Palace: No effort to stop Cabinet members from testifying in probes

MANILA, Philippines–Malacañang said Thursday the Aquino administration had never prevented any Cabinet members from going to congressional inquiries as resource persons, after Director General Alan Purisima, the resigned chief of the Philippine National Police, invoked executive privilege at the continuation of the Senate investigation into the Mamasapano debacle.

Purisima invoked executive privilege whenever senators asked him about his communication with President Aquino, who had admitted he conferred with Purisima on the hunt for Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias “Marwan,” despite the PNP chief’s suspension on graft charges.

PNP Special Action Force (SAF) commandos killed Marwan during the Jan. 25 operation in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao province, but lost 44 troopers in gun battles with guerrillas from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The MILF lost 18 fighters in the 12-hour gun battle, but widespread public anger over the deaths of the 44 SAF commandos has thrown in doubt the completion of the peace agreement signed by the government and the MILF in March 2014.

“I am not aware of any instructions about that,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said when asked if the Palace had told any of its officials to invoke executive privilege at the congressional inquiries.

“What I know is this: In our laws, Congress can summon any Cabinet member to answer questions and this is in the context of the Question Hour provided by the Constitution,” Coloma said.

He added that “in the history of the current administration, it has not prevented any of its Cabinet members to give information as resource persons in these hearings.”

Coloma said the senators did not object when Purisima invoked executive privilege.

“And while the hearings are [going on], it is best that we wait for the action of the Senate and the House on this. At all times, we have recognized the principle that we are separate and co-equal bodies and that the executive respects their rights and prerogatives,” he said.

“We are always ready to help in determining the truth,” Coloma said.