Poe’s dilemma: heading Mamasapano probe, friendship with Aquino

Senator Grace Poe. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Senator Grace Poe revealed on Thursday that heading the Senate probe into the Mamasapano incident has been the “most difficult thing” she has done since entering the government.

She made this pronouncement two days after she released the Senate draft report that found President Benigno Aquino III responsible for the botched mission which resulted in the death of 44 elite commandos, and a day after Police Director Benjamin Magalong, who heads the Philippine National Police’s Board of Inquiry (BOI), revealed that Aquino was hurt by the BOI’s findings.

READ: Palace summons PNP board of inquiry chief; Aquino hurt by report

“It’s probably the most difficult thing I’ve done ever since I entered government. First of all I have high regard for the President and I continue to have high regard for him. I consider him a friend, this is very difficult plus you’re investigating institutions…” the senator said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel.

It was Poe who drafted the report as head of the Senate committee on public order that led the investigation on the Mamasapano operation along with committees on peace, unification, and reconciliation, and finance. The report now has the signatures of 20 senators, more than the majority number needed to bring it to the plenary for deliberations.

READ: 20 senators sign report holding Aquino responsible for Mamasapano

She said that until the last minute, she was asking herself if she should tone down the report.

“But you know with the President, think that it’s a mistake. It’s not a premeditated issue…”she said.

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

Asked what she would do if the President would summon her to Malacañang like what he did to Magalong, Poe said: “It’s very difficult to explain because I always say I didn’t want to do this. I feel very awkward about it but of course it happened already, I released the report already.”

“I appreciate his (Magalong) candor when he said the President feels bad about it. That’s exactly my reservation, in the beginning. I didn’t want him (the President) to suffer or to feel bad about it but again when I weighed it, I  think the reason  why he trusted me to be in his slate is precisely because he thought I was sincere, honest and I can do my work,” said the senator.

Poe made her first run in the Senate in 2013 under Aquino’s slate.

Asked if she remains supportive of the President after the botched Mamasapano operation, Poe said:  “I still believe in the President as a person. I feel that there are things that he can do   to make the situation better…”

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