US played big role in botched Philippine raid - Senate - Vanguard News
US forces played a “substantial” role in a botched anti-terrorism raid in the Philippines that left 44 local police commandos dead, according to a Senate report released Tuesday.
The raid, known locally as Oplan Exodus, has plunged President Benigno Aquino’s administration into crisis and jeopardised efforts to end a decades-long Muslim separatist insurgency.
“US personnel played a role in the training before, and monitoring, of the… operation,” Senator Grace Poe told reporters as she released the findings of a committee inquiry into the January 25 raid.
“The committee found that the United States substantially in the entirety of Oplan Exodus. It provided equipment, training and intelligence.”
The raid sought to capture or kill two men on the US government’s list of “most wanted terrorists” who were living among Muslim rebels in southern Philippine farming communities.
One of the men, Malaysian national Zulkifli bin Hir who had a $5-million bounty on his head, was reported killed.
But the other, Filipino Abdul Basit Usman, escaped as rebels surrounded the police commandos and killed 44 of them.
A police inquiry earlier outlined a multitude of tactical errors that led to the slaughter of the commandos.
The Senate report said Aquino must “bear responsibility” for the deaths.
But it also raised questions about the accountability of the United States, a longtime military ally of the Philippines that has so far declined to outline its role in the operation.
Three unidentified Americans were brought into the local army brigade headquarters during the operation, creating tensions with the Filipino military commander at a crucial time, the Senate report said.
“One of the Americans ordered Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan to fire the artillery,” the report stated.
“However Pangilinan refused and told him: ‘Do not dictate to me what to do. I am the commander here’.”
Deadly Filipino anti-terror raid bittersweet for US forces - Yahoo News
One of the Americans reportedly ordered a military general at one point to fire artillery to support the embattled commandos but the Filipino commander refused to do so in disgust, said the report, without identifying the American or his unit.
I sought US help to rescue trapped commandos —Napeñas | News | GMA News Online
I sought US help to rescue trapped commandos —Napeñas
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I sought US help to rescue trapped commandos —Napeñas | News | GMA News Online
Relieved Special Action Force chief Director Getulio Napenas admitted Tuesday that he sought the help of the United States forces in the Mamasapano clash but only in extricating injured police commandos locked in a firefight with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Mamasapano on Jan. 25.
Napeñas, however, said that US assistance was not sought in the actual operation against Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan.
“Nung bandang tanghali na nakatanggap na kami ng reports na may mga sugatan na, I took the initiative na humingi ng tulong sa US fores to provide us medical evacuation, pag gabi na iwi-withdraw na yung mga sugatan,” he told the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs.
Forty-four SAF commandos were killed in the firefight with members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
He said his asking for assistance is in connection with the ongoing exercises with the US forces based on the fight against terrorism.
He said the US troops were just in Zamboanga that time.
“They have their own protocol on medical evacuation,” said Napeñas.
Asked by Senate President Franklin Drilon if the US forces or Federal Bureau of Investigation know the operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao beforehand, the police official said he did not know.
He said he did not inform the US forces of the operation before they conducted it as part of the SAF’s operational security.
Armed Forces chief General Gregorio Catapang Jr also said that he does not know if the US has any knowledge of the operation.
“We are very sorry to tell you but this is a PNP operation,” he told the committee.
On Monday, Napeñas said the DNA sample of Marwan was directly brought to the FBI agents waiting in General Santos. Marwan’s index finger was cut off for DNA testing.
FBI earlier said that the DNA sample sent by the PNP has very high probability that it belongs to Marwan. The DNA sample was matched against those of his brother Rahmat Abdhir, who is currently detained in California for terrorism-related charges.
—NB, GMA News
US troops help rescue wounded commandos - The Manila Times OnlineThe Manila Times Online
US troops help rescue wounded commandos
MAGUINDANAO: US troops deployed in southern Philippines helped in the rescue of police commandos who clashed with rebels in Maguindanao.
American soldiers on helicopters evacuated wounded policemen from the town of Mamasapano.
Civilians retrieved at least 43 bodies of the commandos. But more bodies were still being retrieved in the remote village of Tukanalipao, according to officials. Some reports said 52 policemen were killed in the clashes on Sunday.
Mayor Tahirodin Benzar Ampatuan said they turned over 35 bodies to the police.
“There are still more cadavers in the area and we are trying to recover them,” he told The Manila Times.
Ampatuan said the police did not inform or coordinate with local officials when they launched an operation in Tukanalipao.
