Only Roxas, Espina may give updates on Mamasapano clash—PNP spokesman

All questions pertaining to the tragic "misencounter" between the PNP-Special Action Force and members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters will have to be referred to top officials Interior Secretary Mar Roxas and PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director-General Leonardo Espina, the PNP spokesman said on Tuesday.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs office also withheld comment on the questions related to the incident that killed more than  40 policemen, pending the investigation of the board of inquiry formed to look into the incident.
 

In a text message to GMA News Online, PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Wilben Mayor  said "statements pertaining to Mamasapano incident will be issued by SILG [Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II] or OIC PNP [Deputy Director-General Leonardo Espina]."

 

AFP-PAO chief Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc denied to comment or release updates on the misencounter pending resolution of the board of inquiry, which was formed to investigate the incident that left 44 policemen killed and 12 others wounded.

 

At a press briefing on Tuesday at Camp Crame, Roxas said the authorities have set up a board of inquiry to tackle the "tactical level" of the firefight.

 

Roxas said the board would determine if there are any operational lapses that led to the firefight.

 

For his part, Espina said the board would determine if the officers who led the SAF operations would be administratively or criminally liable for the deaths of the elite policemen.

 

"This includes external liability, lahat nung mga pumatay ng ating mga kapulisan," he added. —NB, GMA News