Police intel officer: Dinner with Army commanders with 'good intention'

MANILA, Philippines - The police official who hosted the dinner for the Philippine Army commanders on the eve of the Mamasapano operations has broken his silence, saying that the dinner was held with "good intention."

 

Senior Superintendent Manolo Ozaeta, head of a Special Project for Mindanao, explained to his superiors after being alluded to as the police intelligence officer who allegedly "wined and dined" with Philippine Army commanders.

 

Ozaeta confirmed that he hosted a 2 1/2-hour traditional "boodle fight" dinner at the Del Rio Splash Resort in Koronadal City on the evening of January 24 attended by some SOCCSKSARGEN-based police and military officials, among them, key officers of the Army's 601st Brigade, including some Battalion Commanders.

 

He said that the dinner was held with good intention and as a gesture of gratitude and goodwill to officers of the 601st Brigade in recognition of the previous successful joint operations launched by police and military units in Central Mindanao.

 

He said the party was originally scheduled as a lunch or dinner party in November and December 2014 but was later moved to January 24 upon the suggestion of their military counterparts to ensure with the availability of all guests since it was on a weekend.

 

Ozaeta maintained it was purely coincidental that the dinner was held hours before Special Action Force commandos launched Oplan Exodus against Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan, and his Filipino accomplice Basit Usman in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

 

The party started around 6 p.m. and ended when he and the brigade commander left around 8:45 p.m., he said.

 

If at all alcoholic drinks were served during the dinner, these beverages normally come with parties, he said.

 

"It has no link whatsoever with the Mamasapano operations nor was it intended to divert our counterpart's attention in reinforcements as both units did not expect such operations in Mamasapano in the first place," Ozaeta said. 

 

Ozaeta said he has been working closely with military units based in Central Mindanao on some occasions that has led to successful joint operations against threat groups.

 

Earlier, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV claimed that a police intelligence officer made their counterparts in the military drunk to exclude them in the Mamasapano operations.