PNoy arrives late at Camp Aguinaldo for command conference

President Benigno Aquino III arrived at the Armed Forces headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo Friday afternoon to preside over a command conference regarding the Basilan clash that claimed the lives of 19 soldiers. He arrived around 2:15 p.m., 45 minutes late of the 1:30 p.m. schedule. The command conference is attended by around 30 participants composed of unit commanders, unified commands, major service commanders, Task Force-Basilan batallion commanders, J2, J3, J7 and other military officials. Also present were presidential peace process adviser Teresita Deles, chief peace negotiator Marvic Leonen, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr and presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda. Nineteen soldiers were killed in a clash with the MILF last Tuesday in Basilan, prompting several government officials to call for the scrapping of the peace process with the MILF. But Aquino has so far rejected calls to end peace efforts with the MILF. Aquino had personally met with top MILF officials in Japan last August. Earlier in the day, Aquino said he wanted to know what really happened in last Tuesday's dealy clash. "Tungkol sa nangyari sa Basilan at ako na mismo ang mag iimbestiga kung ano talaga ang nangyari dyan at nagkaroon tayo ng ganoong trahedya," the President said in a speech at National Kidney and Transplant Institute. — LBG, GMA News