01 July 2016•Update: 01 July 2016
By Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA CITY, the Philippines
A multiple homicide complaint related to a botched 2015 raid that left 44 elite police commandos dead has been filed against former Philippines President Benigno Aquino III a day after he was succeeded by Rodrigo Duterte.
The complaint was filed Friday by relatives of two of the Special Action Force members killed in clashes with Muslim rebels in troubled southern Maguindanao province on Jan. 25, 2015 that threatened to derail an ongoing peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The complainants, assisted by anti-crime and corruption advocacy group Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, said Aquino should be held liable for multiple counts of "Reckless Imprudence Resulting in Homicide", GMA News reported Friday.
“Aquino's criminal negligence consisted of planning 'Oplan Exodus' with gross and inexcusable neglect and thereafter approved the operation knowing it was flawed," said the 36-page complaint, filed a day after Aquino’s presidential immunity was lifted.
Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima, who had been suspended from service over corruption allegations at the time of the raid, and former PNP Special Action Force director Getulio Napenas Jr., who was removed from his post after the incident, were named as Aquino's co-accused.
The planning of the covert mission reportedly started in December 2014, with Purisima and Napenas meeting Aquino on Jan. 9, 2015, when Napenas presented Aquino with plans for the mission.
The complainants alleged that Aquino had approved the launch of the "flawed” operation, accusing him of criminal negligence for “allowing suspended PNP Chief Purisima, not only to participate in 'Exodus' but in the running thereof during, and even in giving information and intelligence whilst the operation was ongoing."
Reports into the tragedy have since noted that almost 400 police commandos had descended upon the town of Mamasapano before dawn to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and local confederate Basit Usman.
The officers ran into heavily-armed Muslim rebels and villagers, resulting in the deaths of 44 commandos, and around 18 MILF members, five members of its splinter group the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and three civilians.
Usman managed to escape during the fighting, but was killed in a clash with the MILF months later.
Amid the national outrage sparked by the incident, several lawmakers withdrew support for a proposed law that would have sealed a 2014 peace deal signed by the government and the MILF and granted greater autonomy to majority Muslim provinces.
The Bangsamoro Basic Law stalled in Congress earlier this year, as it adjourned for campaigning for the May 9 election.
The MILF has expressed hope that the legislation can be passed under Duterte, who was inaugurated Thursday as the first president from southern Mindanao island and has backed the peace process with the MILF.
