House probe sought on hostage tragedy to catch ‘big fish’

Dissatisfied with the report of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC), an opposition lawmaker on Wednesday called on his colleagues in the House of Representatives to push through with its investigation on the August 23 hostage-taking incident. Citing command responsibility, House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman said Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo and Secretaries Herminio Coloma and Ricky Carandang of the Presidential Communications Group should be included in the list of personalities recommended to face charges in connection with the bloody incident. "A thorough, fair and judicious investigation report should have ensnared Robredo, Coloma and Carandang for culpable acts of omission and negligence and for failing to exercise command responsibility," he said. Lagman noted that the chamber put off its own investigation on the hostage tragedy, which left eight Hong Kong tourists dead, in deference to IIRC investigation. “Since the investigation appear to be inadequate, the House should continue its investigation so we can assess who are those who are principally liable for the fiasco, if there is a need for remedial legislation and if there is need to file appropriate charges against those principally liable," the lawmaker from Albay said.

Incomplete, inadequate He said since the IIRC report was “incomplete and inadequate, it should be the calling of the House to make its own inquiry." The IIRC report, which was bared to the public on Monday, recommended the filing of charges against 13 personalities — some of them government officials — and three networks in connection with the August 23 tragedy. Lagman said the House investigation should be conducted by the House committee on good government as well as the committee on public order and security. Lagman said no concrete assessment could be made of the IIRC report because of President Benigno Aquino III’s refusal to disclose the more substantial portions of the report, namely the “Conclusions on Accountability" and “Recommendations." “If the President holds the major aspects of the report close to his breast longer, popular clamor for their immediate and full disclosure may burn his chest," he said. He added it seemed the IIRC probe was conducted to look for scapegoats and set free those principally liable. “Bigger heads must role" “Let me say that if heads must roll, bigger heads must role. It should not be an investigation to look for scapegoats, but after the IIRC probe those principally liable were not ensnared and one of them was even made a vice chairman of the IIRC," Lagman said, referring to Robredo. He said based on the IIRC report, those held liable could be classified into four categories: (1) officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) like retired Director General Jesus Verzosa; Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay of the Manila Police District; Chief Superintendent Leocadio Santiago of the National Capital Region Police Office; Superintendent Orlando Yerba, the chief negotiator; and Senior Inspector Santiago Pascual, head of the SWAT team; (2) officials of the local government of the City of Manila namely Mayor Alfredo Lim and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno; (3) representatives of broadcast media and television networks; and (4) Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and Deputy Ombudsman Emilio Gonzales III. He said the alleged culprits in the first two groups are directly under the responsibility and accountability of Robredo, while the third is under Coloma and Carandang. “Bakit itong nakakataas sa alleged culprit ay hindi kasama sa mga ni-recommnend the culpable for the fiasco (Why didn’t the IIRC include these persons in their report)?" Lagman asked. Lagman had earlier called for the resignation of Robredo, Coloma and Carandang over the August 23 incident. — KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV