Enrile seeks admin's explanation over US role in police op vs. Marwan

Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile on Wednesday said the administration must explain why US troops were allowed to participate in the Philippine National Police's efforts to neutralize high-value terrorist Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan.

During the re-opening of the Senate investigation on the Mamasapano incident, former PNP Special Action Force (SAF) commander Gen. Getulio Napeñas Jr. confirmed that the US government provided intelligence, training and equipment support for "Oplan Exodus," the ill-fated police operation aimed to neutralize Marwan and Filipino bomb-maker Abdul Basit Usman.

Over 60 people, including 44 SAF members, were killed in the conduct of the operation.

US joint task force

Napeñas said a joint US task force based in Zamboanga City—which he described as a “civilian-military” component of the US government—as the unit that provided the support.

He said that during and after the implementation of Oplan Exodus, the US joint task force also provided assistance in terms of “humanitarian and medical evacuation” as well as “investigation.”

Asked by Enrile on what kind of investigation was extended by the US joint task force, Napeñas said the task force conducted the DNA examination on the severed finger of Marwan taken by the SAF commandos during the operation.

“I am referring to the finger that was severed and was given to them (joint task force) for the confirmation of the DNA in relation to the brother of Marwan,” Napeñas said.

Napeñas, however, cannot confirm is some members of the US joint task force belong to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).“The word CIA was never mentioned during our dealings [with them],” he said.

"Real-time intelligence"

Napeñas, however, reiterated that the US joint task force was providing “real-time intelligence” support during the operation.

It was then that Enrile questioned why a US unit was providing intelligence and other form of support in a purely police matter when the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) only covers joint operations between US and Philippine military.

“I ask this question because the VFA, to my recollection deals only with military cooperation between RP and the US. It does not cover police operations which is actually nothing more than the enforcement of the criminal laws of the Philippines handled by the police organization of the country,” Enrile said.

“And these criminal laws are strictly territorial except for a few exceptions,” he added.

For his part, Napeñas explained that the US government probably extended support to the SAF operation due to the Philippine and the US governments' shared fight against terrorism.

“The top priority of the mission is to counter-terrorism. This (SAF operation) is a part of the war against terrorism... I believe it must be the reason they (US joint task force) are dealing with us in so far as counter-terrorism is concerned, your honor,” Napeñas said.

US interest

Still, Enrile maintained that the US' involvement in the bloody incident must be investigated further, especially as it was the US government who also provided a reward for Marwan's capture.

“This is something that the government should explain - Why they allowed a police matter to include US participation. This has to be looked at,” he said.

Napeñas confirmed that aside from the P7-million reward offered by the Philippine government for Marwan's capture, the US government offered a separate $5-million reward.

“Why, what is the interest of US government to Marwan?” Enrile asked.

Napeñas said the US government was after Marwan since he was believed to be behind the bombing in Bali, Indonesia, in 2002 wherein more than 200 people perished.

“There were some Americans who died there,” Napeñas said. —KBK, GMA News