MANILA, Philippines – Malacañang on Thursday denied that it was withholding information on President Benigno Aquino III’s involvement in the botched Philippine National Police (PNP) operation in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao last month.
“Wala naman tayong pagnanasa rito na magkubli o magtago ng ano mang mahalagang impormasyon,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said when pressed by media for more details.
(We do not desire to conceal or hide any important information.)
The statement came amid a congressional probe on the operation, which resulted in the death of 44 PNP-Special Action Force (SAF) troopers.
The Senate hearing on Thursday recalled Aquino’s visit to Zamboanga City on the day of the covert operation. However, the officials present said they were not the ones who told the President of the outcome of the Mamasapano operation on January 25.
Director General Alan Purisima, who recently resigned as PNP chief, said he cannot answer Senator Grace Poe’s question if he was the one who informed Aquino of the mission’s “progression.”
READ: The question ‘no one’ can answer: Who informed Aquino about SAF killings?
Coloma himself said that he is not privy to the detailed information and timeline of the incident.
Instead, he said media and the public should just follow the proceedings and wait for the conclusion of the investigation.
“Hindi ba’t karapat-dapat lamang na hayaan muna nating maganap itong buong salaysay dahil marami namang katanungan diyan at lahat naman ng katanungan ay sinasagot sa makatotohanang paraan? At hindi ba’t mas mainam na hayaan muna nating matapos lahat ng mga pagtatanong na ‘yan at alamin natin kung ano ‘yung magiging findings mismo ng mga nagsisiyasat?” he said.
(Isn’t it appropriate to just let the hearings proceed because there are a lot of questions raised, which are also answered truthfully? And wouldn’t it be proper to wait for all the questions to end and to learn the findings of the investigators.)
Coloma said Aquino already answered some of the questions.
“Kaya lahat naman ng kanyang nalalaman at lahat ng sa kanyang pananaw ay dapat malaman ng mga mamamayan ay inihayag niya sa kanyang pagtatalumpati sa ating mga kababayan,” he said.
(Everything that he knows and all his views that the public should be informed about, he already mentioned in his public speeches.)
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