(Eagle News)–President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, April 16, blamed former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas for the deaths of 44 members of the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force in Mamasapano in 2015, and slammed then-President Noynoy Aquino for his handling of the botched operation.
“Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko talaga maintindihan at gusto ko tanungin…bakit pumasok ang SAF doon..,” Duterte said.
According to Duterte, in the first place, the police were only trained in terrain in Manila, and “hindi naman (sila) sanay sa terrain, sa topography, kung paano yung bukid malalim, saan mga cave..”
He said there was a military regiment near the area which could have gone instead.
“Bakit pulis na walang alam at bakit hindi Army?” he asked.
According to Duterte, there was also “air support” near the area that could have come to the aid of SAF.
He said air assets from Davao were just 35 minutes away, those from Awang 15 minutes away, and those from General Santos just 10 to 15 minutes away.
“Bakit hindi tinawagan na librehin ang mga naipit?” he asked.
“He wasted 44 lives for nothing,” an angry Duterte said of Roxas.
Aquino not spared
In his speech, Duterte also did not spare Aquino, who he said asked “stupid” questions during a crucial command conference while the Mamasapano operation was ongoing.
According to Duterte, they had been asked to join the conference in Zamboanga, which was also attended by his then-aide Bong Go and Roxas.
“Itong dalawang Roxas at Aquino, panay ang tindig sa likod ng stage,” he said.
He said at one point Duterte, then the Davao mayor, asked a member of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who was just beside him what had happened.
He recalled the following conversation transpired:
”’Sir, naubos lahat, sir. Patay.”
“O, bakit walang reinforcements?”
“E sir walang order. Gusto namin pumunta doon, walang order.”
According to Duterte, at one point during the command conference, Aquino asked a general who was assigned in the area, “Kung ikaw general, kung ikaw andoon, ano gagawin mo?”
“Pu**ng i**, tumindig ako. ‘Mr. President, I have a flight. Wala. Sabi ko I have a flight, I have to. Tumindig ako because it was very stupid. Magtanong ka ng ganun, natapos na ang araw patay na mga sundalo ko,” Duterte said.
“Kung may masagot kayo na maganda diyan, pwes inumber one ninyo si Roxas. Ako na mismo nagsasabi sa inyo, ilagay ninyo itong p**a*g i** na ito,” he added.
Apart from the 44 police commandos, several civilians died after government security forces clashed with members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front during the operation aimed at arresting Malaysian terrorist Zulfikli Bin Hir.
Aquino had then assigned as overall commander of the operations his longtime aide, then-Philippine National Police Chief Alan Purisima, who had already been suspended over corruption allegations.
