Robredo opposes reinvestigation of Mamasapano clash

VICE presidential aspirant and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo on Wednesday joined other lawmakers against the reopening of the Mamasapano investigation.

Although Robredo admitted that lapses occurred on the part of the government, she said reopening of the Mamasapano case, which killed 44 members of the police Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police, was not a good idea since the elections were approaching.

“Nakakatakot dito panahon ng eleksyon, napakadaling mag-finger point,” Robredo said in an interview with radio DZMM.

She said she was saddened that no one was held liable for the bloody encounter between police forces and Moro rebels.

“Nakakalungkot na one year na, wala pa ring napapanagot,” she said.

Negros Occidental Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer, who chairs the chamber’s public order and safety committee conducting the probe, earlier said the reopening of the probe may degenerate into politicking with the 2016 elections looming.

On Tuesday, Senator Grace Poe said the two committees that investigated the Mamasapano bloodbath would reconvene on January 25, 2016, exactly one year after the bloody operation to listen to possible new information or evidence.

In October last year, Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile demanded the reopening of the Mamasapano probe when he took the floor in the senate hall.
The Senate had released its Mamasapano report and described the incident as “massacre” and found the President ultimately responsible for the debacle. The report recommended charges against MILF members and police officials.

Last September, the President Benigno Aquino III said there was an “alternative” version of what had transpired in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Aquino also photo that came out on the Inquirer’s front page that he said “posed so many questions, and that is what we want to resolve.”

Aquino’s remarks gave rise to speculations that the SAF members did not kill Marwan, but the President said there was no doubt that the commandos had killed and cut off the finger of the terrorist.

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