Probe questionable if PNoy picks truth commission members – Binay

Vice President Jejomar ‘Jojo’ Binay (Facebook photo)

MANILA — For Vice President Jejomar Binay, there will be problems with impartiality if President Aquino will pick the members of the proposed Truth Commission.

Binay is in favor of the idea of creating a fact-finding body to uncover the truth behind the operation that lead to the killing of 44 members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

Despite this, he expressed his reservations on the idea that President Aquino will be the one to choose the members of the said body.

“Having the members appointed by the president as proposed by several administration senators will certainly cast doubts on their impartiality,” Binay said in a statement.

“I further propose that the Catholic Church and other religious groups become part of this independent fact-finding commission, which should include former chief justices of the Supreme Court, and other eminent personalities who are not identified with the administration or any political organization,” Binay added.

Meanwhile, several lawmakers including senators Aquilino Pimentel III and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as well as Reps. Sitti Turabin-Hataman, Leni Robredo, Teddy Baguilat, Jorge Banal, Kaka Bag-ao and Marcelino Teodoro have expressed their support in the creation of the body.