Solons vow to throw 'punches' in 'Mamasapano' investigation
MANILA, Philippines — The closed-door executive session will be a venue where members of the inquiring House panel will ask more substantive questions to resource persons on the "Mamasapano clash," lawmakers said yesterday.
ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Samuel Pagdilao said members of the Committee on Public Order and Security looking into the January 25 incident where 44 government forces were killed by rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao will raise sensitive matters on national security in the session.
"Out of the public eye, there will be no more reason to [ pull] punches on the part of the House members and the resource persons will have to answer all the questions propounded," Pagdilao said.
"I mean that all questions of national security importance which were voluntarily withheld during the open hearing because of sensitivity can now be freely asked," he said.
Congress resumed public hearings on the police anti-terrorist operation that spiraled into a bloody encounter the past week.
"Motions raised and objected will either be intensely debated or i mmediately voted upon t o preclude this," Pagdilao added. Deputy House Speaker and Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao also noted that it was the guests from the police and military who asked for an executive session so they could freely speak on touchy subjects.
"[ The resource persons] thought some of the questions asked by House members are very sensitive which cannot be freely discussed in public," Aggabao said.
Among the topics expected to be raised is the involvement of the United States in the operation to arrest Malaysian bomb maker Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan.