President Benigno S. Aquino III presides over the National Economic and Development Authority Board Meeting at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room of the Malacañan Palace on Monday (February 16). (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – Senator Ferdinand “Bong-bong” Marcos Jr. on Monday said the whole truth surrounding the botched Mamasapano incident would only be known if President Benigno Aquino III revealed what he knew about “Operation Exodus” and his role in the operation.
During the weekly Kapihan sa Diamond Hotel, Marcos said Aquino was key because he knew everything about the operation which killed 44 elite policemen, 18 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters, and five civilians last month.
“Siguro ang pinakamadaling solusyon diyan ay sabihin na lang ng Pangulo kung ano talaga ang kanyang parte dito. Saan siya sa planning? Saan siya sa implementation? Ano ang mga order niya nung nagka-encounter na dahil siya lang naman ang nakakaalam ng lahat,” Marcos said.
(The easiest way [to find out the truth] is for the President to reveal his role [in the incident]. What was his role during the planning? What was his role during the implementation? What were his orders during the encounter because he knows everything?)
The senator maintained that Aquino was privy to the operation and could have readily accessed all information from the police and the military.
“May access siya sa impormasyon ng police, may access siya sa impormasyon ng AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) at alam niya kung ano ang ginawa niya noong siya ay nasa Zamboanga. That would be the easiest way na maging maliwanag ang mga tinatanong ng lahat,” he added.
(He has access to all information from the police and the military and he knows what he was doing in Zamboanga. That would be the easiest way to provide answers to questions being asked by everyone.)
The Senate has commenced its own probe on the Mamasapano incident where AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr., Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Interior Secretary Mar Roxas testified that they did not inform Aquino about the encounter.
But Marcos said he had difficulty believing this claim as the President revealed in a speech to SAF troopers that he knew about the battle between government troops and the rebels during the fateful morning of January 25.
“Mahirap paniwalaan na unang napag-usapan nila yung Mamasapano ay alas-singko na ng hapon noong briefing. And even the words of the President seems to deny this. So that is why there is confusion. And we have to remove the confusion to really once and for all find out what happened and what are the facts,” Marcos said. (MNS)