Puno, Verzosa ginisa sa unang hostage hearing
Sa unang pagdinig ng Incident Investigation and Review Committee sa naganap na hostage crisis, agad sumalang sa pagtatanong si Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Rico Puno.
Ayon kay Puno, sa kanya ipinagkatiwala ni Pangulong Aquino ang pamamahala sa Philippine National Police (PNP) at hindi kay DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo.
“I have also verbal instructions from the President to oversee the PNP,” ani Puno.
Tanong ni Justice Secretary Leila de Lima: “Okay so you confirm that there is such an order from the President that you will take care and handle the PNP?”
Maya-maya pa, ang vice-chair ng komite at mismong boss niya na ang gumisa kay Puno.
"What happened really was a system of info lapses. There was basically a difference between what was happening on the ground and the information you were receiving. Were you informed that this Critical Incident Management Committee was convened,” ani Robredo.
Inamin ni Puno na hindi siya handang humawak sa mga hostage situations.
“I am not capable to handle hostage-taking. I’m not trained to do that I don’t have the experience,” ani Puno.
Paulit-ulit na tinanong ng mga miyembro ng komite kung bakit itinuring lamang ng mga opisyal at awtoridad na isang local crisis ang naganap na hostage-taking at hindi pinagana ang National Crisis Management Committee gayung hindi lamang ito ordinaryong hostage-taking o police matter dahil karamihan sa mga na-hostage ay mga banyaga.
Ayon kay PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa, sumunod lamang daw sila sa protocol.
“Based on existing protocols we have to maintain and create the appropriate crisis management committee at lowest possible level,” ani Verzosa.
Ang pahayag ay binalikan ni De Lima ng tanong na: “Notwithstanding that the majority of the hostages are foreign nationals?”
Dagdag ni Atty. Roan Libarios: “It will necessarily involve diplomatic channels, and diplomacies are beyond local government.”
Dinepensahan rin ni Verzosa ang desisyon na huwag agad ipatumba ang hostage-taker.
“The negotiations were going very well, and it is not in my judgement to change the picture, the climate,” ani Verzosa.
Aminado silang nagkaroon nga ng mga pagkukulang sa pagtugon sa krisis.
Nasa komite na ang desisyon kung ang mga pagkukulang at pagkakamaling ito ay hahantong sa pagsasampa ng mga kriminal at administratibong kaso at kung sinu-sino ang dapat managot. – Ina Reformina, Patrol ng Pilipino
09/03/2010 11:34 PM
