Bishops call for accountability on Mamasapano, but not for PNoy to quit

Source: GMA News & Google

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle on Tuesday called for truth and accountability about the Mamasapano operation, which ended in the killing of 44 commandos of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police on January 25.

GMA News reported that Tagle's views were shared by Manila Archbishop Emeritus Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and Novaliches Archbishop Antonio Tobias.

The Catholic leaders, however, stopped short of calling for President Benigno Aquino III to resign in connection with the debacle in Mamasapano.

"'Pag lumabas ang katotohanan, kailangan merong ano ang tugon doon sa katotohanan. Nanduon na nga yung tinatawag nating pananagutan at pag-amin kung meron mang naging mga pagkukulang," Tagle said in an interview.

A national security adviser of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday warned President Benigno Aquino III that one or two more controversies could result in a coup being launched against him, GMA News also said.

Norberto Gonzales Jr, who was also a defense secretary during the Arroyo administration, there were two to three civilian groups, including a friend of Aquino's, behind the ouster plot.

Forty-four police commandos and 18 MILF members were killed in clashes after the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force neutralized suspected international terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan in alleged MILF-controlled territory in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

The firefights happened despite an existing peace agreement between the government and the MILF. The latter blamed the lack of coordination of the mission against Marwan.

The bishops appeared to agree with Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, who called for "a full and satisfactory accounting" in connection with the Mamasapano incident.

"The President and his advisers must give a full and satisfactory accounting of their actions in respect to this tragic loss," Villegas said in his social media account over the weekend.

"The targets of the SAF operations were characterized as 'high value targets.' If the police went after them, it can only be because they were ordered to do so. Policemen do not order themselves, not even members of the Special Action Force," he added.

The prelates were in Dagupan, Pangasinan to attend the inauguration of the Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine as a minor basilica as declared by Pope Francis.

Only two or three bishops for PNoy's resignation

Lipa Archbishop Ramon Arguelles has called on Aquino to resign but the Catholic leaders said it wasn't the position of the church in the country.

"Enough is enough. Baba na kayo. We want to have a new kind of government. We need a group of men who cannot be corrupted," Arguelles said in a news conference on Tuesday.

Rosales said such views did not reflect the views of the entire organization and merely echoed a minority in the CBCP.

"They can express their opinion but that is their own personal and individual opinion," Rosales said, adding that there were only two or three prelates calling for the President to resign.

He added that there were 120 bishops in the country.

"Nakapagtataka ito, pero ito ay mga opinyon lang ng ng iilan. Pero palagay ko hindi naman nagre-react ang mga bishops na ngayon. Practically I don't think we should easily remove presidents," Tobias added.

Villegas has said the CBCP has yet to "arrive at a collective position" on Aquino's current position.

But Villegas made it clear that the the "CBCP cannot morally join in the calls for his resignation" and instead called for the creation of a "credible Truth Commission or a Fact-Finding Body."

"All those responsible for the Mamasapano operation need to give a full and satisfactory accounting of the incident to enlighten the publc about the events that transpired in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25." he added.

He should watch his back

Gonzales said there were two to three groups trying to persuade active members of military members to join in the coup plot.

“He should watch his back talaga,” Gonzales warned.

As of now, Gonzales said it was highly unlikely that the coup d'etat plan would push through.

“Maghintay pa tayo ng mga isa, dalawang pagkakamali galing sa Malacanan at baka mangyari na iyon,” Gonzales said.

One such controversy Gonzales was referring to was the Mamasapano misencounter.

Presidential Communications Sec. Sonny Coloma said the government was ready for any destabilization effort.

“Ang pinakamahalaga sa pangulo ay yung patuloy na pagtitiwala at pagtangkilik ng kanyang mga boss, ang mga mamayang Pilipino dahil ang kanyang pamumuno sa bansa ay batay sa mandato at pagtitiwala ng mga mamamayan,” Coloma said. —NB/JST/ELR, GMA News