The failure of capturing Southeast Asia’s most wanted terrorist Marwan has created online and offline stirs. A police general stated that President Benigno Aquino and suspended National Police Chief Alan Purisima are to blame in Maguindanao clash that killed 44 members of the elite Special Action Force and wounded 12 others.
According to Manila Standard, a police general, who was part of the planning and actual Marwan covert operations, has stated that the sensitive mission was assigned to suspended National Police Chief Alan Purisima by the President.
“It was a tragedy in the making,” according to the police general, who requested anonymity.
“The President was aware of the Marwan covert operations. Purisima reported directly to him. In fact, the President went to Zamboanga prior to the troop’s jump off to Mamasapano in Maguindanao so that he would be in the vicinity when Malaysian terrorist Zulkipli bin Hir alias Marwan and Filipino Basit Usman, both bomb experts linked to the Jemaah Islamiya terror cell, are captured,” said the general.
“The President was there as he expected the turnover of Marwan to the Philippine government. The President would be present during the presentation of Marwan. Such was the solid plan,” he said.
“The President expected a successful operation,” the police general added.
The assignment of Chief Alan Purisima to the sensitive mission: to capture Zulkifli Abd Hir also known as Marwan, was apparently without the knowledge of Interior Secretary Manuel ‘Mar’ Roxas.
“Roxas was not with the President. He was kept out of the loop. No one else knew of the covert operations because the subject were terrorists wanted worldwide by the US government, which even offered a $5-million bounty for Marwan’s capture and $1 million for Usman,” the general said.
“From the ground, the SAF officials reported directly to Purisima, who ran the operations from the White House in Camp Crame, despite his suspension,” the general said.
“Purisima would then report either to Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. or directly to the President,” the source said.
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