HOSTAGE REPORT: AQUINO NOT 100% SOLD ON DE LIMA PANEL FINDINGS
MANILA, SEPTEMBER 23, 2010 (MALAYA) BY REGINA BENGCO - PRESIDENT Aquino is "not 100 percent" sold on the findings and recommendations of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC).
Aquino, in an ambush interview in New York late Tuesday (Manila time), said he ordered Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. and chief presidential legal counsel Eduardo de Mesa to study the IIRC report to determine how to "operationalize" the committee�s recommendations.
He said he wants to know if criminal charges should really be filed and the specific offense and the degree of the responsibility of persons involved.
"Hindi ako 100 percent pa sa ngayon�You do not want to file cases that will not prosper. You do not unnecessarily prosecute people if it�s not warranted," he said.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, who accompanied Aquino in his seven-day working visit to the US, said Hong Kong is satisfied with the cooperation given by the Philippines in the investigation of the hostage incident that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead.
In Manila, deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte advised persons named in the IIRC report to "just settle down (and) in the interest of fairness, wait for the review" being conducted by Ochoa and De Mesa.
Valte said the IIRC recommendations would be upheld if they are "supported by strong and competent evidence that would hold up in court."
"I make an appeal to everybody. The findings of IIRC are merely recommendatory," she said.
She said there is no conflict between the IIRC investigation and that of the Ombudsman.
Malaca�ang has released to the public the IIRC report, except the recommendations.
The IIRC has recommended the initiation of administrative and criminal proceedings against Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim; administrative proceedings against five senior police officials, Interior Secretary Rico Puno, and Manila Vice Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso; and further investigation on Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzales. The IIRC also referred the results of its investigation on broadcasters Michael Rogas and Erwin Tulfo to the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, and on ABC 5, ABS-CBN and GMA7 to the KBP or any appropriate media "watchdog" organization.
At the House, minority leader Edcel Lagman said there is a need for a separate House investigation into the hostage-taking fiasco because the President has refused to disclose substantial portions of the IIRC report, particularly portions on "Conclusions on Accountability" and "Recommendations."
"If the President holds the major aspects of the report close to his breast longer, popular clamor for their immediate and full disclosure may burn his chest," he said.
Lagman said the hearing should be jointly conducted by the House committee on good government and the committee on public order and security.
He said that since the IIRC investigation appears to be inadequate, the House should continue its investigation "so we can assess who are those who are principally liable for the fiasco, if there is a need for remedial legislation and if there is need to file appropriate charges against those principally liable."
Lagman said it would seem that the IIRC report was aimed at looking for scapegoats and freeing from accountability those who are principally liable.
He reiterated his call for the resignation of Secretaries Jesse Robredo (Interior), Herminio Coloma (Communications) and Ricky Carandang (Communications and Strategic Planning).
"Let me say that if heads must roll, bigger heads must roll. It should not be an investigation to look for scapegoats but after the IIRC probe, those principally liable were not ensnared and one of them was even made a vice chairman of the IIRC," he said, referring to Robredo. � With Wendell Vigilia
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