(Eagle News) — Former President Benigno Aquino III on Friday posted a P40,000 bail bond for the cases filed against him in connection with the botched Mamasapano operation in 2015.
This was after the cases for graft and usurpation of authority were raffled off to the Sandiganbayan third division, which was expected to issue a warrant of arrest against him.
The division is chaired by Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, who is an Aquino appointee.
Aquino, who was wearing white and his signature yellow ribbon pin, arrived around 4 p.m. in the anti-graft court to personally post bail, pegged at P30,000 for the charge for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and at P10,000 for the charge of usurpation of authority.
The court, which also issued a hold departure order against the former president, set his arraignment and pre-trial on Jan. 12 of next year.
After posting bail, Aquino went back to his house where he held a press conference on how the Mamasapano operation, or Oplan Exodus, was planned.
Aquino noted that the then-Special Action Force director, Getulio Napeñas, gave inaccurate information about certain aspects of the plan.
For instance, Aquino said the number of Seaborne troops that could supposedly be used for the operation was bloated when presented to him.
“Cinonvince ako na may 160, yun pala 50 lang ang meron siya,” Aquino said.
He said the level of water surrounding the house of international terrorist Zulfikli Bin Hir alias Marwan, who was the subject of the operation in the first place, was also inaccurate when presented to him.
He said when he asked why the original plan to assault Marwan’s house through water was scrapped, he was told it was because the waters surrounding the terrorist’s house were too shallow and vehicles for water could not be used.
He said after the operation, “out of curiosity,” he asked the then-Department of Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo what the water levels were in the vicinity of Marwan’s house at that time.
Montejo reportedly replied that the water levels at the time the operation was conducted were roughly the same as the levels existing at the time Aquino asked, “and more kasi umulan.”
Indictment
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.
Oplan Exodus
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 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.
