What went wrong to OPLAN EXODUS?

MANILA - Police commandos sent to arrest terrorist bomber Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, were prevented from completing Operation Plan: Exodus without casualties due to unfamiliarity with the terrain, the vast marshland, strong current of rivers, wide open cornfields and irrigation canals.

Director Benjamin Magalong, Philippine National Police-Board of Inquiry chief, said yesterday these are among the factors that delayed the movement of the 392 commandos – divided into subgroups – to their entry and exit waypoint areas.

In his presentation before a joint inquiry of the Senate committee on public order and committee on peace, unification and reconciliation on Monday, Magalong said a gap existed between the plan and the actual operation.

“Except for the Seaborne Unit, the other units did not reach their designated positions,” he said.
Magalong said the PNP Board of Inquiry also noted that the 84th Seaborne Company under Supt. Raymond Train took two hours longer than they had planned.

“They were delayed by the difficult terrain and the strong river current near the target,” read Magalong’s report.

“The departure of the support groups accordingly were delayed because the plan called for synchronization of their movement with that of the Seaborne. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Seaborne was still able to reach its objective and neutralize Marwan.”

The Seaborne company comprised the assault team tasked with the main effort to go after Marwan.
Eight of the 36-member team were killed during the ensuing shootout with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

Relieved Special Action Force (SAF) commander Director Getulio Napeñas told The STAR BIFF “casualties” included both the dead and the wounded.

Some affidavits gathered from the police commandos revealed that they indeed took time traversing the terrain and rivers.

Magalong refused to give a categorical answer when sought for comment if the delays in the deployment of troops compromised the operation.

“That would be part of the findings,” he told The STAR.

The director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said the operational audit team has yet to wrap up its work on the affidavits of the police commandos involved in the Mamasapano operation.
The BOI will look into the lapses in operational matters of PNP and SAF officials from the planning of the mission, implementation of the operation plan up to the execution of the entire mission, he added.
Napeñas said he had conducted a threat assessment on Marwan.

“The capability of the target, location of friendly forces, terrain as well as the obstacles during the mission” were some of the factors considered, he said.

Napeñas said the mission planning also assessed the type of vehicles to be used in the operations.
“This is the intelligence preparation in the battle field, so that our men tasked to operate will be fully informed (of the challenges they may face during battle),” he said.

Magalong said the 392 commandos were assigned to 12 different operating groups: one was the assault force, four for support, two as blocking forces, and two for route security.

The 84th Special Action Company was the assault force tasked to enter Marwan’s hut and arrest him.
Magalong said the commandos killed Marwan in a shootout after he fired when the police entered his lair.

“The plan called for the deployment of the 55th, 45th, 42th and 41st special action companies as containment forces along the entry and exit routes of the Seaborne,” read Magalong’s report.

Mamasapano Mayor Datu Ampatuan disputed yesterday the claims of Napeñas that his men were able to inflict casualties on the MILF and BIFF last Jan. 25.

“We did not see the bodies,” he said.

Ampatuan cited the official count wherein 18 MILF members were killed and 14 others wounded.
Ampatuan said the SAF vehicles did have proper government identification.

He learned from Barangay 2 Tukanalipao that gunshots were heard in their area between 5 and 6 a.m., he added.

Ampatuan said he, the police and the military tried to stop the fighting at about 7 a.m. that Sunday.
“There was heavy exchange of fire from 7 a.m. up to 1:30 p.m.,” he said.

Ampatuan said local government officials accompanied members of the Coordinating Committee on Cessation of Hostilities, the MILF and the government panel to help them enter the battle zone, he said.
They were able to extricate bodies of the first batch of slain SAF commandos at about 5:30 p.m. near a river dike, he added.

Ampatuan confirmed the claim of Napeñas that an MILF commander was living about 500 meters away from the house of Marwan

Nikki Gil officialy engaged!

 

NIKKI GIL finally admitted that she’s officially engaged to her non-showbiz businessman BF, BJ Albert, nephew of singer Joey Albert with whom she’s been on for over a year now. It was on Dec. 13 of last year that BJ formally proposed to her and yes, she’s now proudly wearing her engagement ring. BJ did it while she’s in a corporate event.

“First, he asked my parents’ permission. Pagdating ko sa corporate event, he proposed. Hindi ako agad nakasagot. But I said yes nu’ng medyo nag-sink in na sa akin that he’s proposing marriage. Then all of our friends came out to greet us,” she says.

She considers BJ an answered prayer after she got heartbroken with Billy Crawford who was her BF for five years. She earlier admitted that one reason Billy dumped her is because she wants to stay a virgin, her personal decision for which we admire her in this day and age when sluts are a dime a dozen.

Nikki and BJ have agreed to have their wedding sometime this year, but no details yet. Nikki and BJ join the list of showbiz couples who are already officially engaged, like Toni Gonzaga and Director Paul Soriano, John Prats and Isabel Oli, Yeng Constantino and Yan Asuncion, Patrick Garcia and Nikka Martinez. Another engaged couple is tying the knot on Sunday, February 15, Heart Evangelista and Sen. Chiz Escudero, in a private ceremony at Balesin Island.

Toni Gonzaga, engaged na nga ba?

Toni Gonzaga on Sunday skipped “The Buzz” due to “something very personal” which she refused to disclose.

In a statement read by co-host Kris Aquino during the Sunday showbiz talk show, Gonzaga apologized for not being present even if she when she was supposed to celebrate her birthday in the program.

“I am very sorry. I know it’s my birthday celebration sa 'Buzz.' I’m very sorry but I cannot attend 'The Buzz' this Sunday. I love my 'Buzz' family so you will be the first people to know why. I’m just going through something very personal and I’m really sorry for the short notice,”she said.

While she is also clueless as to why Gonzaga missed the show, Aquino said she does not think the TV host is going through something sad.

“I don’t think she’s sad. Sometimes, something personal is something you like to keep private for a little bit. But she said tayo sa 'Buzz' ang unang makakaalam. Sa pagkakakilala natin kay Toni, she doesn’t like to burden us with problems. The fact na nakalagay doon na ‘I love my Buzz family at dito ko una ipapaalam,’ ang interpretation ko lang ay hindi ito malungkot na balita,” Aquino said.This then triggered some netizens to speculate that Gonzaga probably got engaged.

For someone as professional as Gonzaga, Aquino said the reason of her absence must really be something major and she is just hoping that she would share happy news when she gets back.

“Ka-text ko siya. Sabi ko, ‘Ikaw talaga naghanda ako ng gifts.’ Sabi niya, ‘Ate pasensya na. Promise next week nandiyan ako. Babawi ako ng bonggang bongga.’ Sabi ko I’m really just hoping na happy news ito. Tapos hindi na siya nag-reply,” Aquino said laughing.

Despite the speculations that her absence on “The Buzz” has caused, Gonzaga has yet to confirm whether she is indeed engaged to film director Paul Soriano, her boyfriend of over seven years.

Kamikazee, BUWAG NA!

After a fruitful 14-year journey, OPM iconic band Kamikazee will disband next year, the band members announced in a video on Sunday.

In the video posted on their official Facebook page, lead vocalist Jay Contreras said that the breakup was due to the members’ desire to explore their future outside the band.

“Nagdesisyon po kaming lima na ngayong 2015 ang huling taon na magkakasama tayo dahil gusto namin masubukan ang buhay-buhay sa labas ng banda, ‘yung mga trip na puwede pa namin gawing iba,” Contreras said.

Drummer Allan “Bords” Burdeos said the members were happy about the decision while denying it was due to any internal rift.

The members thanked their fans and asked them to continue patronizing original Filipino music.
Many netizens expressed sadness upon knowing the band’s decision.

The band was able to produce four studio albums in their 14-year run and are remembered for releasing memorable songs like “Narda”, “Huling Sayaw” and “Wala”, among other hits.

GUSTO NIYO BA MALAMAN KUNG ANO ANG SINULAT NI POPE?

THANK YOU POPE FRANCIS! MABUHAY KA!

Pope Francis' inscription on the Malacañan Palace guest book:

"On the President and people of this beloved land of the Philippines, I ask Almighty God's abundant blessings of wisdom, discernment, prosperity and peace. 16.1.2015. Francis."

MAHAL KA NAMIN SANTO PAPA

Pope Francis called on bishops, priests, and the religious in the country to “become poor” themselves and to combat inequalities that have become embedded in Philippine society.

In his homily before representatives of the Catholic community, Pope Francis said: “[The] Church in the Philippines is called to acknowledge and combat the causes of the deeply rooted inequality and injustice which mar the face of Filipino society, plainly contradicting the teaching of Christ. The Gospel calls individual Christians to live lives of honesty, integrity and concern for the common good.”

He said taking the poor away from the gospel is “not understanding the message of Jesus Christ.”
He said becoming ambassadors for the Church is to “reject worldly perspectives” and to “acknowledge our failings and sins and embrace the path of constant conversion.”

“The great danger to this, of course, is a certain materialism which can creep into our lives and compromise the witness we offer. Only by becoming poor ourselves, by stripping away our complacency, will we be able to identify with the least of our brothers and sisters,” he said.
He specifically asked young priests, religious to make the church a Church of hope to those trapped in injustice and on the brink of giving up.

CONFUSING PRESENTATIONS

In a political statement that could spur debates in the coming days, however, he also told the young to “proclaim the beauty and truth of the Christian message to a society which is tempted by confusing presentations of sexuality, marriage and the family.”

“As you know, these realities are increasingly under attack from powerful forces which threaten to disfigure God’s plan for creation and betray the very values which have inspired and shaped all that is best in your culture,” he said.

The Mass at the Manila Cathedral was the first Eucharistic celebration in his five-day visit.
A total of 2,000 bishops, priests, and religious met with Pope Francis at the Manila Cathedral, tagged as the country’s premiere basilica.

Manila Cathedral rector Rev. Monsignor Nestor Cerbo said it is the basilica of popes, with previous visiting popes holding masses there.

“It’s actually not the first, but it became a basilica in a special way through Pope John Paul II in 1981. He told then Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin, ‘I will make this a basilica,’” Cerbo said.

Pope Francis started his homily with: “Do you love me?”
Before he could continue, those present made a resounding “yes”.
Chuckling, the pope thanked them and said he was only quoting the Bible

Kapwa Congressman pinagtanggol si Manny Pacquiao

MANILA - Some lawmakers rose to the defense of Sarangani congressman and boxing champ Manny Pacquiao after he was identified as one of two top absentee lawmakers of the House of Representatives in 2014.

Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said Filipinos should be more understanding of the fighting congressman, saying Pacquiao's frequent absences is because he has to train for his boxing matches.

Pampanga Rep. Joseller Guiao, meanwhile, said if Pacquiao should be sanctioned, it should be done by his own constituents in Sarangani since they voted him into office.

House records showed Pacquiao and Negros Occidental Representative Julio Ledesma IV were present in only seven of the 70 session days from January 20 to December 17, 2014.

Former Senator Rene Saguisag earlier said the House of Representatives should consider suspending Pacquiao for treating his legislative work as a "hobby."

"The House should consider suspending Pacquiao up to the end of his term as he treats House work as a hobby or sideline," said the former legislator, who now practices law.

"If it is true that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather will fight on May 2, 2015, it seems only proper for the House of Representatives to decide what it will do with someone contending for the title 'House Top Absentee.'"

Saguisag said being a congressman or senator means serious work and should not be taken lightly.
He added that if Pacquiao is serious about running for the Senate and even the presidency, then he should retire immediately and do his homework.