Napeñas: Past ops on Marwan failed when AFP was alerted

MANILA, Philippines — Sacked Special Action Force commander Getulio Napeñas on Monday bared the Philippine National Police's existing (PNP) distrust in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) due to suspected leakage of information on high-risk operations.

Speaking at the Senate committee hearing probing the deaths of the 44 SAF commandos in Maguindanao, Napeñas said that past operations targeting key terror suspects Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and Basit Usman would fail whenever the military is informed beforehand.

LIVE: Senate probe on SAF troopers' deaths in Mamasapano

"The main reason is that the operations and preparations are leaked whenever major operations against high value targets are conducted as the subjects. Both Marwan and Usman, are being coddled by the [Moro Islamic Liberation Front] whose members are in contact with the AFP and the PNP," Napeñas said.

"The high-level operational security and secrecy are of utmost importance," Napeñas added.

Napeñas was addressing criticisms that the SAF did not coordinate ahead of time with the military as they were planning to enter an area in Mamasapano town in Maguindanao, where 44 SAF commandos were killed by fighters from the MILF and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters moments after the main target, Marwan, was neutralized.

The relieved SAF commander, meanwhile, also explained that after several failed SAF operations against the terrorist the past years, the police hierarchy decided only to inform the AFP of the "time on target," or when police operatives have already reached their destination.

"Succeeding operations that coordination with the AFP will be 'time on target' of the arresting force to avoid the possibility that our operation will be compromised," Napeñas said.

Napeñas also claimed that the PNP's intelligence chiefs are aware that alerting the AFP meant compromising the missions.

"Police Superintendent Noel delos Reyes, who was then deputy director of intelligence, knows how Marwan managed to escape," he said, referring to an operation SAF conducted in Lanao del Sur in 2012.

SEE TIMELINE: 'The hunt for Marwan,' detailing past failed SAF operations

Suspended police chief Director General Alan Purisima, also present in the hearing, was nodding in apparent agreement as Napeñas delivered the lines. Purisima resigned from his post last week.

The AFP earlier addressed concerns why the 6th Infantry Division stationed near the site of the SAF's encounter with Moro rebels did not assist in the gun fight.

AFP chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. said last week that SAF's coordination could have spelled the difference in the operation and saved lives of elite police troopers.

"Kung nakipag-coordinate sila, siyempre i-inform namin ang MILF na may operation kami riyan sa lugar na 'yan, huwag sila makikialam," Catapang had said.