Aquino posts P40,000 bail at Sandiganbayan Third Division over Mamasapano

November 10, 2017

Former President Benigno Aquino III on Friday posted bail  before the Sandiganbayan Third Division for graft and usurpation of authority in connection with the deaths of 44 police commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in 2015 where they were going to neutralize two wanted terrorists..

At 4 pm, Aquino posted a P40,000 bail: P30,000 for graft and P10,000 for usurpation of official functions or authority.

Among those who accompanied Aquino were his sisters Ballsy, Pinky and Viel, Senator Bam Aquino, Senator Franklin Drilon, Congressmen Bolet Banal and Blue Abaya and ex-Congressmen Jun Abaya and Niel Tupas, former Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

Aquino said former Special Action Forces commander Chief Superintendent Getulio Napenas assured him he will inform the military once they move against Marwan.

"No, it couldn't be after you move. You will position the cannon that all the areas will be covered. The escape, opening of entry. It should be on the position... If you really need the armor where will you need it ,then it will be in position. If you need aircraft you are the one who know if on exit you will use helicopter," said Aquino in a press briefing after he posted bail.

"These people, the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) that you will coordinate with need time to prepare all of these things," added Aquino. He said Napenas said a second 'Yes, sir  We will coordinate.'

Aquino said he found out after the Mamasapano debacle there were two coordination meetings but nothing came of it as the Philippine National Police (PNP) person who has the intelligence package did not show up.

On the day of the operation, as Aquino landed in Zamboanga City, he met with the Western Mindanao Command.

"I had a meeting with Wesmincom, other officers. Many were not aware that there is something like this. Napenas is nowhere to be found. I got to talk to him ( in the) .. afternoon. I don't have his number...  somebody in the.higher PNP managed to find him and by the time I got to talk to.him, seems like, how do you call it, I don't want to say it sternly. I can't understand anything he said," added Aquino.

Last Wednesday, Aquino was charged by the Office of the Ombudsman of Criminal Case Nos. 2144 and 2145 or violation of Section 3 (a) of  the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Usurpation of Official Functions or Authority of the Revised Penal Code in connection with the 2015  Mamasapano operations.

The case stemmed from Aquino’s decision to purportedly consult and allow then suspended PNP  Director General Alan Purisima to participate in a plan to neutralize  terrorists Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan and Ahmad Akmad Uson in Mamasapano.

Police commandos were able to neutralize Marwan but 44 died as they were cornered in Mamasapano, without military support.

Part of the prosecution’s evidence includes exchanges of text messages of  Aquino and Purisima that were presented in the Senate inquiry on the incident.

Purisima was suspended that time for entering into an alleged anomalous courier service deal.

A judge appointed by Aquino will handle the cases before Sandiganbayan Third Division but Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje Tang said she  will not inhibit as she vowed to dispense justice.

“No [I will not inhibit]. The court will never shirk from its responsibility to dispense justice. There are legal grounds for inhibition and having been appointed by the accused before is not one of the legal grounds for inhibition,” Tang stressed.

The Office of the Ombudsman had filed a case for the same issue against Purisima and Napeñas pending before Sandiganbayan Fourth Division.

Tang said they will study if there is a need to consolidate the cases since there were previous cases filed against Napeñas and Purisima.  DMS