Napeñas: AFP once withdrew support from mission after PNP didn’t coordinate with MILF

The military withdrew its support for an earlier mission to capture international terrorist Zukifli bin Hir alias Marwan because the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force didn't coordinate with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, former SAF chief Director Getulio Napeñas told a House inquiry on Tuesday.

Napeñas said that on April 25, 2014, the PNP did not push through with its earlier operation to arrest Marwan dubbed as “Oplan Wolverine” after the Philippine Army's 6th Infantry Division suddenly withdrew its commitment to provide Mechanized Brigade units to support the operation.

 

When asked by Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles on why the Army withdrew support for the operation, Napeñas revealed that the AFP learned that the PNP did not coordinate with the MILF about the operation.

 

“Habang under way yung mga tao namin, kailangan daw mag-coordinate sa MILF before na ilaunch ang operation, sa kadahilanan na yun winithdraw nila yung commitment na suportahan (kami) with mechanized brigade,” Napeñas said.

 

Napeñas said that on June 10 also last year, the Army's 6th ID “all of a sudden” conducted an operation to arrest Marwan without coordination with the SAF who is also planning a similar operation to arrest the US most-wanted terrorist.

 

“So yung ginawa namin, hindi na namin kinonsider yung coordination sa AFP before the operation, instead we recommended na kung nandun na mismo yung assault force sa lugar, saka lang namin sabihan yung Armed forces of the Philippines,” Napeñas said referring to the SAF's implementation of Oplan Exodus on January 25.

 

Guerrero, however, maintained that the January 25 incident was an “isolated” case.
 

“I believe that overall, in my command, under the Westmincom, we have no problem with conducting law enforcement operations jointly with the PNP. We have conducted joint operations with the PNP previously with success because we have very good coordination,” Guerrero said.

 

Guerrero also denied Napeñas' claim that the Army conducted operation to arrest Marwan on June 10 without coordination with the PNP.

 

“The June 10 operation was made in coordination with the local PNP Maguindanao and not with the SAF, because the SAF headquarters is in Manila,” Guerrero said.

 

“Even today, as we speak, there are operations being conducted jointly by the AFP and PNP...We just have to plan our operations properly so that we can achieve the 'elements of surprise'. This is the issue being raised by Napeñas,” Guerrero said.