ShareThisMANILA —President Aquino will not spare Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and Undersecretary Rico Puno in connection with the tragic outcome of the Aug. 23 hostage crisis even if they are among his closest friends.
This was hinted by the President himself when he said that no one would escape responsibility for the botched hostage rescue in which eight Hong Kong tourists were killed together with the hostage-taker, a bemedalled Manila police officer dismissed by the Ombudsman.
Mayor Lim
Sources said Lim would be held liable for simple neglect of duty, but Vice Mayor Isko Moreno would be spared.
Media members’ liability would be referred to the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), sources said.
Retired police chief Gen. Jesus Verzosa would not be held liable but most of his officials on the ground would be made to account for their clumsy handling of the hostage incident, according to the sources.
“I think the easiest to prove is neglect of duty,” Mr. Aquino said of charges recommended against Lim, head of the local crisis management committee (CMC) that was largely blamed for the hostage fiasco that brought international embarrassment to the country and the President himself.
The President had reviewed the report on the incident by the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) and anytime the President’s action on its recommendations will be made public.
He replied “meron” (there will be) when asked if cases will be filed against Lim and Puno.
Lim is a longtime friend and ally of the Aquino family while Puno is one of Mr. Aquino’s closest aides and a shooting range buddy.
Mr. Aquino said the exact charges would be included in the review conducted by the Palace legal team on the recommendations of the five-member IIRC headed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.