Aquino’s admission of nescience of the Kidapawan incident: Proof of incompetence- group

Progressive coalition slammed President Noynoy Aquino after taking a week to respond in the aftermath of the Kidapawan incident that claimed three lives and 116 injured after police forces fired upon unarmed protestors last week.

Numerous politicians, groups and even the media have been calling out to the president to give a response as others demanded accountability right after images of the bloody dispersal hit social media.

“Aquino’s statement is an admission of what we have long been suspecting, he indirectly admits to his incompetence and that of his cabinet officials. His alibi falls short of what is the demanded by the office he holds but more importantly by the hunger and grief of our farmers in Mindanao”, said Atty. Aaron Pedrosa, secretary-general of Sanlakas coalition.

Sanlakas together with other organizations joined Kalampag, a campaign to push for justice and aid for the farmers in Mindanao last Friday. They demanded that the government release the 19 billion peso mitigation funds for all El Nino hit provinces as well calamity and the standby quick response funds dispersed among various agencies.

“Aquino’s late response is in itself condemnable. But what is more frustrating despite being informed late was that he did not see the gravity of the wanton disregard for human rights by security forces Not even an speck of sympathy for the hunger-driven farmers or the shooting of unarmed protestors, while he himself seek sympathy for being out on a cold for a day,” Pedrosa griped.

“The out-going resident of Malacanang is too dense and indifferent. After all, the Aquinos seem to be all too familiar with executing unarmed peasants after the Mendiola, Lupao and Hacianda Luisita massacres,” he added.

The Cebuano lawyer pointed out that Aquino’s insensitivity to the clamor of the farmers is evident when he did not take responsibility as commander and chief of the police and did not order an independent investigation to determine culpability in the shooting of unarmed protestors.

“Despite being late Aquino still failed to issue marching orders to his cabinet on how to resolve the climate-induced hunger in Mindanao and avert it from spreading to other provinces. He also did not expedite the release of necessary funds nor did he deploy additional personnel to assist the local government,” the Sanlakas leader indicated.

If indeed the President was out of the loop, the group also demanded that Aquino reprimand his alter-egos in the cabinet and spokespersons for issuing irresponsible statements such as vilifying the protestors and claiming that the conditions in Cotobato was not as bad as it seemed in his name.

The Cebuano lawyer was referring to Communication Secretary Sonny Coloma and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

Pedrosa also criticized Interior Secretary Senen Sarmiento for issuing medals and citations to police officers who were directly responsible for the bloodshed even without an independent and in-depth investigation to what transpired in Kidapawan last week.