Senators belittle Aquino apology over hostage incident

Senators on Sunday belittled the apology by Malacañang over the failed hostage rescue on Aug. 23, saying it merely improved the image of President Benigno Aquino III but weakened the presidency without addressing the more important issues surrounding the case. When the President said he was taking full responsibility for the way the police and the Executive branch handled the hostage-taking incident, that was an "unnecessary statement," Sen. Joker Arroyo said in an interview Sunday on radio dzBB. "Maganda ang image ngayon ng pangulo, pero (The President now has an improved image, but) it amounts to nothing," said Arroyo, who was the executive secretary of Aquino’s mother, the late President Corazon C. Aquino. In a separate interview on dzBB, Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate foreign relations committee, said that the apology from the President over what happened was not enough. On Aug. 23, Mendoza commandeered a Hong Thai Travel bus carrying 25 passengers, including 21 tourists from Hong Kong, at the Fort Santiago. He then announced he was taking hostage its passengers and told the driver to go to the Rizal Park, about 1 kilometer away. In front of the park’s Quirino Grandstand, an 11-hour standoff ensued. The Philippine National Police (PNP), which handled the hostage crisis, is an attached agency of the Department of Interior and Local Government. Eight mostly tourists from Hong Kong and hostage taker Rolando Mendoza, a former police officer, died in incident. Seven other hostages were injured. 'Seriousness' and 'sincerity' The Philippines must show its "seriousness" and "sincerity" in doing a "proper investigation. Know what were the mistakes and learn from these so that it won't happen again," Legarda said. "You can't move on unless there’s justice, so it is important to complete the investigation – not just for the sake of having an investigation," she said. To an extent, according to Legarda, the President was right in terms of command responsibility when he issued that apology and took the responsibility for the failure of Philippine authorities in handling the crisis and "the painful deaths of the victims." "But that does not mean those responsible are now free," she added. "We have to find out who should be blamed. Heads must roll. Those who did not do their duties well should be changed." Arroyo also pointed out that "President Aquino’s advisers always want to have a press release," referring to Malacañang's media communications group. But the President' "apology" statement over the weekend was an "unnecessary statement. It weakens the presidency." Secretaries Herminio "Sonny" Coloma and Ricky Carandang of the communications group were earlier asked to resign from their posts due to the botched hostage rescue. There is now a proposal on giving Hong Kong a "solidarity offering" to show Philippine sympathy for the victims and their families that President Aquino is studying , according to Coloma, on top of the presidential apologies that Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang had accepted. "[President Aquino's] statement doesn't have any effect at all," Arroyo stressed. "We must show how serious we are in the investigation into the hostage incident," Legarda said. "The senate will also investigate. It is important to satisfy [the call for justice] not only of the Filipinos but the families of the victims. Those who are under investigation have not been absolved by the President’s apology, Arroyo said. The investigation is ongoing, he added, referring to probe being done by the Incident Investigation and Review Committee, chaired by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima. —JE/VS, GMANews.TV