Senate resumes Mamasapano probe; Aquino role eyed

MANILA, Philippines — Senators are expected to try to draw out on Monday the role played by President Aquino in the botched Mamasapano, Maguidanao, raid which resulted in the death of 44 commandos of the police Special Action Force (SAF).

After almost two weeks from its last public hearing, the Senate committees on public order, finance, and peace, unification and reconciliation resumed session at 10 a.m.

The committees held their last public hearing on February 12 before holding three executive sessions last week.

New resource persons invited to this Monday’s hearing were Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.

However, Del Rosario wrote Senator Grace Poe, chair of the committee on public order and dangerous drugs, and asked to be excused so he could attend to visiting diplomat Miroslav Lajcak, deputy prime minister of the Slovak Republic.

Instead, De Rosario would be represented by Evan Garcia, foreign affairs undersecretary for policy.

Del Rosario was invited amid reports of alleged involvement of the United States in the Mamasapano incident.

Ochoa was also not present when the hearing started.

Still expected to be at the hearing were resigned-Philippine National Police chief Director General Alan Purisima and relieved-Special Action Force head Director Getulio Napenas.

Other resource persons expected at the hearing include Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Gregorio Catapang, PNP officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, presidential adviser on the peace process Secretary Teresita Deles, and Mohagher Iqbal, chief negotiator for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, among others.

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