(Updated 1:36 p.m.) The Senate has summoned a telecommunication company to provide a copy of the Jan. 25 text messages between President Benigno Aquino III and resigned Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima.
The office of Senate President Franklin Drilon said Tuesday that a subpoena addressed to Smart Communications president and chief executive officer Napoleon Nazareno was signed Friday.
“Not that I do not trust the sources of the text messages but I requested that the text messages from the telcos be subpoenaed,” she said during the hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs on February 23.
The said operation was carried out by the PNP-Special Action Force (SAF). Forty-four SAF commandos died after an hours-long gunfight with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
Confusion
The exchange of text messages showed an apparent confusion between Purisima and Aquino, as the resigned PNP chief disclosed before the committee that the President asked him to “Review your earlier and latest texts. They differ as to which engaged first.”
Purisima said he told Aquino that the SAF commandos were first able to neutralize M1, referring to Marwan, then the group of Usman “retaliated” some 100 meters away.
Aquino also asked Purisima why the SAF officers were not able to reach Usman if 160 SAF troopers “were directly involved in this operation,” while they were dealing with 15 to 20 armed elements.
Reading the text message sent to him by the President, Purisima said Aquino told him: “If I remember correctly, 160 SAF troopers were directly involved in this operation. Plus provisions for other PNP and AFP units to assist. The terrain is flat and clear as opposed to upland forested or jungle terrain. Why could they not contain and/or overwhelm the 15- to 20-member opposing force? Are they still in contact with two other targets? If not, and the opposing forces escape, are we now back to square one?”
Purisima replied to him at 11:38 a.m. that he already gave advice on it, “but as of the moment the main effort is withdrawing and according to dir IG, we still have our contact with the (asset) and will hit them again.”
The last text message in the exchange came from Purisima, who told the President at 6:20 p.m. that the operating elements “suffered heavy casualties” and “were reportedly overrun.” —KG, GMA News
