Pres. Aquino to Address Nation on Mamasapano ‘Misencounter’ Wednesday

President Benigno Aquino III will deliver on Wednesday night a nationwide address on the bloody clash in Maguindanao between members of the PNP-Special Action Force and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which left at least 44 government forces dead.

The President’s official schedule given to the media on yesterday afternoon stated that the President will deliver his “message to the nation” at 6:30 p.m. today. The Palace also confirmed that the address will be on the Mamasapano incident.

Malacañang said the incident has affected congressional deliberations on the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which will embody the peace agreement signed by the Philippine government with the MILF in March 2014. This also prompted the Senate committee on Monday to suspended the hearings on the BBL.

At the Lower House, the ad hoc committee on the BBL has also decided to suspend the discussions on the measure’s provisions pertaining to national defense and public order following the clash, GMA News Online reported.

Last Sunday, at least 44 elite cops were killed while 12 others were injured in a clash with members of the MILF and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF).

The police officers supposedly entered a MILF-controlled area in Mamasapano town while trying to arrest Jemaah Islamiyah leader Zulkifli bin Hir also known as Commander Marwan, whose presence had been confirmed in the area.

Report quoted MILF chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal saying their group only defended themselves during the incident, adding that government forces did not inform their group about the operation.

DILG Secretary Mar Roxas earlier said that top officials of the PNP, which he has direct supervision over, were not aware of the SAF operation in Mamasapano town, report added.

Source: GMA News Online