Purisima was ‘overall commander’ of Oplan Exodus

Resigned PNP Chief Gen. Alan Purisima at Thursday’s (Feb 12, 2015) Senate hearing on the Mamasapano clash (Photo courtesy of Sen. Grace Poe’s Facebook page)

MANILA — Resigned Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima was the “overall commander” of “Oplan Exodus.”

During the senate hearing, Sen. Loren Legarda asked who should be the “head, the commander or person responsible for Oplan Exodus.”

Responding to the senator’s question, Purisima said:

“Your honor, responsibility and accountability rest on me because I have delegated authority to the director of the SAF but the planning, direction and execution was delegated to the SAF director,” Purisima said, referring to Napeñas.

He, however, said that he delegated the authority of the police project to the SAF commander, Director Getulio Napeñas adding that the task included coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Agreeing to this, Napeñas said, “I am the one responsible for carrying out the operation plan.”

But the SAF commander did not allow Purisima to completely turn the table against him and said that the entire operation plan came from the intelligence packet given to him by Purisima.

Asked if he was indeed given the authority in the operation, he said: “I wish I would be given that authority, otherwise I would be bypassing the PNP OIC.”