In the morning of January 25, the President
communicated details and orders of Operation Exodus to suspended PNP Chief Alan
Purisima and Special Action Force commander GetulioNapenas, doing away with
protocol that involved following a chain of command.
By excluding OIC PNP Chief
LenoardoEspina and SILG Secretary Manuel Roxas in these communications, he was
in clear violation of the PNP’s chain of command.
Despite stating that the chain of command
was indeed violated by the President himself, the Board of Inquiry also states
that it is the President’s prerogative to break this chain within reason.
Exhaustive though the Board of Inquiry’s 120-page report was on the events that
transpired in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, they failed to specify the reason for
Aquino’s actions.
This violation contributed to a
catastrophic event that led to the death of 67 individuals, 44 of which were
Special Action Force command officers of the PNP. Since then, the President has
heavily placed blame on SAF commander Napenas while refusing to be clearn on
Purisima’s inclusion to Oplan Exodus, despite his suspension.
In fact, the BOI
report found that the President even gave an inaccurate description of Purisima’s
role in the operation.
Only after being revealed that his approval
and trust ratings were at an all-time low, President Aquino decided to take
responsibility for what had transpired. He owns up to his part in the massacre
by stating that all successes and failures that happen within his
administration are ultimately on him. Even so, he has yet to apologize for what
had happened.
This acceptance now begs the question: what
should be done to the President as punishment to hold him accountable for his
decisions that resulted with the unspeakable loss now suffered not only by the
families of the perished officers, but also the entire nation?
Should he be
allowed to attempt regaining the people’s trust, or should he be subjected to
an impeachment trial?
