Press Release
February 12, 2015

Grace Poe's Questions at the Mamasapano Hearing

Sen. Grace Poe: I think you really need to set this for the record. In the best way, as much as you can remember the events. For the record lang, si Gen. Catapang, anong oras ninyo nalaman na nagkakagulo sa Mamasapano?

Gen. Pio Catapang: Di po namin alam na nagkakagulo sa Mamasapano. Ininform po kami mga 5:30 o 5:45 ng umaga na mag-ooperate. Wala pa pong napasabak na, nagkaron ng namatay, kailangan na reinforcement. Wala pa po. Hindi pa po namin napag-usapan.

Poe: Gen. Purisima, kalian po kayo humingi ng tulong sa military, anong oras at kanino?

Gen. Alan Purisma: Nag-text po ako sa commander ng West Mincom, si Gen. Guerrero na humihingi ako ng tulong at 7 in the morning.

Poe: Hindi naman ninyo tinext ang Pangulo para i-report kung anong nangyayari?

Purisima: Yung pangayayari po na yun, inimpormahan ko na po ang OIC ng PNP, inimpormahan ko na po si Gen. Catapang about the incident. Humihingi na po ng tulong si Gen. Napeñas.

Poe: Alam ko pong humihingi na ng tulong si Gen. Napeñas ng mga alas syete ng umaga sa military, tama ba? Kung humingi ng tulong sa military, dapat nalaman na ni Gen. Catapang ang insidente. Parang ang hirap paniwalaan na umaga hanggang gabi, kasama ninyo ang Presidente sa Zamboanga, hindi nyo nababanggit yan? Katabi na ninyo ang Pangulo at commander in chief ninyo yun.

PDir. Getulio Napeñas: That was between 7:30-7:45 in the morning (nung humingi ng tulong sa military?)

Poe: Sinabi nyo po sa military. Kanino nyo po sinabi sa military?

Napeñas: Nag-briefing po ang operations officer sa mechanized brigade commander

Poe: At ang mechanized brigade commander, kalian nyo po sinabi kay Gen. Catapang?

Major Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan: Immediately after being informed, the brigade commander immediately planned how to assist the PNP.

Poe: When did you inform Gen. Catapang?

Pangilinan: I did not inform Gen. Catapang, I informed my immediate commander who is Gen. Guerrero.

Poe: Gen. Guerrero, when did you inform Gen. Catapang?

Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero: When they arrived in Zamboanga City, your honor.

Poe: In the morning, he had knowledge of it?

Guerrero: I am not sure of the time, but we were busy...

Poe: What exactly were your words to him when you told him? This is important because we need to have this on record because this is the timeline, also your chain of command to your commander in chief. Your commander in chief cannot make possible reasonable decision without your inputs.

Catapang: I was informed immediately upon landing at the airport and I told Gen. Guerrero, please provide assistance. It was an order.

Poe: Your clear order was to provide assistance? Gen. Guerrero, did you provide assistance?

Guerrero: I gave an order as early as 6:07 (a.m.). I called Gen. Pangilinan when I received a call from Gen. Espina. That early, I gave guidance to provide assistance. That was request of OIC of PNP.

Poe: For the record, Gen. Catapang o Gen. Guerrero, when did you inform the President?

Catapang: I did not inform the President.

Poe: In your judgment, why did you not feel the need to inform the President if you felt necessary enough to provide assistance and if you weren't aware of the situation? At the least, wouldn't you ask the President, sir, "are you aware of this operation?"

Catapang: Madame Chair, we were focused on the Zamboanga bombing the whole day.

Poe: Of course this is all vital but this is also vital alongside with that. So, for the record, you did not inform the President, and for the record I would like to ask you, just to satisfy curiosities--and I think I would be remiss in my responsibilities if I don't ask this--Gen. Purisima: you never informed the President or even reported to him the progression of events in Mamasapano during the day of the encounter?

Purisima: Your honor, may I be given time to seek clearance from the President to answer the question?

Poe: Yes you may, general.

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