Razon admits 'weakness' in intelligence gathering

National Police chief Avelino Razon Jr. admitted Thursday night "weaknesses" in intelligence gathering allowed the six-hour standoff at The Manila Peninsula Hotel. Razon said that while they received intelligence information on a "planned activity," it never indicated it would involve a walkout from a court hearing and a march to The Peninsula. "Siguro merong (Yes perhaps there was a) weakness in the gathering of intelligence ... We will strengthen our intelligence gathering capability," he said at a press briefing in Malacañang. He said the intelligence information they received indicated an activity that will jibe with the Nov. 30 rally of militants, Church officials, and civil society groups. But the reports never indicated they would involve the walkout by Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV from their court hearing. Earlier, deputy presidential spokeswoman Maria Lorelie Fajardo admitted a failure of intelligence was a possible reason for the standoff. "It's possible, and we will make sure whoever is responsible and accountable will be given appropriate action after this," Fajardo said in an interview on dzBB radio, when asked if a failure of intelligence may have led to Thursday morning's incident. "Ang importante ma-control ang situation. Sino ang punishable later on we will take appropriate actions against them (The important thing is to control the situation. Whoever is punishable, we will take appropriate action against them)," she added. - GMANews.TV