BOI notes 'unusually long gap' in Purisima's transcript of SMS exchange with PNoy 

The Philippine National Police Board of Inquiry noted the "unusually long gap" in the exchange of text messages between President Benigno Aquino III and resigned PNP chief Dir. Gen. Alan Purisima on January 25, when the Mamasapano clash was taking place.

 

In its report released to the public on Friday, the BOI said Purisima refused to turn over his phone for investigation, submitting a transcript of his SMS exchanges with Aquino instead.

 

"The BOI also observed that there appears to be an unusually long gap or an absence of SMS exchange between PDG Purisima and the President after 11:38 a.m. and before 06:20 p.m.," the inquiry board said.

 

It added that they could not determine from the transcript whether the absence of SMS exchange between him (Purisima) and the President between those times "indicates an absence of communication between the two individuals during that period," or whether Purisima "did not include in the transcript their SMS exchanges for that period."

 

The BOI said the transcript Purisima submitted "did not consistently indicate the time" for each message, with only five having a time stamp.

 

It added that they could not determine from the transcript "if the 11 messages... were the only SMS exchanges" between the two on that day."

 

The inquiry board listed the transcript of this exchange as one of the limitations of their report.

 

Early updates

 

The transcript of text messages, which Purisima also submitted to the Senate panel investigating on the Mamasapano clash, indicated that he sent the first message to Aquino at 5:45 a.m., informing the president that Marwan was killed when Special Action Force troopers implemented Oplan Exodus.

 

Read: SMS exchange between PNoy and Ex-PNP chief Purisima on Mamasapano clash

 

In the message, he mentioned that Marwan's remains were left behind "but pictures were taken," adding that the troopers "are not withdrawal phase and progress report to follow."

 

The said message came even before top security officials found out about the operation. Purisima, who eventually resigned as PNP chief, was then serving a six-month preventive suspension.

 

Aquino replied to him nearly two hours later, at 7:36 a.m., asking, "Why was it left behind? The other two targets?"

 

An apparent confusion was seen in the exchange as Purisima clarified to Aquino that the SAF commandos were able to neutralize M1, referring to wanted international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan, before the group of known bomb-maker Abdul Basit Usman "retaliated" some 100 meters away.

 

The President also asked Purisima about why the SAF officers were not able to reach Usman if 160 SAF troopers "were directly involved in this operation," while they were dealing with 15 to 20 armed elements.

 

During the said exchange, Purisima told the President that the commandos were already "supported" by the military, which Western Mindanao Command head Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero later clarified and in effect denied. 

 

The next message that had a time stamp was sent by Aquino at 10:16 a.m., which said, "Basit should not get away." Purisima replied to him at 11:38 a.m. that he already gave advise on it, "but as of the moment, the main effort is withdrawing."

 

The last message in the transcript came from Purisima, who told Aquino at 6:20 p.m. that the operating elements "suffered heavy casualties" and "were reportedly overrun."

 

Telco incapable of tracking

 

In response of a Senate subpoena for the text messages, Smart Communications has claimed it was incapable of tracking the contents of the exchange between Aquino and Purisima. 

 

It added that it could only release the time log of the controversial text messages, provided that a court order or written consent from the subscriber is given.

 

Earlier, law experts interviewed by GMA News Online said the Senate could only subpoena text messages between the two officials that were already made public. —JST, GMA News