Senator Sergio Osmeña III on Sunday blasted President Benigno Aquino III for supposedly being bull-headed and for refusing to apologize for any part he played in the Mamasapano operation. “[M]atigas ang ulo eh,” Osmeña said of the president in an interview with dzBB’s Nimfa Ravelo. “Government is a give and take of ideas. it’s a consultation or consultative process, with the executive, the legislative, and sometimes, if we do not understand ourselves who made the law, we go to the judiciary to ask. “That is the process of democracy. It will be messy, pero this president has been super hard-headed and he only listens sa mga kaibigan niya, so hindi naman maganda yung ganun. In that sense his management has been pretty ‘jeer-y’,” he added. Aquino has received flak for failing to clarify his involvement in the Jan. 25 police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao that led to the death of 44 elite commandos. Say sorry If Osmeña is to have his way, Aquino should apologize for Mamasapano—just like how his predecessor, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, apologized for the “Hello Garci” controversy. “Mas mabuti pa sabihin mo na ‘I am sorry,’ katulad ni Gloria, ano? ‘Yun lang, eh, ayaw naman mag-sorry,” the senator said. The senator said that if the president apologizes, many of those who have lost trust in him might very well forgive him. “Very forgiving ang Pilipino, napaka forgiving. [Pero] yung Mamasapano talagang nawala ang tiwala ng majority of the Filipino people, so alam mo sometimes those Read More …
At least one senator is afraid the recently-concluded Senate investigation into the Mamasapano clash could result in a whitewash of the incident, which has given President Benigno Aquino III more ammunition against him and his administration. In a radio interview with dzBB’s Nimfa Ravelo, Sen. Sergio Osmeña III said it would be “easy” for Aquino allies who dominate the Senate to absolve the president of any faults. “Well, tingnan po natin kasi medyo kontrolado nila ang Senado ngayon so baka ma-whitewash. Pero we will look out for that. Sasabihin naman namin pag tantiya namin mukhang nawa-white wash. At di naman maniniwala ang taumbayan, medyo decided na sila kung sino ang may sala dito,” Osmeña said. Earlier, Sen. Grace Poe, who chairs the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs which is leading the probe, assured the public that there will be no cover up in the hearing or the committee report. But despite Poe’s assurances, Osmeña said he and the public will know if the probe has been compromised. “You can have one hundred and one signs. Basta makikita mo yun sa final report eh, magkakaroon ka ng feeling or belief or certainty na ‘ay, mukhang na whitewash ito ah.’ Pero makikita mo rin yan sa recitation of facts, kung nabungi or may kulang, ayun. There are many ways to engineer, but the final analysis is the result,” Osmeña said, adding that he cannot say if he will sign the committee report yet. “In order to be really fair Read More …