THE Sandiganbayan on Friday issued a hold-departure order against former police chief Alan Purisima and ex-Special Action Force director Getulio Napeñas Jr. in connection with the clash between Muslim rebels and Special Action Force commandos in January 2015 that resulted in the killing of 44 commandos.
The anti-graft court’s Fourth Division ordered Immigration to stop Purisima and Napeñas from leaving the country without its approval.
On Jan. 24, the Office of the Ombudsman filed graft and usurpation charges before the Sandiganbayan against Purisima and Napeñas.
Purisima “willfully, unlawfully and criminally” influenced Napeñas to violate the chain of command and his suspension order on him, the Ombudsman said.
A P10,000 bail was recommended for each case filed against the two former officials, who are accused of planning and executing Oplan Exodus in Tukanalipao, Mamasapano in Maguindanao on Jan. 25, 2015 in which 44 SAF troopers were killed in the botched operation.
The police operation was aimed at neutralizing high-profile Malaysian terrorist Marwan and Filipino bomb maker Abdul Bassit Usman.
At the time of the police raid, Purisima was serving a six-month preventive suspension by the Ombudsman for the alleged anomalous contract the Philippine National Police entered into with a courier service company.