Mar Roxas: Calls for Aquino resignation divide the country

MANILA, Philippines — Calls for President Benigno Aquino III to resign from office will only further divide the country and its people, Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II said on Wednesday.

Roxas said all sectors must unite and move forward now that the Senate probe on the Mamasapano incident has concluded.

"Let us move forward. Prosecute those who have done wrong, improve and correct policies and guidelines that are detrimental to tactical police and military operations," Roxas said.

The Senate hearings delved on the circumstances that surrounded the January 25 operations in Barangay Tukalanipao, Mamasapano town in Maguindanao province which resulted to the deaths of 44 police commandos who encountered Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters.

President Aquino has drawn flak from the Mamasapano incident as commander-in-chief, with various groups urging him to resign.

"But anything more than criticizing President Aquino or anyone else's judgment call is not fitting. The calls for PNoy to step down and resign will only divide the country and people further," Roxas said.

He noted that the public's skepticism over the Mamasapano handling is understandable, considering that there were dozens of elite policemen killed due to lack of coordination.