Intel cop breaks silence on 'wine and dine' issue before Mamasapano operation

MANILA -- Senior Superintendent Manolo Ozaeta, head of the Special Project for Mindanao, on Wednesday broke his silence over the statement of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV were PNP-Special Action Force (SAF) commandos allegedly invited some military officials to a drink on January 24, the eve of the operation.The SAF commandos carried out Oplan Exodus on January 25 to arrest terrorists Zulkifli Bin Hir, aka Marwan, and Abdul Basit Usman.The elite police troopers killed Marwan but they were engaged in a clash with the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and other Moro groups in the village of Tukanalipao, resulting in the death of 44 SAF commandos.Ozaeta submitted himself to his superiors for explanation after being alluded to as the police intelligence officer who allegedly wined and dined” Philippine Army commanders.Ozaeta confirmed that he hosted a 2 1/2–hour traditional boodlefight” 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.In his manifestation, Ozaeta clarified that the dinner was held with pure good intention upon his invitation as a gesture of gratitude and goodwill to officers of the 601st Brigade in recognition of the previous successful joint operations launched by PNP and AFP 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 6 p.m. of Saturday, January 24 upon the suggestion of the AFP 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 SAF commandos launched Oplan Exodus against High-Value Targets in Mamasapano.The party started promptly at 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 explained.Ozaeta said he has been working closely with AFP Units based in Central Mindanao on some occasions that has led to successful joint operations against threat groups.Newly Special Action Force head Chief Superintendent Moro Virgilio Lazo asked Senator Trillanes to check his facts first before making claims that SAF officials distracted military men by inviting them to a drinking spree on the eve of the Mamasapano operation.Lazo said he was able to talk to several people who joined in the drinking spree and they said that not a single SAF trooper joined them.Lazo said the people making such pronouncements should validate and verify their information as it adds insult to injury sustained by the SAF.He appealed to Sen. Trillanes, who is a former soldier, to be responsible on his statement so as not to cause misunderstanding, and should conduct investigation on what really happened.Police authorities maintained the PNP commitment to uphold the strong bond of camaraderie and unity of purpose with their military counterparts amid insinuations that tend to undermine the professional brotherhood and inter-operabililty of police and military security forces in the aftermath of the Mamasapano incident, said PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr.He said the PNP respects” Trillanes’ statement but maintained that the PNP had no intent of sabotaging the AFP.But Cerbo, who was a former PNP intelligence officer, noted that social activities” like parties and dinner are usually organized by police and military officers to strengthen the relationship of both institutions. Based on my personal experience, we usually hold social activities with our military counterparts to promote bonding and fellowship between operatives,” he said. (PNA)LGI/CLTC