AVOID ALL-OUT WAR

AVOID ALL-OUT WAR

Amid public outcry over the Mamasapano incident, Vice President Jejomar C. Binay this week said an all-out war must be avoided.

He stressed that any peace agreement should be in consonance with existing laws, particularly the Constitution.

The Vice President also reiterated his call to form an independent fact-finding commission to investigate the incident to dispel all doubts that the investigations are merely a “cover-up”.

Binay also rejected calls for President Benigno Aquino III to resign. You know, I am the vice president. Let us just wait. I am hoping and praying that the President will overcome this problem very soon,” he said.

Binay also supported bids to raise the hazard pay of police officers in the light of the incident, but said the decision is up to the President.

Binay handed P20,000 cash benefits from Pag-IBIG to the families of slain Special Action Force troopers PO1 Windel Candano and PO1 Romeo Cempron, both from Cebu, after the mass wedding.  

The cash benefit came from the accumulated savings and dividends of the deceased in Pag-IBIG, along with their death benefits.

As chair of the government housing sector, Binay also said they are studying the possibility of providing housing and other benefits for families of the SAF members killed and injured in action.

The dependents of the Fallen 44 and the 15 survivors were also offered scholarships at the University of Makati (UMak). /MP