Purisima denies hand in Mamasapano operation

Published February 6, 2015 7:02pm

(EXCLUSIVE, Updated 8:12 p.m.) Resigned national police chief Director General Alan Purisima on Friday denied that he was the one giving orders during the January 25 operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, which left 44 elite policemen dead.

Purisima made the denial in an interview on "24 Oras" shortly after President Benigno Aquino III, in a televised address, announced that he has accepted Purisima's resignation.

"Ako po'y suspendido, hindi po ako nagmamando duon," Purisima said. "Hindi po ako nagmamando dahil iyon po ay papel ng ground commander."

Instead, Purisima said he was the one who gave the "intelligence package" to the Special Action Force to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan and Filipino bomb maker Abdul Basit Usman.

"Ako po ang nagbigay ng intelligence package kaya alam ko kung papaano 'yung nangyayari sa lugar," he said.

Napeñas

Purisima also denied that he asked then-SAF commander Police Director Getulio Napeñas Jr. to keep the operation under wraps from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and even top government and police officials.

"Sila po ang nagplano nito at hindi po natin inutos na ganito ang gawin nila. 'Yan po ang naging rekomendasyon nila na gagawin po nila kasi 'yung po sa tingin nila kung paano magiging tagumpay ang operasyon," he said.

In separate statements, Napeñas and Aquino said that Purisima was involved in SAF's operations against Marwan and Usman since he was appointed chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Purisima also denied that he was in Zamboanga City with Aquino on January 25 to wait for the supposedly successful SAF mission.

Resignation

Purisima said it was his decision to resign as the PNP chief, a position he held since December 17, 2012 until he was suspended on December 2014 by the Ombudsman over an alleged murky courier deal.

The resignation, which is effective immediately, was made to allow Aquino to freely work on the Mamasapano issue, he said.

"I am tendering my resignation as chief of the Philippine National Police so that His Excellency may have more room to act and move to address the situation which is affecting the whole nation," his resignation letter, which he read on air, stated.

Purisima also expressed his sympathies to the fallen 44 SAF troopers during the interview.

"Allow me to express my sympathies, to my fellow SAF policemen . Yes, I once was a SAF and I know the sacrifice each and every member do for his job. To this, I salute to the brave and gallant 44 SAF personnel," he said.

Promises to attend hearings

Despite his resignation, different government officials such as Senate President Franklin Drilon and Vice President Jejomar Binay urged the PNP chief to face the probe on the Mamasapano clash.

To this, Purisima confirmed that he will attend the Senate hearing on the event on Monday.

"Opo, pupunta po tayo para matulungan po na maisiwalat ang katotohanam patungkol po sa operation dito po sa Mamasapano, Maguindanao," he said. —KBK/NB, GMA News

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