Who Is Responsible?

Informal Theme #2

Blog #2

After a series of finger pointing and inconclusive investigation being conducted, President Noynoy Aquino admits responsibility for the Manila bus hostage taking which claimed the lives of 10 Hong Kong nationals. “At the end of the day, I am responsible for everything that has transpired,” he said. He also explained the roles of DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo and Undersecretary Rico Puno. The two are being grilled in an ongoing investigation regarding the incident. Robredo, however, is part of the investigating panel headed by DOJ Secretary Leila Delima.

The president said that Robredo was tasked with strengthening the Local Government Units (LGUs) while Puno is tasked with handling the police and security. With this pronouncement, the blame is effectively transferred to Puno who is tasked and responsible for incidents like this. It would be a courageous act for the President of the Philippines to take responsibility. However, Chinese and Hong Kong officials are demanding far more than that. They wanted a public apology from the Philippine government.

One of the latest show of discontent by Hong Kong and Chinese officials is the eventual exclusion of Filipinos from the Miss Asia Beauty Pageant 2010. As for the current investigation, some irresponsible actions were identified like the transfer of the command center to a nearby restaurant and ordered by Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim. I have watched the investigation and his reason on why the command center was transferred was really lame at best. An investigator of the crime scene also slipped by saying that at least four of the hostages were killed during the assault and probably by friendly fire.