(Eagle News) — The cases against former President Benigno Aquino III in connection with the botched Mamasapano operation that saw over 40, mostly members of the Special Action Force, killed in 2015 have been raffled off to a Sandiganbayan division chaired by an Aquino appointee.
The cases for graft and usurpation of authority are now under the third division led by an Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang.
In indicting Aquino, Assistant Special Prosecutor Reza Casila-Derayunan said Aquino, “while in the performance of his official and administrative functions, did then and there willfully, unlawfully and criminally persuade, induce or influence” the then-Philippine National Police Chief Alan Purisima to violate the PNP chain of command, the Ombudsman preventive suspension order dated Dec. 10, 2014, and special order number 9851 issued by then-PNP officer in charge Leonardo Espina in Dec. 16, 2014.
The special order “direct(ed) Purisima and other suspended PNP officers to cease and desist from performing the duties and functions of their respective offices.”
According to Derayunan, Aquino did these when he used the services of Purisima, who had been suspended over an allegedly anomalous courier deal, “prior to and during” the implementation of Oplan Exodus, and when he “(gave) instructions to, (received) reports and recommendations from, and (approved) the actions of Getulio Napeñas,” then the SAF director, also through Purisima.
Derayunan said this was despite “knowing fully well the Ombudsman’s preventive suspension order, Espina’s special order, and that it was Espina who had the authority to oversee” the conduct of the operation.
“(This is to) the damage and prejudice of the State,” Derayunan said.
On January 24, 2015, almost 400 highly trained SAF commandoes launched Oplan Exodus in a bid to serve warrants of arrest against internationally wanted terrorists Zulfikli Bin Hir alias Marwan and Ahmad Akmad Uson in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
They clashed with Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the area for hours.
Forty four SAF troopers, 18 from the side of the MILF and the BIFF, and five civilians died.
