EDITORIAL - The long wait

Draft reports have been leaked, with the reactions of government officials effectively verifying the authenticity of the contents. But certain details keep changing, and no one is sure of the final outcome of Malacañang’s review of the recommendations of the special committee tasked to investigate the handling of the Aug. 23 hostage crisis.

The review is taking longer than the marathon probe conducted by the incident investigation and review committee headed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. Like the drafts of the review, the IIRC report, including its supposedly classified recommendations to the President, were also leaked to the media, in what certain quarters suspect was a preemptive strike against watering down the proposed sanctions.

As the word implies, however, a recommendation is subject to acceptance, rejection or amendment by the one assessing it. The President can select his course of action in connection with the IIRC recommendations. Whatever his moves will be, there should be a credible explanation. And the sooner he announces the results of the review, the easier it will be for him to dispel speculation that the long wait is because he is agonizing over sanctions recommended for some officials close to him. Some reports said the Palace also wanted to add certain officials to the list of those who face possible sanctions.

According to the leaked reports, the cases to be filed are mainly administrative. While a finding of guilt will not lead to imprisonment, an administrative case for gross incompetence could lead to dishonorable dismissal from government service and forfeiture of all benefits. It could spell an ignominious end to a career, and the President has reason to move with caution in pinning blame for the bloody ending to the hostage crisis.

And yet how long does it take to go over details that were already reported extensively since the hostage incident, and how much longer will the public have to wait for the President to make up his mind on the IIRC recommendations? De Lima had government prosecutors of her department assisting in the work of the committee. The results of the review must be announced ASAP, and the President must be ready with a convincing explanation for his decisions.