Senate committee findings on Mamasapano clash bared. Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday shows the findings of the Senate committee on public order, which she heads, regarding its investigation on the January 25 Mamasapano incident. She said President Benigno Aquino III is responsible for the operation when he allowed suspended PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima to oversee it. Benjie Castro
The Senate report on the Mamasapno clash concluded that the ongoing peace process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front was one factor that influenced the actions of the Philippine Armed Forces during the January 25 “misencounter.”
The report also concluded that had the AFP been more aggressive and had fired white phosphorous and high explosive artillery rounds earlier during the encounter, “it is possible that the battle might have ended sooner” and loss of lives would have been minimized.
Some 44 SAF police commados were killed in the clash.
The report, however, also pointed out that the AFP could not be faulted for its failure to provide artillery support given that artillery fire missions require coordination and preparations.
“Had there been prior coordination with the AFP, reinforcing elements could have been easily placed on stand-by, air assets could have been pre-positioned and forward observer units from the Army could have been embedded with the PNP-SAF operating units in case the need for indirect fire support arose. More lives could have been saved and fewer lives could have been lost,” a portion of the full report read.
