By Jelly F. Musico
MANILA, Feb. 23 (PNA) – Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said on Monday President Benigno S. Aquino III is not in-charge of the tactical operation during the implementation of the “Oplan Exodus” in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25.
”The President gives general and strategic guidelines on how to handle any security threat, but on how to arrest, that’s the job of the tactical commander,” Gazmin told Senator Antonio Trillanes IV during the resumption of the Senate inquiry into the Mamasapano incident.
Trillanes, a former Philippine Navy officer, agreed with Gazmin, saying some sectors are trying to put the blame on the President the lack of coordination that led to the killing of the 44 Special Action Force (SAF) commandos in an encounter with combined forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).
”A lot of people are angry with President Aquino because he knew already the situation but he did nothing,” Trillanes said.
Trillanes lauded Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. for explaining during the Senate public hearing the chain of command.
”The presentation of General Catapang was very helpful. The President has been given complete picture but he left to the senior commanders to give the proper advice. The ideal situation, the tactical and operational commanders are left unto themselves to deal with the situation,” Trillanes explained.
”The President is not in-charge of all the operation in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. He should not be the tactical decision maker. It’s not like that,” he added.
In the “Oplan Exodus” aimed at capturing two high profile terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and Basit Usman, relieved SAF chief Director Getulio Napenas was the ground commander.
Napenas insisted that he followed the advice of then suspended PNP Chief Alan Purisima to coordinate ‘time on target’ with acting PNP Chief Leonardo Espina and Interior Secretary Manuel A. Roxas as well as with Catapang.
”It should be the higher authority. I can no longer make coordination. It should be the higher authority who approved the operation. Otherwise, I will be bypassing that authority, your honor,” Napenas explained to Senator Teofisto ‘TG’ Guingona III.
”In this case, who is the higher authority?,” Guingona asked Napenas.
”In this case, it should be General Purisima because that was his statement when we left the Bahay Pangarap during the January 9 meeting with the President,” Napenas answered.
For his part, Purisima explained his job was only to inform and not coordinate with Catapang during the actual operation.
”What I volunteered to do was to inform, not coordinate,” Purisima told Guingona.
”General Napenas said it should be you who should do the coordination,” Guingona said to Purisima.
”I’m suspended in those times and the authority was already delegated to the ground commander since April of that year that we have been operating against Marwan,” Purisima replied to Guingona.
In a media interview, Senate President Franklin Drilon said Purisima did not follow the order of President Aquino to coordinate with the AFP.
”Secondly, despite his suspension, it is clear that he was the one who gave direction to SAF Director Napenas on what to do,” Drilon said.
Drilon said the Office of the Ombudsman should study the possibility of charging Purisima with usurpation of public functions. (PNA)