Napeñas disobeyed PNoy’s order to coordinate with Espina –Palace

Malacañang on Wednesday once again faulted relieved PNP-Special Action Force commander Director Getulio Napeñas Jr. in connection with the Mamasapano incident, this time for his failure to inform PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina about the operation.

At a press briefing, presidential spokesman Secretary Edwin Lacierda repeatedly said that President Benigno Aquino III ordered Napeñas to coordinate with Espina on the Mamasapano operation, which left 44 police commandos dead.

“The President ordered General Napeñas to coordinate with OIC Espina. That wasn't followed, and that's borne out by the testimony of General Napeñas,” Lacierda said.

During a Senate inquiry on Monday, Napeñas said then-suspended PNP chief Director General Purisima, after a private meeting with Aquino, told him not to tell Espina and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas about the operation, which was designed to capture two wanted terrorists.

Purisima, however, said what he said to Napeñas was an advice and not an order.

Purisima ‘not in the line of authority’

Asked if Purisima muddled Aquino’s instructions by giving his “advice” to Napeñas, Lacierda did not give an answer, saying he will “be guilty of Monday-morning quarterbacking.”

Aquino’s spokesman instead pointed out that Purisima “was no longer in the line of authority” during his meeting with Aquino and Napeñas.

“What he [Purisima] has was actionable intelligence which he had before he was suspended. So, again, you’re looking at the concept of a certain construct, a chain of command construct, which does not apply in a civilian organization like the PNP,” Lacierda said.

He, however, deferred comment when asked if Purisima, who resigned as PNP chief after the Mamasapano incident, had command responsibility for the operation.

Lacierda also could not give a response when asked why Aquino didn’t speak directly to Espina regarding the Mamasapano operation.

He further said that it is up to the different bodies probing the incident to conclude if Purisima, Aquino’s longtime pal, was indeed orchestrating or leading the operation despite his suspension.

In an earlier speech, Aquino said Napeñas gave “very minimum compliance” to his order to ensure proper coordination with the military and top police officials before the Mamasapano operation.

Aquino, in another speech, also said Napeñas had at least three opportunities to abort the mission, since the situation on the ground during the Mamasapano operation was already different from what the SAF prepared for. —KBK, GMA News