Day: February 16, 2015

What senators and resource persons said at the hearings

THE SENATE resumes today its investigation into the Mamasapano incident that led to the death of 44 members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force, 18 Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters, and five civilians.

Only the senators who are members of three committees, however, will hear the testimonies of some SAF survivors in executive session today, February 16, 2015.

We have compiled some of the important and memorable quotes from senators and resource persons, including the exchanges among them, on the first three days of the Senate hearings on the Mamasapano incident last week.

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago:

That is the truth, Your Honor. - Resigned PNP chief Allan Purisima when asked for details by Santiago about his participation in the planning and execution of Oplan Exodus.

There are many truths. – Retort to Purisima

Hmmm. Maniwala naman ako sa iyo. – Answer to Purisima while the resigned PNP chief was answering her questions.

Failure to convey vital information to a peace partner is a sign of bad faith. – To MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal

Can you claim with a straight face that you did not know that Marwan and Usman were operating in your sphere of control? – Sen. Santiago to MILF’s Iqbal

I get upset and outraged when the occasion calls for it.

Sino nag-udyok sa iyo na makialam ka? – Question to resigned PNP chief Allan Purisima

Lahat na lang ituro sa SAF commander, sentido komon na lang ho ito.

Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? – Question to Purisima

Kung hindi ka sana sumali baka buhay pa sila. – Comment to Purisima after the resigned PNP chief detailed his participation in Oplan Exodus

Don’t play words with me, words are my livelihood. – To Purisima after the resigned PNP chief said that he was only giving “advices,” not “orders” to ex-PNP chief Getulio Napenas

Nakialam ka eh – Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago to Purisima

I’m already gasping for breath. – Sen. Santiago halfway into her interpellation of resigned PNP chief Allan Purisima

People engaged in coup d’etat plans have been in this cottage industry for so long. – Sen. Santiago after saying that she had received information that there are plans to mount a coup d’etat against the Aquino administration

Please forgive my abrasive method but I am shocked and traumatized by this event – Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago to resource persons

Five million ang pinag-aawayan, 44 ang namatay - Sen. Santiago to the $5 million bounty for the arrest of Marwan, a bomb-maker who has been placed under the Most Wanted list of the US’ Federal Bureau of Investigation

You have accepted responsibility like a gentleman but who are pulling the strings behind your back? – Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago’s question to ex-SAF chief, Chief Supt. Getulio Napeñas

Nothing fails like a failure. – On the blunders leading to the killing of the SAF44

Anong klaseng operation to, may gulatan?

May baril siya, may camera siya, ang yabang yabang niya. – Santiago says in describing taker of video showing SAF commando shooting

Video so gruesome, it will infest your nightmares. – Sen. Santiago

Iniisa-isa sila, they were just sitting ducks there, Santiago says

You are a failure, you are incompetent – To ex-SAF director, Chief Supt. Getulio Napenas

Bakit hindi kayo pumunta ng maaga pa para hindi pa gising ang mga Muslim? Santiago asks Napenas

The SAF troopers were like rats, drowned without any prospect of support, they fought heroically but they ran out of bullets.

Ngayon lang ako nakarinig na ipapaalam mo sa boss mo sa kalagitnaan na ng pangyayari – Santiago to Napenas

You assumed responsibility for the fiasco, that is your misfortune – Santiago to Chief Supt. Getulio Napenas

THE UNANSWERED

Who informed the President? – Sen. Nancy Binay asks police and military generals. Long silence follows. No one answers.

Let’s search for the truth, truth hurts but it shall set you free. – MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal, quoting a passage from the Bible in answering a question from Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago

I am so sure that not everybody will believe that the findings of the MILF is the real truth on the ground, we need an impartial body to conduct the investigation.

We have a problem now with perception and misconception.

Mahirap paghiwalayin ang mga boxers. – Iqbal’s description of the Mamasapano clash when asked why the fighting took several hours to stop

International laws apply not only to MILF but also to government.

There is no other option except peace.

What the families of the killed SAF feel is also being felt by families of the slain MILF members.

Hindi lang dapat hustisya para sa malakas, importante ang hustisya rin para sa mahina. - Answer to Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano

Nauna po kami na naging biktima. – Answer to Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano

Wala nang pwedeng lalaban sa gobyerno if na address na ang legitimate problems of the Moro people.

We organized dahil hindi patas ang laban.

We promised our people that peace will be our legacy, we seek your help to make this possible. – Appeal to the Philippine government.

Peace process is important to us and everybody, brought the promise of good life and our people, contains our hopes and dreams.

28 member of the SAF are alive today because of the efforts of the MILF and the “will of God.”

We cannot change the past… we must honor them by making sure that this does not happen again…Lahat tayo naghahangad ng katarungan para sa ?SAF 44 but justice for innocent civilians important, too.

Resigned PNP Director General Alan L. Purisima:

I gave advices, not orders.

Again, when I made remarks those were mere advices.

I have to get clearance from the President. – When asked by senators about the time that he informed President Aquino about the clash between armed groups and SAF troopers on the ground in Mamasapano

Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV

Road to peace is crucial, it is now in the hands of the government and MILF panels.

Maraming hawks, lalo na dito sa Maynila, marami ang maiinit ang ulo.

“Bakante,” there is nothing written on “lessons learned” part of the after-operations report for Oplan Exodus. – Trillanes after reading the after-operations report of the PNP-SAF

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano:

I’m interested in these things. I am not an expert but I watch the movies. – Remark while interpellating resource persons about the conduct of the operations in Mamasapano.

Kapwa Pilipino ang biktima ninyo sa Mindanao. Kung hindi kayo gumamit ng dahas peaceful ngayon ang Mindanao. – Addressed to MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal who attended the hearing on the Mamasapano clash

Nagluluksa po kami, we mourn with you but one injustice cannot solve another injustice. – Answer to MILF’s Iqbal after Iqbal presented a history of massacres involving Moro communities in Mindanao

Cayetano: Kung matatalo kayo sa eleksyon… ?MIL’s Iqbal: eh di talo… Kung manalo kayo… Iqbal: eh di maganda.

Meron ding Kristyano na terorista. – To ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman who lamented that the Bangsamoro is seemingly being blamed for the violence in Mindanao

Sen. Gregorio Honasan:

How do you fight the idea of terrorism? Fight it with a better idea. – Opening remarks during the February 13 Senate hearing on the Mamasapano incident

The solution here is institutional. Even if we kill all high-value targets, Marwan has 300 graduates.

Leave a legacy of lasting peace. To acting PNP chief, Dir. Gen. Leonardo Espina

Don’t die early, run after those who killed the SAF 44. – Advice to Gen. Espina

This is not an order, just a suggestion… an advice (laughter heard).

Mission accomplished but at what cost?

If Army units in Mindanao were listed as “friendlies” why were their commanders not informed about operation?

Sen/ Vicente Sotto III:

I will object if you do not allow her to speak first, Sen. Miriam will give more life to this probe. On yielding to Sen. Santiago to interpellate the resource persons of at the Senate hearing

ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman:

Parang ang lahat ng kasalan ng nangyayari sa Mindanao kasalan ng Bangsamoro.