Mamasapano hearing: Will MILF leaders finally show up?

MANILA, Philippines – We seek for clear answers from the other party in the peace process. 

Philippine National Police Officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina on Wednesday, February 11, gave this statement as he fought back tears before members of a House panel and slammed anew what he said was an “overkill” of his men. (READ: Netizens sympathize with PNP’s tearful Espina)

It was the House of Representatives’ turn to conduct a probe into the deadly clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, on January 25 that killed 44 elite cops, 18 Moro rebels and at least 7 civilians. 

Espina’s emotional appeal turned the spotlight on the glaring absence of the leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) from the proceedings as they skipped congressional hearings for the third day in a row amid concerns from observers of the peace process that the MILF is losing by default in the discussions. (READ: Mamasapano: What ifs and what could have beens)

The MILF once again sent its ceasefire committee head Rasid Ladiasan, who had said he was not in a position to answer questions outside of his mandate. Chief MILF negotiator Mohagher Iqbal had attended congressional hearings in the past in his capacity as chairman of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission. 

Asked if the government panel is convincing the MILF leadership to participate in the proceedings, panel chair Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said, “They will be here tomorrow.” 

MILF vice chairman Ghazali Jaafar told GMA there is a possibility that MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal will attend Thursday’s hearing at the Senate. 

To show or not to show

Taking off from Espina’s emotional appeal, Zamboanga City Representative Celso Lobregat took the opportunity to bring up a video circulating online that showed a SAF member being shot twice while wounded. (READ: Battalion chief confirms SAF member in Mamasapano video)

Two lawmakers from Mindanao, Lobregat and Davao City Representative Karlos Nograles, as well as Cebu Representative Gwen Garcia, pushed for the showing of the video during the hearing.

But lawmakers from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao – Basilan Representative Jim Hataman-Salliman, Lanao del Sur 2nd district Representative Pangalian Balindong, Maguindanao and Cotabato City Representative Bai Sandra Sema Sema, and Sulu Representative Tupay Loong – fought to block the proposal. Their districts are also set to be included in the proposed Bangsamoro autonomous region. 

The showing of the video would only exacerbate tensions, Sema said. In a separate statement, the military also appealed to netizens to refrain from spreading the video.  

In the midst of the heated discussion, Balindong appealed to his colleagues to shift the focus of the probe on how the peace process can be saved and why it should not end.

Negros Occidental 4th district Representative Jeffrey Ferrer, chairperson of the House committee on public order, ruled in favor of the Mindanao lawmakers and decided that the video should not be shown to the public since it has not been authenticated.  

But the conversation did not shift towards salvaging the peace process. 

Lawmakers continued to press guests on the authenticity of the video. Police Chief Inspector Reynaldo Ariño, commander of the 5th Special Action Battalion, confirmed during the hearing that the armed personnel in the video was a SAF trooper.  

It was not established whether the armed insurgents who killed the trooper was from the MILF, the breakaway Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, or other private armed groups in the area. 

Executive privilege 

It is not only the MILF that has yet to present its side to the House and Senate. 

Lawmakers interrogated resigned police chief Alan Purisima on just how involved President Benigno Aquino III was in Oplan Exodus but he refrained from answering, citing executive privilege.    

The President may withhold information from the public and refuse subpoenas on the basis of national security under the principle of executive privilege.

In the absence of the President, it’s time to call Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr in the hearings, said Kabataan Representative Terry Ridon. Ochoa was also invited in the Senate hearings but he has yet to appear. (READ: Palace evades questions on Mamasapano hearing)

The Senate will resume its probe on Thursday, February 12. The House, meanwhile, is holding another hearing on Tuesday, February 17. 

Wednesday’s hearing started with discussions over procedural matters on whether all invited guests should first read out questions before being asked questions.  

It ended with another discussion on procedural matters, with Pangasinan Representative Kimi Cojuangco insisting that the committee should not adjourn at 5 pm to give way to the plenary session after extending the hearing for one hour.  

Meanwhile, all hearings on the proposed Bangsamoro law, a product of the government-MILF peace accord that aims to install a new autonomous region in Mindanao, are stalled until the probes are concluded.

In a separate event organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines Wednesday, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr said the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law was in a state of coma when asked about the chances of passing the law. – Rappler.com