operation, but Rappler sources said it was Purisima who led the operation. 

Poe said Napeñas and Purisima are key to help shed light on the incident. (READ: Maguindanao bloodbath: 3 unanswered questions)

“Kailangan din nating malaman ano ang naging chain of command at ano ang naging kulang sa preparasyon, sinu-sino ang hindi nakagawa ng kanilang responsibilidad,” Poe said.

(We need to know the chain of command and what has been lacking in preparation. We need to know who have not done their responsibilities.)

‘Purisima should explain’

Although Purisima has been invited to the hearing, Poe said there is no guarantee the suspended PNP chief will make his appearance.

There are reports, the senator said, that Purisima is on “leave” and is currently in Saipan for a meeting.

But she added that it would be in Purisima’s best interests to attend the probe and explain how his name had gotten dragged into the issue.

“Kung ikaw ay nadadawit ang pangalan pero wala ka naman talagang kinalaman, hindi ba natural lamang sa isang tao na dipensahan ang kanyang sarili, lumabas at magsabing wala akong kinalaman dyan?” she said.

(If your name is dragged into the issue but you really had nothing to do with it, isn’t it natural for you to defend yourself, to come out and say you were not involved?)

Poe also criticized Purisima’s silence on the issue, saying it does not befit a chief of the police forces.

“Kung ikaw ay naging chief ng PNP, hindi ba dapat ay ikaw ay may malasakit sa iyong mga sinasakupan? Kahit na sabihan mong ikaw ay on leave, ikaw ang nilagay dyan. Kahit past PNP, di ba dapat ikaw ay nakikiramay?” she said.

(If you had been chief of the PNP, shouldn’t you have compassion towards your subordinates? Even if you say you are on leave, you are placed in that position. Shouldn’t you be sending your condolences?)

The senator said that if Purisima does not attend the first hearing, he will still have the chance to do so in subsequent hearings. 

She added that they will study the possibility of issuing a subpoena if Purisima fails to explain his side.

“Papayag na lamang ba kaming hindi siya dadalo? Ang hearing na ito ay di magtatagal nang isang araw lamang…Hindi man umattend si Gen. Purisima sa unang pagdinig, kung kinakailangang magpadala ng mas malakas na demand o subpoena, ‘yan po ay ating kailangang gawin para malaman kung ano ang dapat gawin.”

(Will we just accept that he won’t attend? This hearing won’t last for just one day…Even if Gen Purisima fails to attend this first hearing, if we need to send a stronger demand or subpoena, we will do so for us to know our next steps.)

In the dzBB interview, the senator also said that Napeñas’ explanation is key to the Senate probe.

Poe said that as commander of the SAF, and as head of a “complicated” mission, Napeñas must have been in contact with higher-ups. (READ: Inside story: SAF kept military out of the loop)

“Ito po ay isang kumplikadong misyon na naniniwala akong meron pa siyang dapat kinausap at kung wala syang kinausap na mas mataas sa kanya talagang naging mali ang kanilang operasyon,” Poe said.

(This is a complicated mission in which I believe Napeñas should have spoken with someone else, and if he did not talk to a superior, there must have been something wrong in their operation.)

She added: “Pero di ako naniniwala sa ganoon dahil sa tingin ko ang isang SAF commander ay may tungkulin sa kanilang organisasyon na magtanong sa susunod na nakakataas. Kaya talagang si Gen Napeñas susi dito sa ating pagdinig.“

(But I don’t believe that happened, because in my view a SAF commander has a responsibility to ask his higher-ups. So Gen Napeñas really is key to this probe.) – Rappler.com