President Benigno Aquino III. GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines鈥擳he Board of Inquiry (BOI) chairman maintained on Wednesday that President Benigno Aquino III did not violate the Philippine National Police鈥檚 (PNP) chain of command although he 鈥渂ypassed鈥� the organizational structure of the 150,000-strong force.
鈥淭he established PNP chain of command was bypassed but we did not mention any liability of the President. We did not say (in the report) that he violated the chain of command. He just exercised his prerogative,鈥� Magalong told reporters in an interview in Camp Crame.
Magalong鈥檚 clarification came after Aquino summoned on Tuesday the BOI members for a lunch meeting in Malaca帽ang.
In the 128-page report, the BOI stated in its findings:聽The Chain of Command in the PNP was violated. The President, the suspended CPNP Purisima and the former Director SAF (Getulio) Nape帽as kept the information to themselves and deliberately failed to inform the OIC PNP and the SILG.鈥�
This had been interpreted by many as Aquino violating the PNP chain of command when he dealt directly with Police Director Nape帽as and Director General Alan Purisima, who was already suspended as PNP chief over corruption allegations.
Magalong also surmised that Aquino was hurt by the BOI report.
鈥淪yempre聽nasaktan siya sa report. Makikita mo naman yon. Mararamdaman ko naman. Maski sino naman. Kung ako Presidente, mabasa ko 鈥榶on, hindi ba ako masasaktan? (Of course he was hurt by the report. You can see that clearly. I felt it. Anyone would [get hurt]. If I were the President, if I read that, wouldn鈥檛 I be hurt?)鈥� Magalong said.
He revealed that Aquino called him for a lunch meeting on Tuesday 鈥渢o clarify issues.鈥�
Also present in the meeting were BOI member Chief Superintendent John Sosito, PNP officer in charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa.
鈥淏ut his demeanor that time was very calm, very cordial. The discussion was free-flowing. No holds barred,鈥� he added.
Magalong said Aquino even showed to him his cellphone and opened his SMS (short messaging service) exchanges with Purisima, a known close friend of the President.
But the BOI chairman, who admitted he was nervous as he talked with Aquino, assured that there was no pressure to change the report.
During the meeting, Magalong said he was 鈥渧ery straightforward鈥� in asking questions to the President.
鈥溾�榊ung聽ibang mga tanong ko very direct kaya sinabihan ko siya na, 鈥楽ir, sana 鈥榳ag kayong magalit鈥� (My other questions were very direct that鈥檚 why I told him, 鈥楽ir, hope you won鈥檛 get angry鈥�),鈥� he said.
But when asked if Aquino raised his voice at some point during the meeting, he said: 鈥淣o, it was just like talking to my brother. And I respect the President for that.鈥�
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