Duterte to reopen Mamasapano investigation

President Rodrigo Duterte is planning on reopening the investigation on the bloody incident in Mamasapano on January of 2015.

Photo by ABS-CBN News

Sixty people died in the incident, including 44 members of the elite PNP-Special Action Force.

In a speech in Bejing, Duterte said he was questioning who got the 5-million dollar reward for the death of terrorist Zulkifli Bin Hir, or Maran by the SAF commanders.

The United States offered the reward.

"Forty-four Mamasapano soldiers, they went inside, they died. No dramatics, no nothing. No ... except that we grieve for our soldiers. Maybe in this --- in the days ahead, I will order the opening of that issue again. Not really to prosecute people but just to know what happened? Who got the five million?"  Duterte said.

Whether the tip of the finger of Marwan was gotten by the Special Forces of United States or was it really brought to the forensic division diyan sa [Camp] Crame," he added.

He suggested that the details on Marwan's death were not entirely true.

"These are the lies that are imposed upon the people which is not good.  Let us go for the truth. Let it out. Never mind about corruption. Too late in the day," the President said.

Duterte also said in a speech on August 10 to troops in Zamboanga del Sur that the incident was caused by the greed of the administration then.

"Katong sa Mamasapano, it was a question of greed [What happened in Mindanao, it was a question of greed]," Duterte said, claiming that the SAF troops were directed by someone who was after the bounty.

Five days after that, the Department of Justice came out with a resolution filing direct assault with murder charges against 88 people involved in the incident.

The 88 respondents belong to the MILF, its splinter group, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, and private armed groups.

Included in the list are Commanders Abdulrahman Abdulrakman Upan, Rakman of the MILF 118th Base Command, Refy Guiaman, Haumves alias Haves of the 105th MILF Base Command, Hadji Abdulsalam and Hadji Mohammad alias Hadji Muhammad.

Only the deaths of 35 members of the SAF were covered by the resolution.

SOURCE: GMA News

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