Aquino open to take part in hostage probe — spokesman

(Updated 7:39 p.m.) President Benigno Aquino III is willing to participate in the investigation on the August 23 Manila hostage tragedy that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead and has caused tension between the Philippines and China. “If [Justice Secretary Leila de Lima] will find it necessary [to invite Aquino], and this is an in independent probe, I’m sure that the President will be more than welcome to shed light on his participation," presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said at a news briefing Wednesday. Lacierda, however, stressed that De Lima, who heads of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC), had said that she does not see a need to invite President Aquino to the hearings as of now. The IIRC will have its first formal proceedings for clarificatory questioning on Friday and will continue on Saturday and Monday. Invited officials Among the top-level officials invited for the hearings are: - Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecteary Rico Puno, who supervises the Philippine National Police (PNP); - PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa; - National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) head Director Leocadio Santiago; - Manila Police District head Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay (on leave); - Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim; - Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno; - Negotiators Superintendent Orlando Yebra and Chief Inspector Romeo Salvador; - Alberto Lubang, driver of the tourist bus where the victims were held hostage; - The woman who drove hostage-taker Rolando Mendoza from Batangas to Manila; and - Media personalities whom Mendoza was able to talk to during the hostage-taking incident. “The doctrine of command responsibility can go as high. But as to what level, I can not say yet," said De Lima at a separate news briefing, responding to questions on who among the government officials should be held liable for the bloodbath. No conflict of interest De Lima chairs the IIRC with DILG secretary Jesse Robredo as her vice chair. The three other members are Citizens Action Against Crime chair Teresita Ang-See to represent the Filipino-Chinese community, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas president Herman Basbaño to represent the media, and Integrated Bar of the Philippines governor for Eastern Mindanao Roan Libarios. De Lima reiterated that Robredo, even if he is DILG chief, does not need to inhibit himself from the proceedings because it was Puno who directly supervises the PNP. “That is one of the very reasons [why] we do not see a conflict of interest," said De Lima. Asked about reported calls for Robredo’s inhibition, De Lima replied: “That matter has to be addressed to Secretary Robredo." Lim defends Isko Lim, who said he would attend the hearings, defended Moreno from accusations that he is partly to blame in the tragic end of the hostage situation. “He should not be blamed in any way, since he has gone out of his way to help and had all the good intentions in mind," Lim said. He said he would be in the hearings to answer “baseless comments" against him, Moreno and other personalities who handled the hostage crisis. “It so sad [that] there are a lot of persons who were not present at that time who issued baseless comments," Lim said. Lim was said to be one who ordered the arrest of Mendoza's brother which reportedly triggered the hostage-taker's rampage, while Moreno was the one who secured a letter from the Office of the Ombudsman that had likewise angered the hostage-taker. Mendoza, a decorated officer, was dismissed from police service after being implicated in a robbery-extortion case two years ago. - LBG/KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV