Emotional Army exec to ex-SAF chief: We did everything to help your men

A Philippine Army official turned emotional on Tuesday after relieved PNP-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) chief Director Getulio Napeñas maintained that the military failed to provide artillery support to his men during the deadly January 25 Mamasapano encounter.

During the continuation of the Senate inquiry on the incident, Major General Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, held back tears as he told Napeñas that military troops did everything to help the embattled PNP-SAF officers.

Forty-four police commandos died in a firefight with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and its breakaway group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), last January 25.

"For me, all the efforts were given. All the efforts were done, in order for you to be helped, in spite of the things you’ve done, not coordinating with us,” Pangilinan told Napeñas during the hearing.

The Army official added that his subordinates are still hurting from accusations that the military abandoned the PNP-SAF during the incident.

"Papaano naman ang damdamin namin? Paano naman po ang damdamin ng mga taong tumulong? Iyan po ang masakit sa akin,” he said.

No artillery support

Pangilinan issued this statement shortly after Napeñas acknowledged how the military helped in the Mamasapano clash, after being prodded by Senator Grace Poe.

"Contrary to reports in the media that the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] did not help us, we acknowledge and I would say they gave us big help. Napakalaki po iyong pagtulong nila sa amin,” the former SAF chief said.

He, however, maintained that more SAF officers could have been saved if the AFP provided artillery support during the incident.

"I would also like to say this, the way I feel. Had we been given the support of artillery, which we have been asking from the morning of that day, had we been given three requirements, forward observer, the coordinates and all those things, maybe we could have complied with it,” Napeñas said.

"If we were given those three requirements to comply, to avail of the artillery, maybe we could have avoided the loss of 44 lives,” he added.

Poe: Don’t thank, then blame

Poe, who is heading the Senate inquiry, called out Napeñas after his statements, saying he should not blame the AFP any further for the Mamasapano incident.

"Kung ganun po ang pagpapasalamat, na babawian naman po ng pambibintang, ay nawawala rin. Bumabalik po tayo doon sa ating punto na kinakailangan ay tumuloy-tuloy tayo sa pag-usad nito, sa isang produktibong pamamaraan,” Poe said.

"Lahat tayo ay may kakulangan dito. Kaya nga tayo nandito. Lahat tayo may kakulangan, at humingi ng mga pribilehiyo kayo para makapag-usap sa isang executive session para hindi na ito lumala pa ng pagtututuro,” she added.

Pangilinan, for his part, thanked Napeñas, but also maintained that the ex-SAF chief should stop blaming the AFP for the deaths of the police commandos in the Mamasapano clash.

"Una ho ako po ay nagpapasalamat dahil na-recognize din nila, kahit napakaliit, at nabawasan yung sakit na nararamdaman ko ngayon,” Pangilinan said. "Ang hindi ko po matanggap, nagpasalamat, pero just the same, we are still blamed for the death. Iyon po ang masakit sa akin.”

Earlier in the day, PNP and AFP officials held an executive session with senators to try to settle issues concerning the Mamasapano incident. —KBK, GMA News