Noynoy: We will never let this happen again

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino has assured the public that various reforms at the Philippine National Police were underway and that he and his officials would never allow a repeat of a tragic hostage-taking incident such as the one last Aug. 23.

“Our people have been shackled for so long not only by violence, but also by the insecurity, cynicism, and paralysis that arise from violence. Together, we shalI defeat the enemy by wielding the tools of justice, social reform and equitable governance and by strengthening our security agencies. We will not allow those mistakes to happen ever again,” the President said in a speech during the conferment ceremonies for this year’s masters graduates of the National Defense College of the Philippines on Friday afternoon.

On Friday morning, Mr. Aquino took full responsibility for the hostage fiasco at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila and that he again temporarily assumed control of the Philippine National Police so Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo could focus on other pressing concerns of his department. Before Robredo was appointed, the President was interim DILG secretary.

Aquino said he went to the National Capital Regional Police Office in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City “in an effort to investigate certain leads that have been given our way.”

“We are now in the process of documenting the findings that we have and getting the supporting documentation with regard to supporting our findings there,” Aquino said.

Aquino said he had ordered PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa “to make sure that certain people who are engaged in questionable practices be prevented from inflicting any more of such actions on the people.”

“They have been suspended in holding capacities, their previous capacities - those who are still in service. Hopefully by Monday, we will be able to show you what we have unearthed,” the President said.

He said he would await the findings of the investigating body and then proceed with the reforms.

“We have afforded the process or due process to everybody who has been, shall we say, implicated. We will know precisely all of the areas or most of the areas that need to be addressed to prevent such a recurrence. By next week also, I hope to be able to demonstrate the capacities of our security forces in securing our people, but this might require some travel on your part to be able to demonstrate all of their capabilities or a lot of their capabilities,” Aquino said.

Aquino said he was not able to observe the police seminar in handling a hostage crisis in Bicutan because it was “a rush” and he had to attend to other engagements.

The President also said he would not allow disgruntled officers to threaten the government and the people as he encouraged them to go through the process in airing their grievances. A member of the Philippine Army was reportedly threatening to take hostages too if his concerns would not be addressed.

“I don’t know if what he’s doing is serious threat or grave threat. That is extremely wrong, you should desist from it, then he should go through the process. Otherwise, if a wrong was committed to him, doing another wrong will not rectify the situation,” Aquino said.

In his speech before the graduates, the President said as a nation, “we have a duty to defend the state and to insulate it from both national and international security threats. To achieve this, we need leaders who possess the skills and abilities to make the right decisions in tough and unexpected situations.”

“Unfortunately, what we witnessed recently demonstrated the exact opposite of the ideal we are aspiring for,” Aquino said.

“What happened last week was a wake-up call for our security agencies. The hostage situation revealed our deficiency in providing the tools and training needed by our police force to ensure the safety of our people, and that of foreign nationals who visit our country,” Aquino said.

In light of this, the President said NDCP, which was established to produce graduates that could respond quickly in times of crisis, has an important role in preventing a similar incident from happening again.

Robredo: No one from top will be implicated

In Naga City, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said no one from the top would be implicated long before investigation on the hostage crisis could begin.

“I know that no one from the top will be implicated in this hostage crisis,” Robredo said during the launching of Naga City’s Coliseum on Sept. 2. Robredo said he was certain that no one from the top, that is, including the president will be implicated in the bungled hostage-rescue operations.

Less than 24 hours after Robredo made the statement, President Aquino said he was taking control of the PNP in the interim.

Robredo also said that he was disappointed that a fellow Bicolano, Sen. Francis Escudero, may make it difficult for his appointment to pull through. Escudero is a member of the Commission on Appointments.

Robredo was in Naga City last Friday to attend the inauguration of the Naga City Coliseum. It had taken almost 20 years to build the coliseum where Robredo had been instrumental in the pursuit of its construction. He said that what caused the delay was that Naga City wanted to build the coliseum from its own resources. “We did not want to loan at first,” he said.

The city was eventually granted a loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines to complete the structure. “We thought of paying the loan from revenues generated from the increasing business establishments in Naga City’s business districts,” Robredo said.

Robredo was former city mayor of Naga for two terms before he was appointed DILG secretary. Newly elected Naga City Mayor John Bongat decided to inaugurate the coliseum in time for the Peñafrancia festival this month.

Aurea Calica, Philippine Star