Duterte on Mamasapano: Where Did $5-M Reward Go?
Beijing, 21 Muharram 1438/22 October 2016 (MINA) – President Duterte wants to reinvestigate the Mamasapano clash, which left 44 police commandos dead and derailed the peace negotiations with Moro rebels, The Star reported on Saturday.
“In the days ahead, I will order the opening of that issue again. Not really to prosecute people but just to know what happened,” Duterte said during the Philippines-China Trade and Investment Forum in Beijing last Thursday.
Duterte said he would like to know where the $5-million reward for tipsters who helped security forces track down high-profile terrorists went.
The President also has questions about the details of the operation, which was kept secret even to some Cabinet and police officials.
“(Was) the tip of the finger of (wanted terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias) Marwan (taken) by the Special Forces of United States or was it really brought to the forensic division in (Camp) Crame?” the President said.
“These are the lies that are imposed upon the people, which is not good. Let us go for the truth. Let it out. Never mind about corruption. Too late in the day,” he added.
Forty-four members of the Special Action Force (SAF) were slain in a lopsided clash against lawless groups and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25, 2015.
The elite policemen entered the MILF bailiwick to capture wanted terrorists Marwan and his Filipino lieutenant, Basit Usman.
Marwan was killed during the raid while Usman was neutralized in a separate gun battle four months later.
The law enforcement operation went awry as it led to a bloody encounter that claimed the lives of 44 SAF troopers and 18 MILF members.
In the same event, Duterte cited the heroism of the 44 fallen policemen to take a jab at the United States, who had raised concerns over his anti-drug war.
“America is really checkmate here. It is not ready for war because they are not ready to die anymore. And you can see it when the Special Forces go home, there’s a lot of crying and criticism and a congressman talking there, filibustering about the loss of an American life,” Duterte said.
“Filipinos, if you want to go to war, go. As long as it is really the desire of the nation, to protect itself. Forty-four Mamasapano soldiers, they went inside, they died. No dramatics, no nothing except that we grieve for our soldiers,” he added. (T/R07/R01)
Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)
