Enrile: I have Mamasapano proof vs Aquino
Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
SENATE Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile on Monday said he had evidence to prove that President Aquino was very much involved in the Jan. 25, 2015, Mamasapano mission, even as he monitored the police operation but did nothing to save the 44 Special Action Force troopers when they were being slaughtered.
Enrile made the statement on the floor just after Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the committee on public order, sought to clarify the Senate committee on rules’ decision to reopen the hearing into the Mamasapano massacre.
The hearing will push through on Jan. 27 after the senators Monday formally voted on Enrile’s motion to the reopen the inquiry, citing “new matters” arising from the committee report.
“I would like to make it on record that I have evidence: One, that the President of the Philippines, Benigno Aquino, was actively and directly involved in the planning and preparations of Oplan Exodus; two, that on the day of the actual operations, he was monitoring the operations while he was on his plane going to Zamboanga City; and three, that while the operations were going on, and Special Action Forces were being slaughtered, he did not do anything at all to save them,” Enrile said.
“And I am going to prove this with evidence at that hearing,” said the Senate minority leader.
OK with President
Senate President Franklin Drilon abstained during the vote, “because I want to reserve my right to raise that issue again in future other incidents because of the interpretation that was accorded by the Committee on Rules.”
Meanwhile, President Aquino assured Drilon and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. that he had no problem with the reopening of the Mamasapano issue.
The President met with Drilon and Belmonte to discuss the Senate’s decision to hold another hearing on the massacre.
“He (Aquino) told us he preferred that the hearing proceed to ensure that the public would be well informed,” said Belmonte in a press conference.
