MANILA, Philippines - Former president Benigno Aquino III will face trial before the Sandiganbayan for the death of more than 60 people, including 44 police commandos, in the January 2015 Mamasapano raid. Purisima and former PNP-Special Action Force (SAF) director Getulio Napeñas Jr. were ordered indicted together with Aquino. Purisima and Napeñas are facing separate cases of graft and usurpation of authority before the Sandiganbayan also in connection with the Mamasapano operation. “There is no gainsaying that President Aquino was fully aware that the Office of the Ombudsman had placed Purisima under preventive suspension at that time,” the resolution read. While leaving Mamasapano after killing Marwan, the SAF troopers ran into hundreds of fully armed MILF and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) guerrillas.

Source: Philippine Star July 14, 2017 16:41 UTC