This brings to eight the number of complainants in the 44 counts of reckless imprudence reulting in multiple homicide charges lodged against the respondents.
The latest complainants are Telly Sumbilla, mother of Police Officer 3 John Lloyd Sumbilla; Helen Ramacula, mother of PO2 Rodel Ramacula; and Lorna Sagonoy, mother of PO1 Joseph Sagonoy.
They appeared before the Office of the Ombudsman yesterday with the group Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) to submit their affidavits.
Erlinda Allaga, mother of PO3 Robert Allaga and Warlito Mejia, father of PO2 Ephraim Mejia, filed the charges early last month shortly after Aquino stepped down from office.
Two weeks later, three more relatives – Julie Faustino Danao, mother of PO2 Walner Faustino Danao; Celestino Kiangan, father of PO2 Noble Sungay Kiangan; and Felecitas Nacino, mother of PO2 Nicky de Castro Nacino – joined the complaint.
The criminal charges accuse Aquino of implementing Oplan Exodus in January 2015 to neutralize terrorists Zulkifli Bin Hir alias “Marwan” and Ahmad Akmad Batabol alias “Basit Usman.”
Purisima, although suspended at the time because of a different case, allegedly played a role in the operation and thus committed usurpation of authority.
Napeñas is charged for allegedly taking “unlawful” orders from Purisima, knowing fully that he was under suspension.
More than 60 people, including 44 SAF policemen, were killed in the firefight with Muslim rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
The slain policemen were part of a SAF operation to capture Marwan and other terrorists hiding in a remote village in Mamasapano.
The police operation went awry after the SAF commandos figured in a firefight with Muslim rebels on their way out of the area.