MANILA, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte claimed on Tuesday that the United States Central Intelligence Agency was behind the 2015 clash that resulted in the killing of 60, including 44 elite police commandos.
In a speech before the families and widows of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force who were killed in the clash, Duterte slammed former President Benigno Aquino for covering up details of the operation which he claimed was "an operation of the CIA."
"Let it be brought out in the open. It was an American adventure with the cooperation of some with your blessing. You fed the young men to the lion's den," he said, referring to the 44 elite policemen who were killed in the operation.
"Why was it under wraps and why did you hide that actually it was an operation of the CIA," Duterte said.
Aquino gave his former police chief Alan Purisima, who was then under suspension, to launch the operation on Jan. 25, 2015 to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkipli bin Her alias Marwan who was reportedly hiding in a remote Mamasapano town in Maguindanao province.
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