Enrile, Napeñas warn of another Mamasapano

MANILA, Philippines – Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and former Philippine National Police Special Action Force (SAF) chief Getulio Napeñas are not letting President Aquino off the hook over his supposed role in the Mamasapano incident that left 44 police commandos dead in January 2015.

During the campaign kick-off of opposition party United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) in Mandaluyong City on Tuesday, Enrile told voters to elect the right candidate to avoid incidents similar to the Mamasapano carnage.

“If you elect a failure to the presidency, we will have more Mamasapano in our country,” Enrile said in Filipino. “If your leader is good and not sleeping on the job or hiding behind his shooting buddies, classmates and friends, no one will die in combat.”

Napeñas, meanwhile, blamed Aquino for the incident that killed 44 SAF members under his command.

“It is not acceptable. We were given orders. We followed it, but we were left behind,” said Napeñas, who is running for the Senate under the UNA slate.

He recalled the President’s absence during the arrival honors of those who died, noting it was Vice President Jejomar Binay who was present at the event.

Enrile recently sought the reopening of the Mamasapano investigation at the Senate, pointing out Aquino’s direct role in the incident. But allies of Aquino, as well as the military, put the blame on Napeñas for supposedly failing to properly coordinate the mission.

Weak, indecisive leader

Enrile, who is facing plunder charges over the pork barrel scam but was released on bail due to health considerations, criticized Aquino for his supposed weak and indecisive leadership in the past six years.

He made a public declaration of support for Binay, UNA’s presidential candidate, saying he is the best person to lead the country after the failures of the current administration.

Using carefully chosen words, Enrile also praised opposition vice presidential candidate Sen. Gregorio Honasan II whom he said is a capable person to be the second-in-command.

The Senate minority leader earlier endorsed the vice presidential run of Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is running with Enrile’s staunch critic Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

Speaking before Binay during the event attended by around 20,000 people, Enrile also promised to campaign for the entire slate in his province of Cagayan.

Pacman pitches for Binay

The loudest cheers during the five-hour event rang when boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao took his turn to speak as a senatorial candidate of UNA.

Calling him someone who understands what poor people feel, Pacquiao pitched for the presidential run of Binay.