Napeñas’ lawyer denies sacked SAF chief ‘fooled’ PNoy

The camp of Director Getulio Napeñas Jr. on Tuesday denied that the relieved Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) chief “fooled” President Benigno Aquino III by sending the latter wrong information about the botched operation in Mamasapano dubbed as “Oplan Exodus.”

 

In an exclusive interview with GMA News, Napeñas' lawyer Vitaliano Aguirre II showed a 23-page document submitted by his client to the PNP Board of Inquiry (BOI) tasked to investigate the January 25 Mamasapano encounter.

 

According to GMA News TV's “Quick Response Team”, the document contained all the text messages that Napeñas sent and received before, during and after the Mamasapano encounter.

 

Aguirre said this was just one of the many documents that Napeñas has submitted to the BOI to explain his side on what really transpired before, during and after the bloody encounter that cost the lives of 44 PNP Special Action Force commandos.

 

Aguirre said these documents would prove that Napeñas has been truthful to Aquino about the planning and execution of Oplan Exodus.

 

In a prayer gathering in Malacañang on Tuesday, Aquino enumerated the errors allegedly committed by Napeñas during the Mamasapano operation which resulted to the high number of casualties on the side of the PNP.

 

Aquino said he had instructed Napeñas to coordinate with the military days before the execution of the operation, contrary to the latter's claim that there was an agreement that the coordination should be “time on target” or when the SAF troopers were already in the target area.

 

Aquino also said that he was “fooled” by Napeñas by giving him wrong information about the operation.

 

Aguirre, however, said that Aquino should not blame Napeñas for not coordinating with the military as it has earlier been revealed by Napeñas that the then suspended PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima has told him after a briefing in Malacañang Palace that he will be the one to inform AFP chief of staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang about the operation.

 

Napeñas has also revealed ealier that Purisima told him to not to inform Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and PNP acting officer-in-charge Deputy Director Leonardo Espina about the operation until the SAF men are already in the target area.

 

Aguirre said Aquino's claim that Napeñas fooled him by giving wrong information about Oplan Exodus bares no logic as his client would gain nothing by doing so.

 

“Sino lang naman ba si Napeñas para itong ganito kalaking operasyon ay solohin niya ang desisyon? Ito'y alam ng kanyang superior, although suspendido pero siya (Purisima) ang namamahala. The President was also briefed of this mission,” Aguirre said.

 

Aguirre admitted that Napeñas was hurt by Aquino's pronouncements on Tuesday.
 

“Masakit na masakit yun kay Napeñas, yun sinasabi na binola siya (Aquino) o sinolo niya ang desisyon, e hindi naman ganun ang nangyari,” Aguirre said.

 

Aguirre also slammed Aquino for failing to cite the participation and the supposed lapses of Purisima in the botched operation instead of putting all the blame on Napeñas.

 

“Bakit kahapon ay hindi man lang nabanggit ng ating Pangulo kung ano ang naging role ni General Purisima at saka yung liability ni General Purisima? Bakit ang solong pinananagot niya ay si Napeñas?,” Aguirre said.

 

“Ang kitang kita ni Napeñas ay ang pinagkakatiwalaan niya at pinamamahala niya bilang head ng operation ay si General Purisima,” Aguirre added. —Elizabeth Marcelo/NB, GMA News