Miriam calls Napeñas ‘a failure’

Sacked SAF Chief Getulio Pascual Napenas (center) at the Senate hearing on the Mamasapano clash. Also in photo, Chief Peace Adviser Teresita Quintos-Deles (Photo courtesy of Sen. Grace Poe’s Facebook page)

“You’re a failure. You’re incompetent,” Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago told sacked Special Action Force commander Police Director Getulio Napeñas on Thursday’s Senate probe on the Mamasapano clash.

“You have acted like as a gentleman, but I want to know who are the people pulling the strings behind you, since you are not the commander-in-chief of the PNP,” the Dragon lady fumed.

READ: DILG Chief sacks SAF commander Napeñas

No holding back, Santiago was violently flustered why the 64th SAF company did not reach ‘Marwan’ location on time and instead ended up attacking the rebel camp when the militants were already awake for the morning prayer at 5:00 AM.

“You cited intervening factors. The operation should have proceeded smoothly eh kayo nagpaplano (you were the ones planning it),” Santiago said.

According to their initial plan, the assault force was set to reach Marwan’s camp at 2:30 AM. However, according Napeñas, the operation was delayed because only 13 men were able to cross the river leading to the rebel camp.

“Ang problema sa ’yo (The problem with you), sir, is you’re assuming full responsibility for the operation… I doubt very much your statement that you were in full or sole control of that operation,” Santiago noted.

“Maraming nagkamali, hindi sa ’yo lahat nanggaling ang detalye kaya hindi ka dapat ma-blame for the whole fiasco (Lots of people screwed up, not every little detail came from you so you shouldn’t be blamed for everything),” she told Napeñas