President Benigno Aquino III. PHOTO by KRISTINE SABILLO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III ended his closed-door meetings with the families of the slain members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force a little past midnight at Camp Bagong Diwa, a television report said Saturday.
Quoting Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma, reporter Zen Hernandez of ABS-CBN said as of 12 midnight Saturday, Aquino was about to wrap up his one-on-one talks with each family of the 44 elite policemen who died in a “misencounter” with Muslim rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
She said there were three families left on the list. With each family given 15 minutes, Aquino left the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Multi-Purpose Hall at Camp Bagong Diwa around 1 a.m. Saturday.
Earlier reports said Aquino started the private dialogues around 10 a.m. Friday, in what was declared a national day of mourning.
As expressed through social media, Aquino earned the ire of millions of Filipinos due to what they saw was the President’s insensitivity in dealing with the aftermath of what is now called the second Maguindanao massacre.
His absence during the arrival of the 44 bodies at Villamor Air Base on Thursday morning was reportedly the peak of everyone’s disgust. Instead he followed his original itinerary by attending the opening of a car manufacturing plant in Rosario, Laguna.
Aquino is a well-known car aficionado.
At the airport, the “Fallen 44” was met by Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Vice President Jejomar Binay, PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, among other government officials.
On Friday night, the President’s sister Kris went to Camp Bagong Diwa to condole with the families of the deceased elite cops.
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