Palace: PNoy not culpable for Mamasapano tragedy

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III is not culpable for the Special Action Force (SAF) operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao that left 44 troopers dead, Malacañang said Tuesday.

In a press briefing, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said while Aquino has accepted responsibility for the bungled January 25 operation, he should not be held culpable for the deaths of the police commandos.

Coloma said responsibility is different from culpability or having "willful intent" to commit an unlawful act.

"'Yung pangkaraniwan kasing pagkaunawa sa culpability batid mo ‘yung sitwasyon, you willfully committed a certain act and that act may be deemed as irregular or illegal or punishable by certain statutes or by certain regulations," Coloma said.

Coloma reiterated that Aquino, as commander-in-chief of the Philippine National Police, only involves himself on the policy level.

"Iyon mismong pag-execute, iyong mismong pag-implement, iyong paggawa ng tactical decisions, moment by moment as the situation unfolds, at maaaring doon naganap ‘yung mga so-called operational lapses for which a commander might be held liable or culpable, malinaw naman na walang ganoong klaseng involvement ang ating Pangulo," he said.

The Palace official said Aquino had accepted responsibility of the Mamasapano mission during his address to the nation on February.

In that speech, Aquino said that he will bear the Mamasapano tragedy for the rest of his life.

"In the ultimate analysis, wala namang higher authority pa kaysa sa kanya, at kumbaga, the buck stops here. Pagkatapos nito kinakailangan pa ring gumawa ng mga corrective actions and he considers that his responsibility," Coloma said.

'Not passing the blame'

In a prayer gathering for him on Monday, Aquino continued to criticize relieved SAF commander Getulio Napeñas for his lapses in the Mamasapano mission.

The President said Napeñas lacked professionalism for his failure to coordinate with the military regarding the operation.

Aquino also condemned Napeñas for deceiving him about the operation and for not aborting it when there were deviations in the execution of the plan.

READ: I was fooled on Mamasapano mission

"Kung ako ang may kasalanan dito, bakit hindi ko aakuin lahat? Pero ‘pag nakita ho ninyo ‘yung pagpaplano nito, napakahusay ho ‘nung PowerPoint presentation," Aquino said. "Sabi nila, ang ganda ng plano kaya lang drowing pala ito."

But Malacañang said the President is not passing the blame on Napeñas, saying he was only explaining the events that led to the operation's tragic end.

"Hindi po layunin ng Pangulo 'yung manisi o magpasa ng—or blame passing. Ang pangunahing layunin ay magbigay ng liwanag tungkol sa buong kaganapan," Coloma said.