Recto laments: Why give Marwan’s ‘dirty finger’ to Americans?

The dead body of Zulkifli bin Hir, also known as Marwan. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

The severed finger of slain terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir also known as “Marwan” was again brought up during a Senate hearing on Wednesday, only this time, Senate President Ralph Recto referred to it as “dirty finger” of Marwan.

Marwan was killed during the botched Mamasapano operation on January 25 2015 that left 44 Special Action Force (SAF) men and several others dead. His finger was immediately sent to the United States for verification.

READ: Marwan finger cut off for DNA

“Bakit naman ‘yung dirty finger ni Marwan e sa Amerikano ibinigay (Why was Marwan’s ‘dirty finger’ given to the Americans)?” Recto asked former SAF Director Getulio Napeñas during the joint hearing of the Senate committees on peace and order; peace, unification, and reconciliation; and finance.

“Bakit hindi sa ating gobyerno binigay at bakit ibinigay ng buo? Ni kuko, ni isang kurot ng balat, ni isang gramo ng taba hindi man lang tayo nagtira para sa ating pamahalaan. Lahat ibingay natin sa Amerikano,” he lamented.

(Why didn’t you surrender it to the Philippine government? You didn’t give even a nail, a layer of skin, or an ounce of fat to our own government. You gave everything to the Americans.)

Napeñas said he had already answered the question in the previous hearing but said anyway that there was an urgency to send it to the US because the finger was already starting to decompose.

“Kaya ko naman po tinatanong ito dahil hindi maiiwasan na $5 million (‘yung reward)…At ‘yang daliri ba na ‘yan ay parang premyo, raffle ticket, lotto ticket na kelangang ipakita to redeem the prize o hindi naman?” Recto asked again.

(I am asking this because the reward is $5 million. Don’t you need the finger as a raffle or lotto ticket to redeem the prize?)

READ: SAF survivor reveals why Marwan’s finger given to FBI

“Hindi naman po your honor but that serves as confirmatory na s’ya si Marwan na ikukumpara sa mga sample sa kapatid n’ya na nasa custody ng Amerika,” Napeñas said.

(Not really, your honor. But it was needed to confirm that it was Marwan by verifying it with his brother whowas in the custody of America.)

“Ang plano naman po d’yan is itu- turn over po sana sa CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) but because nagmamadali na masisira, na mag tatatlong araw na po, nangangamoy na talaga…” he said.

(The original plan was to surrender it to CIDG, but (we did not) because we were already rushing as it was on its third day and starting to stink already). IDL