Former Philippine National Police chief General Alan Purisima, and at least four cabinet officials attended the hearing.
In her opening statement, Senator Poe said that the resource persons should answer the hanging questions on command and control issues, combat operations and intelligence, training of police forces, and equipage of forces.
“In the assumption that there was good intelligence…. why did the PNP employ a small number of forces?” the neophyte senator said.
“Were our police troops equipped with appropriate weapons and other equipment needed for such kind of operations?” she added.
Poe also challenged the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s sincerity to achieve peace.
“I believe the MILF should commit to specify time frame to clear the area of BIFF forces together with government forces.”
Present at the hearing
Among the resource persons present at the hearing were:
Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II
Secretary Teresita Deles, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process
Justice Secretary Leila De Lima
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin
Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, peace panel chairman
ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman
PNP OIC Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina
Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin
Justice Secretary Leila De Lima
Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff General Gregorio Pio Catapang, Jr.
Major General Edmundo Pangilinan, commander of 6th Infantry Division
Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero of Western Mindanao Command
Former PNP-SAF head Chief Supt. Getulio Napeñas
Nine senators were present at the committee hearing including Poe, Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Teofisto “TG” Guingona III, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Gregorio “Griingo” Honasan, Vicente “Tito” Sotto, JV Ejercito and Senate President Franklin Drilon.
Also in the audience were families of the fallen 44 Special Action Force troopers killed in the Mamasapano clash.
Basic facts sought
“Sa akin muna, basic facts dapat maiprisinta (sa hearing). From there mga importanteng question, from the top, sino ang nag-order nito,” Trillanes told reporters before the hearing.
Asked if he will allow an executive session, he said: “Pwede ‘yun pero limited lang about the source of intelligence.”
MILF’s breakaway faction, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, was also involved in the encounter.
The PNP SAF’s mission was to serve the warrant of arrest to two suspected terrorists—Malaysian Jemaah Islamiyah leader Zulkifli bin Hir also known as Marwan, and Filipino bomb maker Basit Usman—who were confirmed to be hiding in the area.
Marwan, who has a $5 million bounty on his head, reportedly died during the clash, while Usman managed to escape.
