Business as usual

President Benigno “Noy” Aquino III is hurting over allegations he “violated” the country’s basic law of the land – the Constitution – swearing he never did so in having approved Oplan Exodus as presented to him.  

This is according to Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma, head of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) a day after he talked with President Aquino following the release of the Senate Committee Report on Oplan Exodus. The report came out after the Board of Inquiry  (BOI) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) released last week its own tactical findings and final report on the same case.

Both reports by the Senate and the BOI were one in tagging President Aquino for the breach in the chain of command that largely contributed to huge loss of lives in Oplan Exodus. Carried out last Jan. 25 in the town of Mamasapano in Maguindanao, a known stronghold of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), 44 of the 392 troopers from PNP’s elite Special Action Force (SAF) were “massacred” in a single biggest casualty count of the government’s war against terrorism.

The President was taken to task in both reports for allowing suspended PNP director-general Alan Purisima to participate in the execution of Exodus to capture the three most wanted international terrorist bombers hiding in Mamasapano. The President ordered a full-blown investigation by the BOI headed by Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Benjamin Magalong while the Senate conducted its own inquiry into the incident. Long before BOI and the Senate completed their probes, the President accepted the resignation of Purisima as PNP chief last month.

For not complying with his directives to coordinate with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the President immediately relieved SAF chief Getulio Napeñas.

The PCOO Secretary stressed anew President Aquino ordered both Purisima and Napeñas to coordinate with the AFP. But as it turned out, Purisima and Napeñas did not comply with his directives for whatever reasons. That’s why, he said, the President was hurt after being accused of having “violated” the Constitution.

Coloma revealed to us the presidential sentiments on the aftermath of the bungled Oplan Exodus during a freewheeling discussion with him over a breakfast forum the other day. Adding his own personal attestation, Coloma declared President Aquino is one leader who would not flagrantly violate the country’s 1987 Constitution.

In fact, Coloma noted a visibly much-used copy of the Constitution on the President’s desk. Seeing its crumpled appearance, Coloma surmised President Aquino keeps it close to him as ready reference and guide for whatever constitutional and legal issues and questions he may encounter.

Coloma did not discount the possibility that President Aquino may wish to make another televised address to the Filipino people on the Mamasapano incident. Or, he disclosed, the President would take this opportunity when he delivers his traditional commencement address before the latest batch of graduates from the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) in Silang, Cavite.

Seven of 44 SAF troopers slain in Oplan Exodus were graduates of the PNPA, the country’s premier source of police officers and candidates to become the future PNP director-general. But all of the 44 slain were honored and immortalized in a mural painting at the PNPA.

In his commencement address last Sunday at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) graduation rites in Fort Del Pilar in Baguio City, President Aquino had steered clear of any direct reference to the tragic Mamasapano incident. A number of PMAers like his disgraced PNP chief and Napeñas were held responsible for the bungling of Oplan Exodus.

President Aquino has confirmed his attendance to the annual graduation rites of the PNPA this March 26. Whether as Chief Executive or Commander-in-chief of all the armed forces of the Philippines, this will be a good opportunity for him to face them.

The emotions and passions would no longer be as intense as they were, now that the AFP, the BOI, and the Senate reported out to public what went wrong with Oplan Exodus.

 Hopefully ending the national drama, Coloma bared Malacañang has started preparations for the final state of the nation address (SONA) of President Aquino. This will be the last time Aquino will deliver his SONA before his six-year term ends on June 30 next year.

This will be also the last time both chambers of the 16th Congress will hold their traditional joint opening session this July 27. While it may be the last SONA, Coloma however quickly added the President still has a full plate of priority administration bills for the third and last regular session of Congress.

 Certainly, Coloma stressed President Aquino wants the 16th Congress to pass into law the pending bills under his administration’s legislative agenda. Foremost is the controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law bill that got snagged after the murderous attacks on SAF troopers by unnamed MILF members and their breakaway comrades from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). 

But how the President could sway Congress into approving the BBL is fast becoming more difficult as evidenced by the latest opinion polls by Pulse Asia. The survey done from March 1-7 showed 44 percent of respondents opposed approval of the BBL.

Aside from his unfinished legislative agenda, the Aquino administration has been deep in preparations for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ summit that the Philippines hosts this November. The President, Coloma added, is scheduled to fly to Malaysia next week to attend the ASEAN Leaders’ summit.

Coloma counted to us there are 471 days left in the Aquino administration’s term when he appeared as our featured guest at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay in its inaugural launch last Wednesday at Luneta Hotel in T.M. Kalaw St. in Manila.

Despite this latest setback, Coloma swears Mr. Aquino is not distracted nor disturbed by thoughts on what lies ahead after his presidency amid threats of suits once his immunity lapses a day after June 30, 2016.

Coloma insists it’s business as usual as far as the government is concerned as the country moves on to P-Noy’s Tuwid na Daan where he started from day one. As for Coloma, he is rumored to be appointed soon as new chairman of the Civil Service Commission where he would enjoy a fixed term of office.