Who is accountable for Mamasapano? Fingers point at Purisima, Napeñas

On the continuation of the Senate investigation on the January 25 Mamasapano clash Tuesday, the question on who should be considered as the overall commander for Oplan Exodus was raised, resulting in finger-pointing among the officials present.

The question was raised by Sen. Loren Legarda, as the public order committee continued to determine the circumstances that led to the deaths of 44 policemen in a clash with Moro rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

"Who, therefore, having heard everyone and everything would we consider, [is] the head or the commander or responsible for Oplan Exodus?" Legarda asked.

First to answer was Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., who said the military had no part in Oplan Exodus.

“We cannot pinpoint who is the overall commander of this operations. I would rather the PNP (Philippine National Police) answer who really decided to launch this operation,” he said.

He added that the AFP had no prior information on the operation, which was designed to arrest two high-profile terrorist targets.

Former PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima said he was accountable for the Mamasapano clash. However, he also pointed at sacked PNP Special Action Force director Getulio Napeñas, Jr.

“The responsibility, accountability of the Oplan Exodus rest on me. I have delegated that authority to the director of SAF. The planning, direction and control of the operations [were] delegated to PNP SAF, but the accountability rests with me,” he said.

Both Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas II pointed to Purisima as the head of Oplan Exodus.

“I will consider the head of Oplan Exodus [was] former [PNP chief] Director General Purisima,” Gazmin said.

Purisima was on suspension during the planning of the operation and time of the Mamasapano clash in connection with a graft case. He resigned as PNP chief in the aftermath of the encounter.

Roxas concurred with Gazmin, but added that Napeñas should also share the responsibility for what happened.

“Director General Purisima as well as the head of SAF director who executed the mission, Director Napeñas,” he told Legarda, once again pointing out that he and PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina were not informed of the operation.

“Precisely, whether it is advice or order, there was an overt attempt to keep this away from the OIC PNP and from the SILG (Secretary of Interior and Local Government),” Roxas said.

In reply to Legarda's question, Napeñas said: “The operation of Oplan Exodus, I am the ground commander and I was the one responsible in the carrying out the operation plan.”

“However,  would like to say this… I would just like to point out your honor that this Operation Exodus only started when the intelligence was given to me, when I was called by police Director General Purisima sometime in November last year,” he added.

“After we worked on the operation plan, it was approved by then Chief PNP when he was still active,” said Napeñas, who was sacked as a result of the clash. —KBK/NB, GMA News