“We are again calling on the House leadership to immediately resume the Congress probe on Mamasapano to further expose the truth because Pres.Aquino is again trying to obscure it and escape accountability.”
By DEE AYROSO
Bulatlat.com
Families of the 44 slain members of the Special Action Force (SAF) along with 82 lawmakers urge the leadership of the House of Representatives to resume the investigation into the Mamasapano clash.
“Our constituents in many, if not all, the districts in the country clamor for truth and accountability on the issue, and it is our function as their representatives to press for their demand,” the lawmakers said in a letter addressed to House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.
The letter, dated Feb. 23, was signed by 82 lawmakers. The legislators also filed a resolution for the resumption of the probe.
At a press conference led by the minority bloc in Congress on March 10, relatives of the SAF 44 said they “were left hanging” and still in the dark as to who should be accountable in the tragic clash.
“He’s the president, it’s impossible for him not to know,” one of the SAF kin said, saying that it was a major operation.
A mother of one of the SAF 44 said that earlier before the clash, her son texted her about an operation ordered “from the highest level.”
The House leadership had asked for the suspension of the investigation on Mamasapano, pending the report of the Board of Inquiry (BOI) of the Philippine National Police.
Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said the result of the BOI, which is expected to come out on Thursday, “is already tainted.” Last week, the BOI said the report will be made public on March 9, but yesterday, they said they needed three more days.
Late in the afternoon on March 9, President Aquino made a third speech on the Mamasapano, before a prayer gathering of religious leaders of the Jesus is Lord.
In his March 9 speech, Aquino again blamed sacked SAF chief Getulio Napeñas Jr for the lapses in the operation, which meant to target international terror suspects Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan and Basit Usman. Aquino said Napeñas “fooled” him.
Colmenares said that the President practically preempted the BOI report with his statement.
“We are again calling on the House leadership to immediately resume the Congress probe on Mamasapano to further expose the truth because Pres.Aquino is again trying to obscure it and escape accountability,” said Colmenares.
“With Pres. Aquino’s statement yesterday, he is again putting all the blame on sacked SAF General Getulio Napeñas while trying to exonerate himself and suspended PNP Chief Allan Purisima. He glossed over the fact that he was the one who broke the chain of command and allowed a suspended general to take command of a very sensitive operation that resulted to the death of 44 SAF officers, 18 MILF members and 5 civilians,” he said.
“Based on pages 112-114 of the Official Transcript of the House on the Mamasapano hearing, Pres. Aquino authorized Napenas to go on with the operation as planned and inform the AFP time on target,” said Colmenares. 
