Noy won't stop probe on Peace bonds

SAN MIGUEL, Tarlac, Philippines  – President Aquino vowed yesterday not to get in the way of any investigation in the alleged involvement of his two Cabinet members in the P10-billion Poverty Eradication and Alleviation Certificate (PEACE) bonds controversy in 2001.

“Yes... please,” he said when asked if he would encourage a closure on the issue once and for all.

He said he would not want to tell the Truth Commission what to do but would also not interfere if there would be evidence that would warrant the probe of Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles for their alleged participation in the anomaly.

“Well, I would not want to tell the Truth Commission what it should do and I have confidence in the people that I nominated into it that they will look into it as part of their work, if they feel that it’s necessary. So, again, I don’t think it is right for me to start telling them: ‘This is the first thing that you’ll investigate...’ That will cheapen their activities,” Aquino said in a press conference after voting here for the barangay elections.

He said it was good for all speculations to be dispelled but “again, we cannot even indicate that preference.”

“We did create that commission. We imbued it with independence and I don’t think it’s proper for me to tell them what to do,” Aquino said.

Sen. Edgardo Angara and party-list Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo said the truth panel must not have double standards and investigate the allies of the President too for alleged anomalies.