Palace: No point in reviving Mendiola massacre case
From the point of view of the Aquino administration, the Mendiola massacre is a thing of the past that should no longer be revived. "I don’t think it’s helpful for us to regurgitate issues that have been resolved years ago. We cannot keep revisiting issues over and over again," said Ricky Carandang, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning head, at a press briefing Friday. Still, Carandang said it will be up to the Department of Justice to handle the request of a farmers’ group for a reinvestigation on the deaths of 13 protesters in a violent dispersal 24 years ago. "Yung position namin is, you know, their issues have already been (resolved) and there’s really no practical point in bringing them up again. Again, if the DOJ feels that there is merit to it, then the DOJ can act," he said. He added the case will be up to the courts to decide. "If someone wants to file a case... and ask the courts, it’s really up to the courts to do that. Pero sa amin lang, parang na-resolve na ‘yan. There doesn’t seem to be a need to revive issues that have already been resolved. But, again, without prejudice to anyone who wants to bring it up," Carandang said. Earlier in the day, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said she has forwarded the request of the farmers to the task force on extrajudicial killing.