PNoy blasts 'KSP' critics, praises PSG

MANILA - President Aquino on Tuesday again took a swipe at his critics during the 29th anniversary of the Presidential Security Group (PSG), saying he will not hesitate to go after the corrupt even as his presidency nears its end.

In his speech, Aquino described some of his critics as "kulang sa pansin" (lacking in attention) who make up fantasies against his leadership.

He said there is a saying: "Do not disturb the rice bowl", which means that one should not touch a person's means of livelihood.

However, the President said some people continue to steal from the nation's coffers and affect many.

"I will not act blind because I will make right this system. I will be disturbing a lot of rice bowls," he said.

The President praised the PSG for its professionalism and dedication, saying the presidential guard gives him peace of mind.

He said the PSG showed its dedication when it provided security for Pope Francis during his visit to the Philippines last January.

Members of the PSG also risked their lives to protect him during the 1987 coup when his mother was president, Aquino said.

"Thanks to the PSG, I have peace of mind," he said.

He also likened the PSG to the PNP Special Action Force whose members participated in the Mamasapano operation to take out Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, last January 25.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

PNoy took 2 hours to reply to Purisima

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Prosecutors to inspect site of Mamasapano carnage

MANILA - State prosecutors who are members of the justice department's Joint Special Investigation Team probing the bloody Mamasapano encounter last January 25th between Philippine National Police (PNP) Special Action Force (SAF) commandos and Moro rebels will conduct their ocular inspection of the clash and operation site on February 26.

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima told reporters that this is the final schedule given to her by Assistant State Prosecutors Juan Pedro Navera, Irwin Maraya, Gino Paolo Santiago, Jocelyn Dugay, and Ethel Rea Suril after the inspection did not push through this week.

ABS-CBN News had earlier learned that the Joint Special Investigation Team, which also includes agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), had sought clearance from the joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCH) of the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for the conduct of the ocular inspection.

Forty-four SAF commandos were killed in the clash with fighters from the MILF, its splinter group, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and private armed groups (PAGs).

The SAF commandos were on a special mission to serve outstanding arrest warrants for alleged Bali bomber Marwan, whose real name is Zulkifli bin Hir, and his Filipino cohort, Abdulbasit Usman.

The PNP has reported that Marwan was killed in the operation.

De Lima created the Joint Special Investigation Team upon orders of President Aquino. The team is tasked to do a fact-finding investigation into the incident, and undertake the necessary case build-up for the fiing of appropriate charges against those found responsible for the bloody clash.

The clash took place amid a ceasefire agreement between the GPH and MILF; the ceasefire agreement is part of ongoing peace negotiations between the two parties.

Public outrage ensued following the bloody encounter after it was found that several of the fallen SAF troopers were "finished off" and shot at "close range," and their firearms, ammunition and personal belongings taken by the rebels.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

SAF survivors open up to senators

MANILA, Philippines - Superintendent Raymond Train and PO2 Christopher Lalan, two of the Special Action Force (SAF) police commandos who survived the Mamasapano firefight, yesterday narrated the fierce battle they had to endure in a bid to escape the bloody encounter with Muslim rebels that left 44 of their comrades dead in Maguindanao last Jan. 25.

Train and Lalan gave their statements before the senators who went into executive session at around 4:30 p.m. after almost seven hours of open hearing that started at 10 a.m. at the plenary hall.

Senators were all ears as Train recalled events which started when he and his team of 36 operatives began their trek to the lair of terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, at 2:30 a.m. from their drop-off point near Maharlika Highway.

Train led the SAF’s 84th Seaborne Company in the assault on Marwan’s hut, located 250 meters from the drop-off point. Only 13 of the assault team were able to cross the river because of strong currents.

In a debriefing, Train said he and 12 of his men proceeded with the plan to get Marwan since the others were having difficulty crossing the river. He added some of his men almost drowned in trying to get across.

Train and his men reached the target at 4:15 p.m. Marwan opened fire at the SAF team after he was alerted by the presence of the lawmen surrounding his hut.

After the initial exchange of gunfire, SAF commandos attacked the hut and Marwan was shot in the chest. The team quickly took pictures of Marwan and severed his index finger, which was later turned over to the US Federal Bureau of Investigation for DNA test.

Train said they decided to immediately withdraw from the area, fearing the exchange of fire could have alerted villagers.

Another target, Basit Usman, was able to escape the assault. His hut was about 70 meters away from Marwan’s.

Train also responded to queries of senators about how they managed to get out of the area up to the time they were rescued by a special team at 11:30 p.m. as validated by the Philippine National Police’s Board of Inquiry.

Lalan, meanwhile, told the senators that he hid near a river dike as many of his 35 comrades crawled in the vast cornfields, then still awaiting rescue.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Miriam tells Napenas: You're a failure

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago called relieved Special Action Force (SAF) director Getulio Napeñas a failure over the bloody Mamasapano operation, but stopped short of saying that he is the one solely to blame for the fiasco.

At the continuation of the Senate inquiry on Thursday, Santiago lambasted Napeñas for citing "intervening factors" in the failed anti-terror operation that left 44 SAF commandos dead.

Upon questioning, Napeñas said that according to the mission plan, the assault force was supposed to reach the target at 2:30 a.m. but "there were intervening factors that happened along the way."

"That means you're a failure, you're incompetent, because you cite intervening factors. When you make a plan, there should be no such factors. The plan should proceed very smoothly, if not perfectly," the senator told Napeñas.

"'The currents were very strong, the terrain was worse than we thought.' Ang dami niyong rason dun. Eh kayo ang nagpaplano eh."

She said the problem with Napeñas is that he is assuming full responsibility for the operation. "I doubt very much your statement that you were in full control of that operation."

According to Santiago, what happened in Mamasapano should not be called an encounter but a massacre, saying the SAF troopers "literally walked into a trap" with their escape routes fully covered by enemy forces.

"That is why we call this a massacre, not an encounter," she said, adding that there was "direct and brutal" violation of the conventions of war on the part of the Muslim rebels.

The senator was pertaining to a video showing an unidentified man shooting twice a SAF trooper who was injured and no longer able to fight back.

"Kayabang-yabang na tao, in-upload pa niya sa Youtube, dahil parang trophy of war niya yan eh. Ganun ang klaseng kalaban meron tayo," she said.

ANC, February 12, 2015

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

AFP blames lack of coordination for Mamasapano bloodbath

Purisima asked for help - AFP

MANILA – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) blamed lack of coordination between the military and the police as one of the reasons for the death of 44 Special Action Force (AFP) in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last January 25.

At the Senate hearing on the Mamasapano clash, AFP deputy chief of staff for operations Brigadier General Angelito de Leon said there are mechanisms under the ceasefire agreement between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the government involving operations against high-value targets.

He said the mechanism calls for coordination among the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), AFP, PNP, MILF, and its armed wing Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces during the implementation of operations against high-value targets.

De Leon, in his presentation, highlighted this important protocol in the wake of the Mamasapano debacle, wherein the SAF forces went on a mission to carry out the arrest of Malaysian bomb maker Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan without informing the military beforehand.

De Leon noted that ''when operating independently as a single force, PNP units shall take orders from its parent unit, but must coordinate with the nearest tactical unit of the AFP to ensure a coordinated and focused operations in the particular area."

Sacked SAF chief Getulio Napeñas admitted during the hearing that he informed the AFP about his men's operation only on the day of the operation.

He said he did this as previous efforts to arrest Marwan, which were done in coordination with the military, were bungled due to leaked intelligence information.

The AFP said it had a hard time responding to the reinforcement request as it was informed about the operation on the day itself. It said the SAF troopers were already confronted with a large number of enemies when the military was asked for reinforcement.

AFP's chronology of events

In the chronology of events provided by the AFP, Napeñas called GPH-AHJAG Chair Brig. Gen. Manolito Orense at 5:37 a.m. of January 25 to inform the latter of the raid.

Orense then called the Maguindanao police director to inquire about the raid, but the latter said he was unaware of it as well.

After Orense failed to contact his AHJAG counterpart in the MILF, Atty. Abdul Dataya, he called Col. Mel Feliciano, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade, to ask whether the latter was aware of the police operation.

Feliciano said he was not aware of the raid as well. It was at this point when Orense instructed Feliciano to provide assistance to the SAF troopers.

Five minutes after his first call at 5:37 a.m, Napeñas called Orense and told the latter that the SAF men were withdrawing and asked if they could be provided with assistance.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Army's 6th Infantry Division commander Major General Edmundo Pangilinan, read at 6 a.m. a text message sent by Napeñas at 5:06 a.m. In the message, Napeñas merely informed Pangilinan of the ongoing raid.

At 6:11 a.m. Pangilinan informed Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero of the raid.

But even before he was informed by Pangilinan about the raid, Guerrero already received a call from PNP officer-in-charge Leonardo Espina at 6:04 a.m. During the call, Espina asked for assistance for his embattled SAF troopers.

Then, at around 6:05 and 6:06 a.m., Guerrero supposedly received two text messages from then suspended PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima. In the text messages, Purisima asked if he can call Guerrero.

Guerrero called Purisima at 6:09 a.m. During the conversation, Purisima supposedly requested support from the AFP units for the SAF men.

At around 6:10 a.m. Napeñas called Guerrero as well, asking for reinforcements.

Pangilinan also learned at 6:13 a.m. that the Army's 45th Infantry Battalion, through its commander Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Bautista, was not informed about the operation to neutralize Marwan.

This, even as Bautista said a certain Inspector Santos dropped by the headquarters of the Bravo Company in Barangay Nabundas.

Pangilinan then instructed Bautista to monitor the situation and take appropriate action. Bautista organized troops and at around 6:30 a.m. deployed one fire team at Meta Bridge, one squad at round ball of Poblacion Shariff Aguak, and one squad officer-led in Brgy Timbangan, Shariff, Aguak Maguindanao.

Pangilinan then received at 6:18 a.m. a text message from Napeñas containing the grid coordinates stating the location of the embattled SAF men.

Col. General Del Rosario, commander of the Army's 1st Mechanized Brigade, at 6:33 a.m., was told by Pangilinan to prepare reinforcements. Del Rosario replied: ''Noted sir. We have alerted units here at Brigade HQS."

The 601st IB, under Feliciano, also instructed Bautista to deploy men from the 45th IB who will route security from Shariff Aguak to the vicinity of Barangay Tukanalipao, the site of the clash between the SAF blocking force and MILF fighters.

At around 6:44 am, Del Rosario received a call from a certain Supt. Mangahis of SAF, informing that their troops were engaged in a gun battle in Mamasapano.

Del Rosario supposedly instructed Mangahis to report at the Old Capitol Compound in Shariff Aguak to give a briefing on the situation in the area of their operation and location of the SAF troops.

Meanwhile, the AFP said that at around 6:48 a.m., GPH-AHJAG chairman Orense's phone calls to his MILF counterpart remained unanswered.

At around 6:50 a.m. Del Rosario confirmed to Pangilinan that the raid was carried out by the SAF troopers, and that the latter needed help in extracting wounded cops.

Following a meeting at around 7:15 a.m. with SAF deputy commander Chief Supt. Noel Taliño and Mangahis, Del Rosario informed Pangilinan about the scenario on the ground and provided an action plan to extricate the SAF men.

IMT, CCCH come to the picture

At 7:30 a.m., Maj Carlos T. Sol, GPH- Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities head of secretariat, called William Hovland, a Norwegian member of the International Monitoring Team (IMT), to inform the latter about the incident. A Joint Ceasefire Crisis Team was then formed.

At around 7:31 a.m., Orense finally received a call from Dataya. During the two AHJAG officials' conversation, Dataya said he would inform MILF's Camp Darapanan regarding the matter.

At 8:20 a.m. Del Rosario deployed Army forces to secure the main supply route from Shariff Aguak to Barangay Tukanalipao, Mamasapano.

Some soldiers were also tasked to reinforce and recover policemen from SAF's 55th Special Action Company heavily engaged in a gun fight in Tukanalipao.

It was already 9 a.m. when the Joint Ceasefire Crisis Team (JCCT) composed of representatives from GPH-CCCH, MILF-CCCH, Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Post (JCMP) of Kitango and the IMT, assembled at the IMT headquarters in Cotabato City.

The AFP said the ceasefire officials then started to move to Barangay Kuloy, Shariff, Aguak, Maguindanao to meet with Ustadz Zacaria Guma, Base Commander of 105th Base Command, BIAF-MILF and Ustadz Wahid Tundok, Base Commander of the 118th BC, BIAF-MILF.

Failed link-up
At 9:20 a.m. the AFP said troops from the 23rd Mechanized Company, 14th Mechanized Company and 62nd Division Reconnaissance Company tried to link-up with the 55th SAC, ''but failed because there was no contact and communication to them and it was open field."

At around 10:40 am, the 23rd Mechanized Company, 62nd Division Reconnaissance Company, and the other PNP-SAF troopers again tried to link-up with the 55th SAC, but this failed again as they were fired upon by the enemies.

Pangilinan, at around 10:54 a.m., told Napeñas that ceasefire officials were on their way to the clash site to stop the gun battle.

At around 11:08 am, Del Rosario told Pangilinan that the SAF men were about 1.2 kilometers from the highway of Mamasapano, but the downed SAF troops were not yet evacuated as the assessment of the area was not yet finished.

At around 11:45 a.m. the JCCT conducted an emergency dialogue with Ustadz Guma (105th BC Commander), Wahid Tundok (118th BC Commander), Mamasapano Mayor Benzar Ampatuan, JCMP Kitango members and other officials of Mamasapano in order to facilitate the ceasefire.

Combined Army, PNP forces fired upon

The AFP said at around 12:15 p.m., combined Army and PNP troops were fired upon in Tukanalipao by fighters from the MILF and its supposed breakaway group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

At around 12:45 p.m., Brig. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., GPH-CCCH chairman, called Napeñas and asked if the SAF men had already withdrawn from the area. Napeñas supposedly told Galvez that his men could not yet withdraw yet as they were still being fired upon.

At around 1:10 p.m., the JCCT arrived at the tactical command post of 4th SAF Battalion in Tukanalipao. However, armed men harassed the TCP, resulting in the damage of the front tires of three armored vehicles.

At around 1:45 pm, Pangilinan instructed Bautista to provide ''command and control'' to all army units deployed in the incident area. After this, Bautista established a tactical command post in Tukanalipao.

Negotiations for a ceasefire started only at around 2:18 p.m., when most of the SAF men in the blocking force were already dead.

''Sir, ceasefire na muna sa area. Wala na sporadic fires. Pina relocate ko DRC and SAF team sa may Hiway near the Wheeled Armored Vehicles (WAVs) para mag stop yun fired-upon sa DRC. (Co-located na yun DRC with WAVs sa Hiway now para wala muna putukan. CCCH/IMT in the area now,'' Del Rosario told Pangilinan through SMS.

Total ceasefire was declared at 4 p.m. and volunteers and vehicles were mobilized for the retrieval of casualties.

However, at around 5:15 p.m. the AFP and ceasefire officials learned that SAF's 84th Special Action Company – the group tasked to neutralize Marwan – was also engaged by the Moro rebels in a gun battle.

Nine 84th SAC troopers were killed.

Galvez supposedly informed his MILF counterpart about this. The latter said MILF forces had already pulled out and that the 84th SAC was in a BIFF-controlled area.

It was already 5:30 p.m. when combined troops started to move for the rescue and extrication operations.

At 5:35 p.m., Napeñas requested for artillery fire, and the 6th ID delivered three artillery rounds of white phosphorous for marking and reference.

Killed in action

The rescue and extrication of engaged SAF troops finally started at around 7:30 p.m. Ceasefire and local officials initially extricated five cadavers from 55th SAC, the blocking force.

Combined AFP and PNP forces linked-up and rescued 84th SAC troopers. At this point, they rescued 17 84th SAC personnel and retrieved 8 more bodies of SAF men. Eleven wounded SAF men were rescued.

Rescue and extrication efforts continued the following day, January 26, and at around 9:50 a.m., ceasefire and local officials recovered 14 more bodies. Another 16 slain SAF men, all belonging to the 55th SAC, were found at 12:28 p.m. and 12:46 p.m.

PO2 Christopher Lalan, the lone survivor from 55th SAC was rescued by Bravo Company of 45th IB at around 2:10 p.m.

The rescue and extraction operations ended at 2:36 p.m.

A wounded cop died at the Integrated Hospital Office at around 5 p.m. bringing the total number of SAF fatalities to 44.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Kin of Fallen 44 won't get US reward: official

WASHINGTON DC - Who will get the US$5 million reward for the death of Malaysian bomb-maker Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan?

According to the police attache at the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC, only civilian informants are eligible for the bounty offered by the US government.

"It is not the [Special Action Force]. As a general rule, wala pong government employee katulad ng SAF or Philippine National Police or the Philippine Army or any member of Armed Forces of the Philippines...is eligible to receive any bounty because it's part of their job to arrest a wanted person," Senior Superintendent Jose Gentiles said.

"Ang binibigyan po ng bounty are those who gave the information. It's an incentive para po ma speed up yung paglocate ng isang wanted person."

Gentiles said the identity of the informant will remain confidential.

No bounty will be given to an ineligible informant if the person turns out to be a government employee or official, he said.

A total of 44 elite police commandos from the Philippine National Police Special Action Force were killed in the January 25 operation to take out Marwan in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. The operation also claimed the lives of more than a dozen MILF rebels and civilians.

SAF troopers who killed Marwan severed his right index finger and took photos of his body because they couldn't carry it amid heavy fighting.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation later said the DNA sample provided by Philippine authorities belongs to Marwan.

"Although the results of the DNA examinations do not provide absolute identification, the results do support that the biological sample provided by Philippine authorities came from Marwan. Further testing and analysis will be conducted by laboratory examiners in an effort to fully identify the subject of DNA provided to the FBI," said David Bowdich, assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A source familiar with the testing process said there is believed to be a sibling connection between the sample and DNA from bin Hir's brother, Rahmat bin Hir, who is in US custody.

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia Jr. said the sacrifice of the 44 police commandos was not in vain as he expressed his condolences to their family members.

The ambassador said he is also pleased that the FBI quickly confirmed the DNA samples provided by the PNP were that of the Malaysian terror suspect.

"We are thankful to the FBI that they have come back very quickly to us confirming that the DNA results show the person who was killed by the 44 by the Special Forces Commandos was Marwan himself. That should dispel any doubts that people have that it was Marwan of course we lost 44 heroes unfortunately but I think we are, of course gratified to know that this very dangerous, very much sought after terrorist has finally been eliminated

Gentiles said he coordinated the DNA testing of Marwan's sample at an FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.

"So yung result nung preliminary testing indicate na yung tissues na sinubmit na kay Marwan matches yung tissues ng kapatid niya na nanduduon sa Guantanamo Cuba nakakulong. It appears that based dun sa findings nila that they are siblings, that they come from the same father. So yun po yung result na nung DNA analysis," he said.

He said the results are preliminary only and that further testing and analysis will be conducted to fully identify the subject of the DNA provided by the PNP.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

WATCH: Anatomy of the Mamasapano clash

The sequence of events on the night of the fateful clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao as told to ABS-CBN reporter Chiara Zambrano by the men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

SAF commandos battle post-traumatic stress

MANILA - The Special Action Force (SAF) members involved in the Mamasapano clash received stress debriefing from their battle-hardened colleagues in the Marines.

“My unit has experienced bloody encounters in the past and this helped us connect with our comrades from the PNP [Philippine National Police]. They were able to unload most of the pain and this is important for people who are grieving,” Marine Battalion Landing Team-1 (MBLT-1) commander Lt. Col. Ronald Juan said.

Forty-two from the Police Regional Office-9, all comrades of the 44 commandos wiped out in the Mamasapano clash, talked about their experiences to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder.

Zamboanga City Mayor Bheng Climaco-Salazar, a qualified counselor, and Dr. Lolina Bajin also joined the stress debriefing.

Juan said “we could already feel the sadness” when the commandos entered the discussion groups.

“Based on the feedback of their battalion commander, the SAF troopers felt a sense of relief after the activity. We are very fortunate that our team was prepared and are capable to conduct the stress debriefing,” Juan said.

MBLT-1 is equipped with skills to facilitate stress debriefing after undergoing trainings and workshops under the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Capacities in Combat Operations.

MBLT-1 is also planning to facilitate psychosocial support for the families of the fallen commandos.

“We are just waiting for orders and also for a mutually applicable time to conduct the debriefing,” Jian said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Suspended Purisima invited to Congress for Mamasapano probe

MANILA - The House Committee on Public Order and Safety has invited suspended Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima and other top officials of the PNP and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to the investigation on the January 25 Mamasapano clash.

The Manila Standard Today reported last week that Purisima was one of those who authorized the PNP-Special Action Force (SAF) operation that led to the encounter with rebels.

The committee met Tuesday and agreed to set the hearing on February 11 at 9:30 a.m.

The committee had received letters from PNP officer-in-charge Leonardo Espina and Defense Undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino begging off from the investigation today.

In his letter, Espina cited the need for the PNP to attend to the needs of the bereaved families of the 44 SAF members killed in the clash.

Batino sent a similar letter, citing the absence of the PNP.

Committee chairman Jeffrey Ferrer said, "My observation with two letters, it's valid reason... The leadership of the PNP will have also to attend to the needs of the family. In my point of view, in humanitarian consideration, I will grant the request and we will reset the hearing next week."

Ferrer told his colleagues that he immediately calendared a hearing after resolutions calling for a congressional investigation were filed soon after the Mamasapano incident.

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, meanwhile, expressed apprehensions about possible schedule conflicts since the same resource persons will be invited to a parallel investigation of the Senate.

"There are parallel hearings in the Senate. As mentioned by the chair, this is really a very important issue. The whole country is watching. There are a lot of questions yet to be answered," he said.

Ferrer said, "Next hearing wala nang excuse. Dapat mag-attend na lahat."

House Speaker Sonny Belmonte had pushed for a joint Senate and House investigation on the matter.

Belmonte, in a text message, confirmed he has discussed his proposal with Senate President Franklin Drilon, who told him that he will take it up with the senators.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com