AFP chief: Coordination could have made difference in Mamasapano operation

Published February 4, 2015 9:46am

(Updated 10:24 a.m.) Coordinating early with the Armed Forces of the Philippines could have spelled the difference for 44 Special Action Force police troopers killed in a clash in Mamasapano in Maguindanao last Jan. 25.

AFP chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. stressed this Wednesday as he said the military could have engaged a coordinating mechanism with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and prevented further fighting.

"Kung nakipag-coordinate sila, siyempre i-inform namin ang MILF na may operation kami riyan sa lugar na 'yan, huwag sila makikialam," Catapang said in an interview with GMA News' Arnold Clavio on "Unang Balita."

He added the AFP could have just told the MILF of the operation by the SAF without giving specifics, such as who the SAF's target was.

"Basta sasabihin lang namin ang specific area na mag-o-operate kami. They will assure us na hindi sila makikialam sa operation," he said.

The 44 SAF troopers died in an hours-long gunfight with the MILF and its splinter group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. Twelve SAF men were injured.

The PNP-SAF launched the operation that day in order to serve arrest warrants against Jemaah Islamiyah leader Zulkifli bin Hir also known as Commander Marwan and Filipino bomb-maker and Abu Sayyaf member Basit Usman and whose presence had been confirmed in the area.

Joint AFP-PNP operations

In the same teleivision interview, Catapang said the AFP and Philippine National Police have guidelines on joint operations.

When operating jointly with the AFP, the tasked PNP units attached will be under the operational control of the AFP unit with operational responsibility in its area of responsibility.

But when the PNP unit is operating independently, it will still have to coordinate with the nearest AFP tactical unit "to ensure coordinated and focused operation in a particular area."

He added the AFP unit that has operational responsibility over the area of operations shall be furnished with the PNP unit's operation plan.

"(A)lthough meron silang authority to operate independently, kailangan talaga i-coordinate nila ang operations nila," he said.

In the Jan. 25 incident, Catapang said the SAF troopers were in the area to implement law enforcement operations but it turned out they figured in an encounter with the MILF.

He also said that had the AFP jumped into the fray at the time without prior coordination with the MILF, it would have made matters worse.

"Kung pumasok kami riyan di kami nakipag-coordinate, baka di lang giyera lang dito ang lalala. Kung na-escalate hanggang Lanao o buong Mindanao... Kasi sasabihin nila bakit nyo kami inatake, gaganti kami, they will attack other military units," he said.

Extricate, not reinforce engaged SAF personnel

Catapang also said that when they were informed of the clash, fighting was already in progress, and the AFP's role was to extricate the SAF men and not to reinforce them.

Also, he said the AFP was not aware of the SAF men's exact location.

"May bakbakan (ang sabi sa tip) pero generic. Hinahanap namin saan ang lugar," he said.

He also said that while the AFP had received information Marwan was in the vicinity, "hindi exact ang aming information kaya di kami nangahas pumasok sa lugar na yan... di ganoon kalinaw (ang information)."

^{A map where the January 25 Mamasapano clash that killed 44 PNP-SAF commandos took place is shown to the media during a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo on Wednesday, February 4. Rouchelle R. Dinglasan}

Meanwhile, Catapang said there was no instruction to the AFP not to help the SAF because it may disrupt the peace process with the MILF.

"Nang nalaman namin napabakbak sila isip namin paano sila i-extricate," he said.

On the other hand, Catapang said it took the AFP hours to contact a member of the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities - after lunchtime.

Investigation

Catapang also said they are to submit Wednesday their report to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and furnish another report to President Benigno Aquino III.

One of the main points is the "importance (of) coordination," he said.

He also said the incident was a "tactical fiasco," and that Aquino had no liability even if he is the AFP's commander-in-chief.

"It is a tactical fiasco na di kasalanan ng ating mahal na pangulo. Ang nag-operate sa lugar na ito dapat mag-explain bakit nagkaroon ng ganitong engkwentro," he said. — Joel Locsin/RSJ/KG, GMA News

Tags: gregoriocatapangjr, mamasapanoclash, biff, milf, pnpsaf