Palace: Aquino did his job as commander-in-chief in Mamasapano
Malacañang on Tuesday debunked the claims of Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile that President Beningno Aquino III was directly involved in the botched Mamasapano operation and did not do anything to save the lives of 44 elite police commandos who died in the bloody clash.
Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma maintained that Aquino did his job as commander in chief.
“Sa kanyang mga pahayag sinabi na ng Pangulo na sa kanyang pagkabatid ay ginawa naman niya ‘yung dapat gawin bilang Pangulo at commander-in-chief. Meron siyang mga ginawa, meron ding ginawa ang mga kinauukulang opisyal ng pamahalaa at lahat naman ng mga ito ay naibunyag at naisiwalat na ‘nung mga nakaraang pagkakataon. Marami na ring pagsisisyasat na isinagawa hinggil diyan,” Coloma said in a press briefing.
Coloma was reacting to Enrile’s statement that he has evidence of Aquino’s “active” and “direct” involvement in the planning and preparation for “Oplan Exodus” on Jan. 25, 2015 that left 44 troopers of the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force dead.
Enrile said the President was monitoring the police operation while he was on his plane going to Zamboanga City and “did not do anything at all while the SAF units “were being slaughtered.”
READ: Enrile out to prove Aquino’s ‘direct’ involvement in Mamasapano
But Coloma said the administration would remain cooperative and open in airing its side and shedding light on the Mamasapano incident in the proper platform.
“Iyong kanya kasing pahayag, sinasabi niya na mayroon siyang batayan, mayroon siyang ebidensiya at ang forum kung saan niya ilalahad ito ay ‘yung pagdinig na bubuksan muli ng Senado. Kaya nga’t kahapon sa mga nagtanong sa akin, ang sabi ko ay handa namang sumagot at magpaliwanag ang ating pamahalaan kapag nagkaroon nga ng ganyang pagdinig para magkaroon ng maayos na pagpapaliwanag,” Coloma said.
“Kaya’t sinasabi natin na sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay palaging bukas at hayag ang posisyon ng pamahalaan hinggil diyan at handang magpaliwanag sa tamang lugar at takdang panahon,” he added.
Sen. Grace Poe, chair of the committee on public order, has scheduled the reopening of the Senate inquiry on Jan. 27.
