The third batch of multiple homicide complaint was filed yesterday against former President Benigno Aquino III, former Philipine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima, and former police Special Action Force (SAF) head Getulio Napeñas in connection with their role in the Mamasapano massacre of 44 police troopers.
The complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) was the same as the two previous cases, except for the names of relatives of SAF troopers slain in the firefight.
It was jointly signed by Samar province residents, namely; Telly Sumbilla, Helen Ramacula and Lorna Sagonoy.
They were mothers of PO3 John Lloyd Sumbilla, PO2 Rodel Ramacula, and PO1 Joseph Sagonoy.
Assisted by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), the relatives of the SAF commandos asked the Ombudsman to investigate the criminal liabilities of Aquino and the two other former top police officers over the deaths of SAF troopers in the hands of Muslim rebels.
They said Aquino who was then the President and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces allowed the flawed Oplan: Exodus to capture two international terrorists Zulkifli Bin Hir alias Marwan and Basit Usman in their lair in Mamasapano, Maguindanao early last year.
They said Aquino was criminally liable for allowing Purisima to orchestrate the operations despite the fact that he was under preventive suspension order by the Ombudsman involving another case.
They claimed that the respondents broke the PNP chain of command by keeping the operation secret to then PNP officer-in-charge Leonardo Espina.
The complaints asked the Ombudsman to indict the three respondents for reckless imprudence resulting in multiple homicide for their alleged “deliberate acts of imprudence, inexcusable negligence and lack of foresight and precaution” resulting to the deaths of the policemen.
Lawyer Ferdinand Topacio, counsel for the SAF victims, explained that the complaints came in batches because the VACC lack funds to bring together all the families of police-victims to the OMB. (JUN RAMIREZ)