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Philippine police chief admits he was set aside during Mamasapano clash

Xinhua, February 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

The leadership of the Philippine National Police (PNP) admitted on Wednesday that the police force is in "serious crisis" after he was set aside during the bloody encounter between government forces and Moro in the province of Maguindanao last Jan. 25.

Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, the acting PNP chief, told members of the House committee on Public Order and Safety that he was kept in the"dark"by his subordinates in the planning and execution of operation that caused the lives of 44 members of the elite Special Action Force (SAF).

"If I was just informed, definitely I'm gonna review the overall plan before proceeding with the actual operation," said Espina.

Reports said that President Benigno Aquino III allowed suspended PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima to manage the operation against Malaysian terrorist Zulkipli bin Hir alias Marwan and Filipino Basit Usman, both bomb experts linked to the Jemaah Islamiya.

After the operation, Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II and Espina admitted they were kept in the dark about the operation.

Purisima later in 2014 was placed on preventive suspension by Philippine Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales due to corruption allegations. Endi