From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 31):
Palace says President Aquino already answered most of Makabayan bloc's 20 questions
President Benigno Aquino III has already answered most of
the 20 questions asked by the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives
regarding the Mamasapano incident, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda on
Tuesday said.
"If anyone looks at the questions posed by the
Makabayan bloc, most of them have been responded one way or the other by the
President," Lacierda said in a press briefing in Malacanang.
"The question is: ‘Why you are asking these questions
again? Perhaps you're not… You don't want the answers the president gave, one
reason, or you are not satisfied with the president's statement or there is a
line that you want the president to state, to say," he said.
Lacierda said the Palace would leave it up to the leadership
of the House to decide on the 20 questions.
Lacierda said since the Makabayan bloc were members of the
House of Representatives, “it’s up to go through and the House leadership to go
through the procedure.”
”I think the processes, the deliberations on the request to
the 20 questions should first be addressed to the House leadership,” Lacierda
said in a press briefing in Malacanang.
The Palace official, however, emphasized the commitment of
the President “to uncovering the truth” behind the Mamasapano incident that
left 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers dead.
Lacierda said the President has already stated in a number
of occasion the role of the President in the Oplan Exodus where the Chief
Executive has already own up full responsibility.
”The President and his spokespersons have already stated in
a number of occasion the role,” Lacierda said.
Lacierda said the President has even explained already the
role of then suspended Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima on
the Mamasapano incident.
”He wants those questions recorded as part of in aid of
legislation. Let’s go to the process but what is that process? Let the House
leadership determine that process in uncovering and in making sure that the
statements of the President are also reflected in their House report,” Lacierda
said.
The House leadership has approved the resumption of its own
inquiry into the Mamasapano incident on April 7 and 8.
”Again, this is a procedure where the House should work
itself out mindful of the separation of powers and the respect for the co-equal
branches of government,” Lacierda said.
The Makabayan bloc insisted that the President should be
invited to the House probe.
Most of the questions of the Makabayan congressmen were
centered on the role of Purisima in the planning and execution of the Oplan
Exodus on January 25.
As to the next PNP chief, Lacierda urged the public to just
wait for the next announcement of the President for the next PNP chief.
Purisima resigned amid questions on his role in the mission
to arrest Zukifli bin Hir ‘alias’ Marwan and Basit Usman despite his preventive
suspension slapped by the Ombudsman.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=749464
