Osmeña slams ‘hard-headed’ Aquino for refusing to apologize

Senator Sergio Osmeña III on Sunday blasted President Benigno Aquino III for supposedly being bull-headed and for refusing to apologize for any part he played in the Mamasapano operation.

“[M]atigas ang ulo eh,” Osmeña said of the president in an interview with dzBB’s Nimfa Ravelo.

“Government is a give and take of ideas. it's a consultation or consultative process, with the executive, the legislative, and sometimes, if we do not understand ourselves who made the law, we go to the judiciary to ask.

“That is the process of democracy. It will be messy, pero this president has been super hard-headed and he only listens sa mga kaibigan niya, so hindi naman maganda yung ganun. In that sense his management has been pretty 'jeer-y',” he added.

Aquino has received flak for failing to clarify his involvement in the Jan. 25 police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao that led to the death of 44 elite commandos.

Say sorry

If Osmeña is to have his way, Aquino should apologize for Mamasapano—just like how his predecessor, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, apologized for the "Hello Garci" controversy.

“Mas mabuti pa sabihin mo na 'I am sorry,' katulad ni Gloria, ano? ‘Yun lang, eh, ayaw naman mag-sorry,” the senator said.

The senator said that if the president apologizes, many of those who have lost trust in him might very well forgive him.

“Very forgiving ang Pilipino, napaka forgiving. [Pero] yung Mamasapano talagang nawala ang tiwala ng majority of the Filipino people, so alam mo sometimes those things become a permanent drop in your approval ratings,” he said.

Osmeña said he hoped, upon reflection, that Aquino will be more receptive to those outside his immediate circle.

“What else can I say. Sana man lang upon reflection, pwede naman siyang mag-adjust. Pero medyo matigas ang ulo eh, pag sinabi niyang ganyan, wala nang adjustment. And that's not the way a democracy really works smoothly. So magkakaroon ng backlash,” he said.

Still, Osmeña stopped short of calling for Aquino’s resignation, saying his critics should just let him finish his term.

“People are now asking for his resignation, which is a very serious matter. Ibig sabihin nila punong puno na sila. I think it's better for them to be patient and let democracy work. Hindi ko sinusuportahan yung resign calls, I don't support them at all, but I cannot guess and I will not guess  if he will be toppled or not,” Osmeña said. — Patricia Denise Chiu/BM, GMA News