Kris Aquino texted me to ask not to imprison Noynoy – Pres. Duterte

”Kris texted, saying: “Huwag mo naman ipakulong ko si Noynoy” (Please do not imprison Noynoy),” President Duterte said in his speech during the official launching of the Bureau of International Revenue (BIR)’s Large Tax Service (LTS) 2017 tax campaign at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). (Photo: JOEY FRANCIS DALUMPINES/Presidential Photo)

MANILA –President Rodrigo Duterte revealed on Monday that actress Kris Aquino asked him not to send her brother, former President Benigno Aquino III, in jail over Mamasapano encounter that killed 44 elite police troopers.

”Kris texted, saying: “Huwag mo naman ipakulong ko si Noynoy” (Please do not imprison Noynoy),” President Duterte said in his speech during the official launching of the Bureau of International Revenue (BIR)’s Large Tax Service (LTS) 2017 tax campaign at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

”My response: ‘No, Kris. I am not out to find faults. I just want to know the truth.’ It could be nice to you, not be pleasing,” the President added.

President Duterte said he wanted to know why not even a single chopper with rocket went to the encounter area despite almost one day of fighting between the Special Action Force (SAF) commandos and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF) and other private armed groups on Jan. 25, 2015 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

”I will not ask who committed mistakes. But there are so many things that have to be answered,” the President said.

The President said he would not pre-empt the findings of the Ombudsman in the Mamasapano massacre.

”And I am not going ahead with the creation of the commission because apparently, the Ombudsman has said that it’s still pending before them,” President Duterte explained.

”I do not want to have a multiple incongruity especially if one finding fights with the other. I will just wait (for findings),” he added.

President Duterte said he was not into the habit of sending to prison “the guys on the other side of the political fence or whatever.”

Former President Aquino is a member of the Liberal Party (LP) whose standard-bearer Mar Roxas finished second in the 2016 presidential election.

Aquino knew about the botched ‘Oplan Exodus’ which was carried out to arrest terrorists Zulkifli bin Hir and Basit Usman but the military and then Interior and Local Government Secretary Roxas were not informed about the operation.

The former President earned criticisms for allowing then suspended Philippine National Police Chief Alan Purisima to give orders to former SAP commander Getulio Napenas about the Oplan Exodus.