Palace: PNoy should not apologize for Mamasapano tragedy
MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang believes that President Benigno Aquino III has nothing to apologize for in the fatal January 25 anti-terror raid in Mamasapano, Maguindanao since he was not directly involved in the operation.
In a press briefing on Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said Aquino only deals with the policy level and the lapses in the Mamasapano incident were on the operation level.
"The President deals on the policy level. The policy level is to fight terrorism. On the operational level, how the operation was conducted, certainly there were lapses," Lacierda said.
"The President does not involve himself in the operation of neutralizing a terrorist," he added, referring to Malaysian terror suspect Zulkifli Bin Hir, alias Marwan, the target of the Mamasapano operation.
Lacierda reiterated that Aquino had "very clear" instructions to then suspended Philippine National Police Director General Alan Purisima and to sacked Special Action Forces (SAF) chief Getulio Napeñas to have proper coordination with the military and other parties before launching the operation.
Aquino's orders, however, were not followed by Purisima and Napeñas, Lacierda maintained.
"The fault there is: Were the instructions carried out?" he said.
It is now up to the PNP Board of Inquiry and the Senate inquiry into the Mamasapano incident to determine on who should be held accountable on the operational level, Lacierda added.
Marwan was believed to be killed in the Mamasapano operation but 44 members of the PNP SAF were also slain during an armed encounter with combatants from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.
Public outrage over the administration's ineptitude in handling the Mamasapano fiasco has led to calls for the resignation of Aquino, who has yet to publicly clarify his entire role in the botched operation.
Among those who have criticized the President following the Mamasapano incident was Sen. Serge Osmeña, who believes that Aquino should say sorry just like how his predecessor, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, apologized for the "Hello Garci" controversy.
In an interview on radio dzBB, Osmeña called Aquino "bull-headed" for refusing to apologize for the Mamasapano debacle.
Osmeña believes, however, that Filipinos will be able to forgive Aquino should he apologize.
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