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| H.E. President Benigno S. Aquino III |
President
Benigno Aquino III instead asks for 'understanding' HOUNDED BY MAMASAPANO. The Mamasapano incident continues to
hound President Benigno Aquino III two months after the tragedy. File photo By
Ryan Lim/Malacanang Photo Bureau
MANILA, Philippines – He chose to share his side of the story at
the graduation rites of the country's newest batch of police officers, the
Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Lakandula Class of 2015.
Two months after the Mamasapano incident where 44 elite cops
were among those killed including PNPA graduates – the biggest crisis of his
administration, so far – President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday, March 26,
asked the people for “understanding,” and reiterated that he feels responsible
for the deaths.
“No words will suffice to explain the death of our brave
policemen,” he said. “After I’ve said everything that can be said and done
everything I could – I ask for understanding.”
He added, “I cannot erase what is true: 44 of our policemen our
dead. This happened under my leadership. I will carry this until my grave.”
Aquino said it would be the last time he would speak on the
incident, but he did not go deep into detail. This time, he did not put any blame on anyone in particular, but mentioned that his
orders were not followed and that those he trusted let him down.
“The most important thing I have to answer is a question from
the father of one of the killed soldiers. He asked, 'Why did you let my son go
there? Why did you leave him to die?'” Aquino said.
Aquino explained, “I will not let any one of my uniformed men go
to a suicide mission,” adding he would be the “first to say when it is too
dangerous and to not continue the mission.”
“But the mission that was shown to me, I was convinced, was
good,” Aquino said.'
I am telling the truth'
“I hope you try to put yourselves in my situation. If in the
morning, I was told right away, ‘Sir we are in danger. We did not follow your
coordination so the Armed Forces is moving slowly. Can you please help us so
they could respond right away?’ Do you think I would not do my best to help?”
He continued, “There was no urgency in the texts sent to me.
What I understood was the operation was almost over.”
The President also took the opportunity to explain why he did
not attend the arrival ceremonies of the cops when their corpses arrived in
Manila, a decision Filipinos disagreed with. (READ: Aquino skips
welcome honors for slain cops)
“I wanted to help in the healing. I wanted to be able to answer
questions about the incident,” he said. “If my answer was, ‘I don’t know,’ how
could I help in their healing?”
Aquino then again vowed he was telling the truth about the
operation before again “humbly” asking for understanding.
“I am telling you the truth – but there are those who are
already close minded and won’t believe what I’m saying,” he said.
He added, “As president, there are many tasks I have to focus on
immediately. One hundred million filipinos are my responsibility in and out of
the country. Yes, I’m president but I’m also human; I cannot read the minds of
everyone I speak to and I cannot watch everyone all the time. But I will always
do what is right and just, serve all and be true to my mandate.”
Justice for SAF 44
He reiterated his pledge to seek justice for the fallen cops.
“I never said I was like God who knows all, but it is my
responsibility to right what is wrong when it is discovered. We will respect
the process. The guilty will pay,” he said.
Aquino’s speech comes days after a nationwide poll showed that 8
in 10 Filipinos or 79% believe his explanation on the Mamasapano incident is
"insufficient." It also comes as various sectors continued to be
frustrated with Aquino over his perceived poor handling of the incident and
confusion regarding his actual role in the operation. (READ: Aquino biggest loser in Mamasapano debacle)
It's the worst crisis for his administration.
Aquino had already offered some explanation on what happened –
first in a national address following the January 25 incident on January 28,
his speech at the National Day of Mourning on January 30, his second national
address on February 6, and his statement at a gathering of religious leaders on
March 9.
In those statements, Aquino continuously pinned the blame on
former Special Action Force (SAF) chief Getulio Napeñas. While Aquino has
“taken responsibility,” for the the incident, he has said that he would not
take all the blame since he was fooled by Napeñas. Aquino has not apologized
for the incident.
In his speech, Aquino again expressed his disappointment in not
being summoned by the Senate or the Board of Inquiry (BOI), and not being able
to air his side to the investigating bodies, both of which released their
respective reports on the incident. (READ: FULL TEXT:
Senate report on Mamasapano and FULL TEXT: PNP
report on Mamasapano)
“How will it help to clarify the issue if guessing will be used
instead of facts?” he said, hitting both bodies for their “speculations.”
The Senate report found Aquino to be "ultimately
responsible" for the botched operation while the BOI report said that the
President had committed "lapses" as he had allegedly broken the chain
of command when he tapped a suspended police officer – Director General Alan
Purisima – for the Mamasapano operation.
In his speech, Aquino also sought to remind the public of the
gains of his administration, including his anti-corruption campaign and
improved benefits for policemen, which have been overshadowed by the Mamasapano
incident as shown by his lowest-ever
public approval and trust ratings since
he became president. – Rappler.com
President Benigno Aquino III instead asks for 'understanding'
HOUNDED BY
MAMASAPANO. The Mamasapano incident continues to hound President Benigno Aquino
III two months after the tragedy. File photo By Ryan Lim/Malacanang Photo
Bureau
MANILA, Philippines – He chose to share his side of the story at
the graduation rites of the country's newest batch of police officers, the
Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) Lakandula Class of 2015.
Two months after the Mamasapano incident where 44 elite cops
were among those killed including PNPA graduates – the biggest crisis of his
administration, so far – President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday, March 26,
asked the people for “understanding,” and reiterated that he feels responsible
for the deaths.
“No words will suffice to explain the death of our brave
policemen,” he said. “After I’ve said everything that can be said and done
everything I could – I ask for understanding.”
He added, “I cannot erase what is true: 44 of our policemen our
dead. This happened under my leadership. I will carry this until my grave.”
Aquino said it would be the last time he would speak on the
incident, but he did not go deep into detail. This time, he did not put any blame on anyone in particular, but mentioned that his
orders were not followed and that those he trusted let him down.
“The most important thing I have to answer is a question from
the father of one of the killed soldiers. He asked, 'Why did you let my son go
there? Why did you leave him to die?'” Aquino said.
Aquino explained, “I will not let any one of my uniformed men go
to a suicide mission,” adding he would be the “first to say when it is too
dangerous and to not continue the mission.”
“But the mission that was shown to me, I was convinced, was
good,” Aquino said.'
I am telling the truth'
“I hope you try to put yourselves in my situation. If in the
morning, I was told right away, ‘Sir we are in danger. We did not follow your
coordination so the Armed Forces is moving slowly. Can you please help us so
they could respond right away?’ Do you think I would not do my best to help?”
He continued, “There was no urgency in the texts sent to me.
What I understood was the operation was almost over.”
The President also took the opportunity to explain why he did
not attend the arrival ceremonies of the cops when their corpses arrived in
Manila, a decision Filipinos disagreed with. (READ: Aquino skips
welcome honors for slain cops)
“I wanted to help in the healing. I wanted to be able to answer
questions about the incident,” he said. “If my answer was, ‘I don’t know,’ how
could I help in their healing?”
Aquino then again vowed he was telling the truth about the
operation before again “humbly” asking for understanding.
“I am telling you the truth – but there are those who are
already close minded and won’t believe what I’m saying,” he said.
He added, “As president, there are many tasks I have to focus on
immediately. One hundred million filipinos are my responsibility in and out of
the country. Yes, I’m president but I’m also human; I cannot read the minds of
everyone I speak to and I cannot watch everyone all the time. But I will always
do what is right and just, serve all and be true to my mandate.”
Justice for SAF 44
He reiterated his pledge to seek justice for the fallen cops.
“I never said I was like God who knows all, but it is my
responsibility to right what is wrong when it is discovered. We will respect
the process. The guilty will pay,” he said.
Aquino’s speech comes days after a nationwide poll showed that 8
in 10 Filipinos or 79% believe his explanation on the Mamasapano incident is
"insufficient." It also comes as various sectors continued to be
frustrated with Aquino over his perceived poor handling of the incident and
confusion regarding his actual role in the operation. (READ: Aquino biggest loser in Mamasapano debacle)
It's the worst crisis for his administration.
Aquino had already offered some explanation on what happened –
first in a national address following the January 25 incident on January 28,
his speech at the National Day of Mourning on January 30, his second national
address on February 6, and his statement at a gathering of religious leaders on
March 9.
In those statements, Aquino continuously pinned the blame on
former Special Action Force (SAF) chief Getulio Napeñas. While Aquino has
“taken responsibility,” for the the incident, he has said that he would not
take all the blame since he was fooled by Napeñas. Aquino has not apologized
for the incident.
In his speech, Aquino again expressed his disappointment in not
being summoned by the Senate or the Board of Inquiry (BOI), and not being able
to air his side to the investigating bodies, both of which released their
respective reports on the incident. (READ: FULL TEXT:
Senate report on Mamasapano and FULL TEXT: PNP
report on Mamasapano)
“How will it help to clarify the issue if guessing will be used
instead of facts?” he said, hitting both bodies for their “speculations.”
The Senate report found Aquino to be "ultimately
responsible" for the botched operation while the BOI report said that the
President had committed "lapses" as he had allegedly broken the chain
of command when he tapped a suspended police officer – Director General Alan
Purisima – for the Mamasapano operation.
In his speech, Aquino also sought to remind the public of the
gains of his administration, including his anti-corruption campaign and
improved benefits for policemen, which have been overshadowed by the Mamasapano
incident as shown by his lowest-ever
public approval and trust ratings since
he became president. – Rappler.com
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