GRANDSTANDING NOT ALLOWED IN
MAMASAPANO HEARING - POE

Sen. Grace Poe allayed fears that the reopening of the Senate investigation into the Mamasapano clash that killed 66 people will be used by the senators and possible resource speakers to advance their political agenda in this year's elections.

Poe, who will preside over the inquiry as chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order, assured the public that the committee will not allow grandstanding and will immediately examine the supposed new information on the incident.

"Hindi ko po papabayaan na gamitin lamang ito sa pulitika. Kailangan constructive ang mga tanong at kung magpe-personalan sila doon at magsusumbatan sila, hindi natin papayagan kung wala naman konstraktibong kahihinatnan," she said.

"Ayokong mag-away ang PNP or AFP dahil dito; kailangan lang sagutin ang katotohanan ukol sa iba pang tanong at kung ano na ang benepisyong naiparating talaga sa mga naulila ng ating mga bayaning SAF 44," Poe said.

Four senators are running for vice-president while others are pursuing reelection.

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, who was in detention on plunder charges when the hearings were conducted last year, moved for the re-opening of the investigation, citing new personal information on the incident.

Upon the approval of Sen. Alan Cayetano, who heads the Committee on Rules, Poe scheduled the hearing on January 25, exactly one year after the incident, which killed 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF), 18 Moro rebels and some civilians.

Enrile is a member of the opposition; administration presidential candidate Mar Roxas was Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government during the Mamasapano incident.

"Oposisyon man o administrasyon, kung merong mga tamang impormasyon na ilalabas, bakit hindi naman natin diringgin? Sabi ni Senator Enrile, marami pa raw siyang katanungan na hindi niya nagawa dahil nga wala siya noon," Poe said.

The senator, however, said she herself was not aware of any new information on the Mamasapano case, citing executive sessions with former Philippine National Police-SAF chief Gen. Getulio Napeñas Jr., one of the key resource persons in last year's Senate inquiry. But she said she was open to any new evidence that would come to light.

Poe, the frontrunner in the presidential race, also said that she will only be there to moderate and will not use the proceedings to put political rivals, especially Roxas, in a bad light.

"'Yung iba ay nagsasabi na baka naman ginagamit ito sa kampanya na grandstanding. Uulitin ko po, hindi po tayo ang nagpatawag ng hearing na ito. At kung sakali naman na nangangamba ang iba na ang aking katunggali ay matanong dito, si Secretary Mar, hindi po kayo dapat mangamb sapagkat ako po ay hindi magtatanong sa kanya. Ako lang po ay magmo-moderate nitong hearing na ito," she said.

Aside from Enrile's personal information, which could be potential evidence, Poe said it is also important to hear from the families of the fallen SAF members if they have received assistance from the government.

Poe reiterated that the re-opening of the investigation will not affect or void the earlier committee report signed by 21 senators.