The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) urged the Filipino people to denounce the policy of secrecy adopted by the Senate regarding US involvement in the Mamasapano operation last January 25.
According to the CPP, the discussions on the involvement of US troops revealed through Philippine National Police Director Getulio Napeñas during the senate inquiry were “cut short by the Senate committee, citing diplomatic and security implications.”
“While the police general insisted that no US troops joined the ground operation, he did not counter the statement by Sen. Ralph Recto that US military officers were with him at their tactical command post in Shariff Aguak, and provided him real-time video feeds from drones flying over the area,” CPP said in a statement.
CPP said “claimed diplomatic and security implications are not at par with considerations of national sovereignty, especially in a situation where a foreign military force is apparently able to exert operational and doctrinal influence over the local police and military, or some of its units.”
CPP said the US involvement violates the Philippine sovereignty “including the conduct of intelligence and surveillance operations, the operation of aerial drones for surveillance, the provision of training and equipment, and interference in the conduct and command of the operations.”
