Manila: The palace dismissed calls urging President Benigno Aquino III to resign amid perceived leadership shortcomings that have been blamed, among others, for the death of 44 police commandos in Maguindanao.
“The president will step down on June 30, 2016. Any report or story of any other exit plan apart from that is fictitious,” Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a palace press briefing on Friday.
The palace statement was in response to calls from various sectors for the president to step down. Groups from the religious sector, the political left and other interest groups have slammed Aquino for his lack of leadership skills that have caused costly debacles such as the death of 44 police commandos engaged in an anti-terrorist operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
The incident had caused a developing political upheaval, which may yet turn out to be the biggest challenge to Aquino’s five-year presidency.
Aquino’s term is expected to end in June 2016 after the country holds its national elections in May.
Valte maintained that there was nothing new in the latest calls for the president’s resignation. She said that the groups demanding that the president step down from power have been making the same demand for past few years.
“Their moves have not borne fruit because they have not gained the support of the majority of the people,” she said.
“The administration and the president are no stranger to issues, the national matters, that confront us, and we hope that in due time, questions will be answered as well. We hope to move on and to properly find a resolution to all of these concerns,” she said.
With regards to Aquino’s supposed role in the January 25 incident in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, that led to the deaths of 44 police commandos and some 18 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and civilians, Valte said the Philippine National Police’s Board of Inquiry will bring more information to light on the matter.
“We all want justice and we all want full accountability. And part of that would be waiting for the results of the investigation to see what it will yield,” she said.
Apart from the police, the Senate, the MILF, the Commission of Human Rights and other organisations have launched separate investigations on the Mamasapano incident.
Several lawmakers have pointed out that the incident will deal a serious blow to the peace process in Mindanao and could derail the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which is expected to put an end to the decades-long separatist war in Mindanao.
The Senate and House are conducting hearings on the BBL, which aims to put an end to nearly two decades of secessionist conflict in Mindanao involving the MILF and create a self-governing body for Muslim inhabitants in southern Philippines.
Backers of the BBL want its immediate passage before the creation of a transition authority, in preparation for the election next year to put up a Bangsamoro leadership.