The President of the Republic of the Philippines, Pres. Benigno Simeon Aquino III is expected to deliver a televised message to the nation on the Mamasapano massacre on Wednesday at 6:30 PM today, January 28, 2015. The Address to the Nation will be delivered by the President to shed light about the controversial SAF mission.
Pres. Aquino also instructed the DILG and PNP to study all options to honor the fallen heroes of the Mamasapano incident, the government was also considering a proposal to declare a day of mourning to mark the killing of the SAF commandos.
Some of the country’s top defense officials attended the security cluster meeting with Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, DILG Sec. Mar Roxas, PNP Officer-in-charge Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina, Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr., presidential peace adviser Teresita Deles, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia, and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.
Meanwhile, the President’s address tonight is expected to shed light on the mission of the PNP Special Action Forces (SAF) troops, which was to serve the arrest warrants on Zulfifli bin Hir (Marwan), a bomb expert of the Jema’ah Islamiyah terrorist network.
The nationwide televised address of the President will be his 11th national address on pressing issues since the year 2011. The last time the President made a televised address was on January 12, wherein he appealed to Filipinos to coopoerate with authorities in ensuring the safety of Pope Francis.
