Napeñas no longer credible in new Mamasapano probe —LP exec

Former Special Action Force chief retired Director Getulio Napeñas can no longer be considered a credible witness in the re-investigation of the Mamasapano clash because of his association with Vice President Jejomar Binay, a ranking official of the Liberal Party said.

Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice, the LP's vice chairman for political affairs, on Thursday sought to downplay the impact of the new information Napeñas could possibly yield in the latest Senate hearing into the bloody encounter by calling him a “polluted source.”

Asked if the LP is worried of Napeñas’ testimony, Erice said: “Hindi eh, polluted source na siya dahil kandidato siya at nakay Binay siya.”

As proof of Napeñas’ questionable credibility, Erice said he got wind of the information that the relieved SAF chief booked hotel rooms at the EDSA Shangri-la Hotel for some of the Mamasapano victims’ kin at the height of the Iglesia Ni Cristo’s protest in August last year.

“Sa katunayan, in one incident, nakita ko ‘yan eh. Halos magkatabi kami sa Shangri-La Plaza diyan sa Edsa. Binook niya yung mga Mamasapano relatives sa hotel. I think this was during the Iglesia ni Cristo affair. Nandoon sila. Dala-dala ‘yung mga bata, mga kamag-anak ng mga [napatay sa] Mamasapano. Nagulat pa nga siya nung nakita niya ko eh,” he said.

Napeñas, who is running for senator under the opposition United Nationalist Alliance, earlier said he is ready to give a no-holds-barred account of his knowledge of “Oplan Exodus,” the covert anti-terror operation carried out by SAF troopers, should he be invited to the Senate hearing on the Mamasapano encounter on its first anniversary on January 25.

GMA News Online is still trying to get Napeñas' comment as of posting time.

Senator Grace Poe, head of the public order and dangerous drugs committee, announced earlier this week the reopening of the Senate investigation into the botched police operation upon the request of Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, who cited the possible existence of new evidence.

The senator’s panel earlier released a report following its investigation stating that President Benigno Aquino III is responsible for the Mamasapano operation.

Over 60 people, including 44 SAF troopers, died on January 25 in an encounter with rebel groups and other armed men while carrying out an anti-terror operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. —NB, GMA News