VP Binay wants Purisima to speak up on Mamasapano clash

Vice President Jejomar Binay on Friday challenged suspended Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Alan Purisima to speak up about the deadly "misencounter" between elite police commandos and Moro rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Sunday.

Binay said Purisima should say what he knows about the operation which ended in the deaths of 44 members of the PNP Special Action Force (SAF) following a clash with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

The operation targeted terror suspects Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and Basit Usman.

"Nagdadalamhati man tayo ngayon, dapat nating hanapan ng kasagutan ang mga katanungang bunsod ng masaklap na pangyayaring ito," Binay said in a statement.

"Dapat ding basagin na ni Gen. Alan Purisima ang kanyang katahimikan. Sa lahat ng lumalabas na ulat, nandon palagi ang pangalan ni Purisima bilang pangunahing nagplano at nagpatupad ng nasabing operasyon kahit siya ay suspendido na sa kanyang tungkulin," he said.

He said the question of who should be held ACCOUNTABLEfor the bloodbath needs to be answered.

"Sino ba ang nagplano at nag-utos ng operasyon? Sino sa bahagi ng MILF at BIFF ang nag-utos na tambangan ang mga miyembro ng SAF?... Hindi ba dapat at makatarungan lamang na panagutin ang mga tauhan ng MILF at BIFF na walang awang kumitil ng buhay ng mga kasapi ng SAF?"

In a televised speech last Wednesday, President Benigno Aquino III denied that Purisima had a hand in the operation.

He said Purisima was "involved directly" only until he was ordered suspended last December. But he said, "after that, since [Purisima] was very knowledgeable about the whole thing, pinapaliwanag nya sa akin ang intricacies of the plan."

According to the vice president, there should be an open and impartial probe on the clash, stressing that the only way to honor the sacrifices of the fallen SAF troopers is to ensure that justice is served.

Binay also called on the public not to let their anger over the incident prevail.

"Huwag din nating hayaan na mangibabaw ang galit at sa halip ay lalo pa nating pag-ibayuhin ang ating pagtahak sa landas ng kapayapaan sa Mindanao at sa ating mahal na bayang Pilipinas," he said.

He added, "Bilang parangal sa mga 44 bayani ng PNP-SAF, ipagpatuloy natin ang pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan. Isabuhay natin ang kanilang sakripisyo para sa isang payapa, maayos at maginhawang lipunan.