Sen. Marcos Backs Call For Reopening Of Mamasapano Probe

Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos, Jr. today backed a proposal for the reopening of the Senate probe of the January 25 Mamasapano tragedy where 44 commandos of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force lost their lives.

Last Monday, Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile move to reopen the probe at the committee level saying he wanted to put the issue to rest, particularly on what the government did when the bloody encounter between the SAF and the Moro rebels was taking place.

"Ito ang magdadala ng katarungan para doon sa pamilya ng mga nasawi na SAF 44, mabuti na rin iyan para mabalik sa pag-iisip ng ating mga kababayan kung anong nangyari," said Marcos in an interview with former Sen. Orly Mercado in his program "Orly Already" at Radyo 5.

According to Marcos reopening the probe is possible since the Senate has yet to conduct plenary deliberations on the committee report on the Mamasapano investigation and each Senator has the right to ask questions on reports of the chamber's committees.

Marcos noted that nine months after the incident no criminal charges have been filed in court against those responsible for the massacre of the SAF 44, despite the government's promises that justice will be done.

The Senator pointed out that the family of the SAF 44 did not ask for anything from the government but justice.

"Hindi gaano iyung benepisyo, iyung scholarship, iyung mga kung ano-ano pa, ang sabi nila, huwag sana kalimutan ang kanilang namatay na ama, na kapatid, na anak, na asawa. Ito ang tanging layunin siguro ng Senado na mabigyan nga ng katarungan lahat ng mga naiwan na pamilya ng SAF 44," Marcos said.