Napeñas: US provided intelligence, training in Mamasapano operation

Relieved Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (SAF) chief Director Getulio Napeñas on Tuesday admitted that the United States helped the police force in terms of intelligence sharing during the botched operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao but maintained that the US forces were never involved in the actual combat.

 

At the fifth and final hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs on the Mamasapano incident, Senator Ralph Recto brought back the issue of the US force's hand in the PNP-SAF operation dubbed as “Oplan Exodus”.

 

“Ano ba talaga ang naging role ng US government dito? Merong eroplanong lumilipad na nagbibigay ng aerial view sa command center ninyo. Habang nung binabaril si Marwan ng 84th SAF, napapanood ninyo in real time eh,” Recto said.

 

Recto pointed out that there were also Google Maps and drones from the US military which the SAF troopers used as guide to locate terrorists Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and Abdul Basit Usman who were the targets of the operation.

 

It was then that Napeñas admitted that the US military forces helped the PNP-SAF in terms of intelligence matters for the operation but maintained that the US forces were not involved in the actual combat.

 

Napeñas pointed to PNP Intelligence Group director Senior Supt. Fernando Mendez as the one who could better explain the details of the intelligence sharing between the US military and PNP-SAF.

 

“Tumulong ang US counterpart sa intelligence.... Meron kaming isang US counterpart doon sa Seaborne involved in the training, kasama na doon ang pag-provide ng mga maps at gamit, pero hindi kasama ang US sa operation,” Napeñas said.

 

Napeñas also reiterated his statement in previous hearings that the US soldiers seen near the encounter site were only involved in medical evacuation of the wounded SAF troopers.

 

Napeñas was about to explain the presence of US drone in the encounter site when he was cut short by Justice Secretary Leila De Lima.

 

“Your honor, excuse me.... May I remind the officer here that he is already dwelling on matters of diplomatic relations and tactical matters,” De Lima said.

 

Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs chair Senator Grace Poe, who was presiding the hearing, concurred with De Lima saying that Senate must be “very careful” in discussing sensitive matters that might affect diplomatic relations.

 

Recto yielded and did not pursue the issue further. —Elizabeth Marcelo/NB, GMA News