Who will initiate Aquino’s impeachment?

MANILA, Philippines — It would now be up to the  people and  members of the House of Representatives  to initiate an impeachment  move against President  Benigno Aquino III  if indeed he has committed  any violation of the Constitution   over the botched  Mamasapano  operation,  Senator   Sonny Angara said on Monday.

“I agree with the conclusion of the  committee report  na ang ultimate responsibility belongs with the President. Ganun din ang naging conclusion ng  board of inquiry ng PNP (Philippine National Police). Anong klaseng responsibilidad yan? Sa akin, it’s political responsibility,” Angara, an administration ally, said during a press briefing.

(I agree with the conclusion of the  committee report  that the ultimate responsibility belongs with   the  President. That’s also the conclusion  of the  board of inquiry of the PNP. What  kind of responsibility?   For me, it’s political  responsibility)

READ: Senate draft report: Aquino ‘ultimately responsible’ for Mamasapano mission

“Kung sa tingin ng mga  tao na impeachable yun, di mag-file sila? Di ba kung tingin  nilang dun ang pananagutan ng Pangulo? Is there criminal responsibility? Sa tingin ko wala,”he added.

(If   the  people think that’s impeachable,  then  they  should  file   (a complaint)  if they think that the President   was liable. Is there criminal responsibility? There is none.)

Angara  was  one of the  20 senators who signed  a Senate draft  report that found  Aquino  “ultimately responsible” for the  January 25 Mamasapano operation where  44  elite  policemen  were  killed.

READ: 20 senators sign report holding Aquino responsible for Mamasapano

While  he said  Aquino owes the public an explanation on the incident,  the senator said he saw  no “willful violation”committed by the President.

“May pananagutan sya sa tao, dapat  ipaliwanag nya yung mga actions nya  dito sa Mamasapano. That’s  political  accountability   at kung meron syang nilabag  sa Constitution, then liable sya under the Constitution for impeachment pero sa ngayon  nga hindi pa klaro yun . Nasa congressman  na natin kung gusto nilang mag-file,” said Angara.

(He has a responsibility to the public,  he should   explain his actions  on the Mamasapano. That’s political responsibility and if he  has violated the Constitution,  then he’s liable under the  Constitution  for impeachment but  it’s  not yet clear at this point . It’s up to our congressmen if they want  to file.)

The senator  believes  the President’s mistake  was when  he excluded  acting   Philippine National Police Chief, Deputy Director General Leonardo  Espina,  from the Mamasapano operation planning and tapped the then suspended Police Chief Director  General Alan Purisima  to call the shots.

Purisima was under preventive suspension  by  the Office of the Ombudsman when he  met with the President  in Malacanang and discussed about the operation  two weeks  before  it was launched .

Angara said he would  not  have also  excluded  Purisima from  the operation since he was involved in  its planning in the past but  he said, “I would just would not treat him as the head anymore  of the operation.”

“Pero in hindsight, ang dali lang sabihin lahat ito pero sa totoo lang pag nandun ka, kung successful ang mission walang magki-question nyan e,” he said.

Angara  recognized the President’s efforts  to explain  what happened  in the operation, saying  it was  part of the   national process of healing  and closure on  the  Mamasapano incident.