Cayetano wants more Senate hearings on Mamasapano clash

MANILA, Philippines—Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano wants the Senate to hold two to three more hearings on the Mamasapano operation where 44 elite policemen were killed.

In a letter on Tuesday to Sen. Grace Poe, head of the Senate committee on public order, Cayetano formally requested for more hearings on the incident to allow the senators more time “to propound burning questions that demands answers …”

“We have made significant headways in finding out the truth behind the incident and made inroads into charting the way forward for a more secure and peaceful Mindanao,” he said, “However, in light of our search for the truth, there have been questions and matters which remain unanswered.”

Poe’s committee is leading the investigation on the incident along with committees on peace, unification and reconciliation, and finance, which conducted three hearings last week.

But after the third hearing last week, the three committees started holding executive sessions to listen to the testimony of two survivors, and some police and military officials involved in the operation.

“In as much as the  three open hearings have unearthed a substantial  amount of information  relating to the incident, which unfortunately begs more questions, I would  like to request that there be additional two to three hearings on the incident,”  said Cayetano.

“The additional hearings would give members of the Senate more time to propound burning questions that demand answers in order for the truth—and nothing but the truth—to be ferreted out in this investigation,” he further said.

Before this, Poe expressed openness to hold more hearings on the issue, saying there are more questions that have come up in ongoing executive sessions.

“As it stands, there are more questions that have come up that might need more public participation but (I am not going to issue that right now because) we’re not done with the executive session yet,” she said in an interview at the Senate.

“I feel that the people should also hear certain topics that can be discussed openly…” said Poe.

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