Chiz: No need for PNoy to attend hostage probe
MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno Aquino III should not be made to appear in the investigation on the Manila hostage crisis, one of his allies in the Senate said Thursday.
Speaking to reporters in a forum, Sen. Francis Escudero said it would be "OA (over-acting)" for the body investigating the hostage-taking incident to summon the President.
"I don't think the subordinate can call on the superior given the fact that the subordinate is only the alter-ego of the President," Escudero said.
"Hindi naman siguro dapat pa na hilahin ang Pangulo sa isyung ito." (I don't think the President should be dragged into this issue.)
President Aquino has been criticized for the botched response to the hostage crisis, which many say is the biggest test of his administration so far. Critics said he should have been hands-on in responding to the crisis.
Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda earlier said the President is willing to undergo questioning if summoned to the investigation on the August 23 hostage crisis.
“If the Secretary of Justice would find it necessary, and this is an independent probe, I’m sure the president will be more than welcome to shed light his participation,” Lacierda said in a press briefing in Malacañang.
The Incident Investigation Review Committee (IIRC), headed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, is set to begin its clarificatory hearings on the August 23 siege on Friday.
On Tuesday, De Lima said that although there is no plan yet to invite the President to the hearings, it is something they cannot rule out.
Escudero said President Aquino's Cabinet secretaries should answer in his behalf.
"Masyado nang pinapababa ng ganyang uri ng pagpapatawag hindi lang ang Pangulo at ang katauhan niya kundi ang opisinang kinakatawan niya," he said.
(That kind of summons would only denigrate not just the President but the office that he represents.)
Meanwhile, Escudero wants Robredo to inhibit himself from the investigation because the agency he heads is among those being probed.
"Para sa akin ito ay dapat at marapat na pangunahan na lamang ng DOJ (Department of Justice) at NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) at merong mga observer mula sa Hong Kong authorities at wala ng iba upang matiyak na magiging parehas at pantay ang imbestigasyong isinasagawa," he said.
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I agree with Sen. Chiz and with KurapBuster
Para namang hini-hiya natin ang Pangulo natin. Dapat ung mga pulis at Mayor (pati Vice Mayor) ang imbestigahan. This falls on the plate of the Local Officials not the President.
Yung, intsik na nang hostage sa Discovery Channel building, nakita nyo ba si Obama? HINDI.
its about the integrity of the investigation
hindi naman kailangan ipakulong si Pnoy
tatanungin lang naman sya about sa mga desisyon nila about sa Crisis
and its about the integrity of the investigation china and hongkong demands sa gobyerno ng pilipinas
ang usapan dito its about the China, HongKong vs Pilipinas kasi ipapakita ito sa kanila as part of visit of high level delegation para kapani-paniwala naman sa kanila
baka ma-whitewash lang o ma-dismiss pa ang kaso sa mga sangkot na pulis,opisyal,media... ano kayang mukha ang ipapakita ni Pnoy sa China at HongKong kung mangyari yun??
hindi naman OA yun, mas matindi ginawa ng MPD-SWAT na Overwhelming sa pagsugod sa bus that result to humiliation
inamin naman nya ang pagakakamali in his part dapat idulog nya sa DOJ para malaman naman
willing naman syang tanungin tungkol dun para sa ikaluluwag ng kalooban nya although the constitution immunes the president from any case unless impeach by the congress
si GMA nga hindi mo mapapaamin kahit may mali na since her time many corruption, scandals that she perpretrated before ni hindi
na nasampahan o tanungin sa korte o DOJ maliban sa impeachment...walang hiya in term.... si Pnoy pa kaya?
kahit papaano si Pnoy ay may hiya
sabi nya na KAYO ang BOSS KO!!!
tanong ng BOSS: nasaan ka nang mangyari ang krisis? anong ginagawa mo that time?
ngayon dapat ipakita ni Pnoy na ang gobyerno nya ay may accountabilty ba?
@modela
Your right my friend, only in the Philippines that the President need to attend hostage taking incident. Pero sa totoo ang mga bumabatikos kay Pnoy ay yun mga makinabang sa administrasyon ni PANDAK....
FINGER POINTING GONE WRONG!
LEAVE THE PRESIDENT ALONE. THIS IS THE POLICE MATTER.
PRESIDENT: PLEASE SACK THE RESPONSIBLE PNP OFFICIALS AND PATHETIC MAYORS...WHO KEEPS FINGER POINTING AS THE RESULTS OF THEIR KAPALPAKAN!
I AGREE!!!!
TO GET THE PRESIDENT INVOLVE WITH SOMETHING THAT HIS AGENCY BELOW CAN TAKE CARE OF IS SO DEGRADING.....
THE PRESIDENT HAS MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO TEND TO THAN THIS MATTER THAT A DOJ CAN HANDLE.
DID YOU HEAR A PRESIDENT OF OTHER COUNTRIES GET INVOLVE WITH A MATTER LIKE THIS? ONLY IN THE PHILIPPINES WAS INVOLVE IN FINGER POINTING BY DISRESPECTFUL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
PRESIDENT SACK ALL THESE WORTHLESS OFFICIALS WHO CANNOT PERFORM THEIR JOB WITH OUT YOU GETTING INVOLVE ON IT....IT IS ASHAMED!
OBAMA DOES NOT HAVE HIS HAND ON THE HOSTAGE TAKING IN WASHINGTON TODAY. WHERE IS HE DOING HIS JOB IN ANOTHER COUNTRY.
ALL THESE OFFICIALS ARE DISGUSTED. KEEPING YOUR BIG MOUTH SHUT WILL DO YOU JUSTICE... I SUGGEST YOU DO!...... YOU ARE SHAME TO OUR COUNTRY.
Hoy De Lema anong gusto mong
Hoy De Lema anong gusto mong palabasin. Baka gusto mong ipakulong pa ang Presidente?
Tingna ninyo ang hostage sa America na ngayon lang nangyare
nakita ba ninyo si Obama? Kailangan bang pupunta si Obama sa lugar mismo ng pinayarihan ng hostage.
Kasi it is a police matter. It is their job. Not the President. Ang ipatawag mo yong head ng police. Hong hang ka pala. Pati ampatuan hindi mo kaya.
De Lima Bugok!
I almost fell down from my chair when she said she might summon her Boss.
PNOY DISPLAYED ABSOLUTE MANAGERIAL INCOMPETENCE
TWENTY ELITE COMMANDO UNITS OF PHILIPPINE SAF were kept on standby near the tour bus hijacked…
“Magtibay said he did not send in the SAF because he believed that the Manila SWAT team under his command could handle the situation”
“The nation’s Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Jesse Manalastas Robredo said Magtibay had consulted higher authorities about the decision to send in the SWAT team instead of the better equipped SAF”
Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman said “President Aquino was at the command post at the Emerald Restaurant and had discussed the situation with Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo”
SO PNOY, MAYOR LIM, & ROBREDO WERE TOGETHER SUPPOSEDLY CALLING THE SHOTS, EATING A TASTY CHINESE FRIED RICE, EGG-DROP SOUP, AND FRIED SHRIMP AT THE EMERALD RESTAURANT, WHILE OUR CHINESE FRIENDS WERE BEING BLOODY-MASSACRED, & THE ILL-EQUIPPED SWAT WHICH PNOY & LIM DEPLOYED, WERE TRYING TO PRY OPEN A TOUR-BUS WITH A SINGLE AXE AS IF IT WAS A CAN-OPENER.
How did you know!
How did you know it was Pinoy whom Magtibay has consulted about the use of Manila SWAT team instead of using the SAF? While Robredo said Magtibay consulted the higher authorities, he could be referring only to the superiors of Magtibay up to the DILG under-secretary who has command over the PNP. Have you not watched the interview of Pnoy wherein he said he wants an investigation why SAF was not used as agreed with the ground commander? Clearly the order to use the SWAT team did not come from Pnoy.