Former President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Friday posted a P40,000 bill for the

graft and usurpation of authority charges filed against him before the anti-graft court
Sandiganbayan over the alleged involvement in the brutal Mamasapano clash in January 2015.
Accompanied by his sisters, his legal counsel and his former party-mates from the Liberal
Party, Aquino arrived at the Sandiganbayan before 4 p.m.
Aside from them, former presidential spokespersons Edwin Lacierda and Abigail Valte,
former Agriculture Secretary Proseso Alcala and former Transportation and Communications
Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya escorted their former chief.
On his arrival, he undertook the regular booking procedures; and instead of having the
usual mugshot he submitted his own pictures.
After that, Aquino paid a courtesy on Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, his
appointee in 2012.
Aquino Administration’s Oplan Exodus
Aquino’s charges composed of one count each of graft and usurpation of official
functions for allowing the then police chief Alan Purisima to be in charge in the “Oplan Exodus”
despite having suspended in his position at that time.
During the “Oplan Exodus,” the Special Force Agency, SAF, aimed to seize the
Malaysian terrorist and bomb-maker Zulkifli Abdhir aka “Marwan.”
After trailing Marwan he was eventually killed in the distant town of Mamasapano in
Maguindanao.
However, it has also resulted in a firefight encounter with the Moro Islamic Liberation
Front freedom fighters in the field which led the death of the 44 elite police officers.
Criminal Charges vs. Aquino
The criminal charges filed against the former chief is under the Revised Penal Code and
violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which bail has set at P10,00 for usurpation
of authority and P30,000 for graft.
If found guilty, Aquino would face imprisonment that would last up to 10 years, with a
perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
Probable Cause
Shortly after Aquino posted a bill and just before the court closed on Friday the
Sandiganbayan third division found probable cause to put him on trial.
 According to the Third Division Clerk of Court Dennis Pulma, a warrant of arrest was
signed as per the procedure, however, it was no longer issued since Aquino has already posted a
bill.
Pulma also added that a Hold Departure Order (HDO) had been issued, Aquino is
expected to get permission ahead of any overseas travel.
The pre-trial for Aquino is set on January 12, 2018.
After more than one year of ending of his presidency, this is the first time for Aquino to
be charged in any case.
SAF Kin on Aquino
As per the families of the SAF 44, troopers who got killed in the clash, they longed for
the Aquino to be charged with 44 counts of reckless imprudence resulting to homicide, which
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales has denied their appeals in September this year.
These families are represented by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC),
which is also wanting the impeachment of Morales.
However, VACC filed a petition for certiorari for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO)
in an attempt to stop the charges in the anti-graft court the week before.
The VACC wants the Supreme Court SC to rule that Aquino should be charged with
homicide instead of what the Ombudsman has charged him.
Purisima and former Special Action Force chief Getulio Napenas Jr. Faced the same charges as
Aquino.