Noy may be called to face Truth Commission

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino can be invited to the proposed Truth Commission to shed light on the events that transpired prior to the massacre of 44 members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, proponents of the commission said yesterday.

Sen. Teofisto Guingona III said the fact-finding body would have extensive powers to issue subpoena to persons and compel the presentation of documents and other compulsory processes during the course of its investigation.

If approved, the body can cite in contempt and impose appropriate penalties on any person who refuses, without lawful excuse, to obey a subpoena or give testimony or produce documents for inspection.

When asked if the commission can also ask the President about the operations, Guingona said: “Where the truth comes out, the truth will entail how high.”

Sen. Bam Aquino said the commission is not a trial court but a fact-finding body, so it should not be a question of whether the President can be invited.

Senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as well as Reps. Sitti Turabin-Hataman, Leni Robredo, Teddy Baguilat, Jorge Banal, Kaka Bag-ao and Marcelino Teodoro have also supported the creation of the fact-finding body.

Senate President Franklin Drilon said the Senate would support any move that will uncover the truth of the Mamasapano attack and end the spread of misinformation and lies.

No less than the President admitted last week that he was briefed by suspended PNP chief General Alan Purisima about the operation to arrest suspected terrorists Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and Basit Usman, but only prior to Purisima’s suspension.

Sen. Aquino said the result of the investigation is critical to the discussions on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.

 Deles: No coordination with OPPAP

Like Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas II, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles said yesterday that she was also out of the loop on the SAF operation last Jan. 25.

And like acting PNP chief Gen. Leonardo Espina, Deles said she only got to know about the Mamasapano incident when it was over.

Deles said there was “no coordination” with the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPPAP) before the SAF launched their operation to capture Marwan and Usman.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and its supposed breakaway faction, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), have harbored Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorists in the past.

The MILF joined the BIFF in the massacre of the 44 SAF members while the peace talks between the government and MILF are ongoing.

Deles said that since the government has an existing ceasefire agreement with the MILF, “prior coordination” should have been done by the SAF to give a heads up to the government and MILF joint committee on cessation of hostilities (JCCH).

By “prior coordination,” Deles explained, the SAF could have informed the JCCH what armed forces are being mobilized precisely to avoid a “misencounter.”

“Coordination does not mean we have to ask prior permission from the MILF before our government troopers could go to their area. Coordination simply means to inform them we have the troops on the ground on a mission and not to launch any hostile action against them,” Deles stressed. – With Marichu Villanueva, Paolo Romero