MANILA, Philippines – Former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima and former Special Action Force (SAF) head Getulio Napeñas may have been acquitted from liability in the Mamasapano clash, but Sandiganbayan’s presiding justice insists that they should face trial. “Plainly, the constitutive elements of the crime of usurpation of official functions are sufficiently alleged in the said Information,” she added. Purisima and Napeñas were charged along with former president Benigno Aquino III, after Napeñas led a SAF operation to capture Malaysian terrorist and bomb maker Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan. ADVERTISEMENTPrior to the Sandiganbayan’s dismissal of the cases against the two, the Ombudsman withdrew the usurpation and graft cases against Aquino last August 2019. READ: Sandiganbayan junks graft, usurpation raps vs Purisima, NapeñasREAD: Sandigan grants Ombudsman’s bid to drop graft, usurpation raps vs AquinoRead NextEDITORS' PICKMOST READ

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer January 23, 2020 13:30 UTC