THE PRESIDENT’S spokesperson said on Sunday that the country’s head wants an end to the finger-pointing in the accidental shooting between police and military troops last week that left six cops dead and several others wounded. “It’s to end the blame game,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said in a text message to BusinessWorld yesterday. He was referring to President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s speech in Tacloban, Leyte last Friday, where he said, “I would like to tell you that the ultimate blame, fault is on me.” However, the families of the six policemen killed during the encounter in a thickly-forested part of Villareal, Samar “were disappointed” with the President’s statement, saying they need “genuine justice,” Philippine Star reported on Sunday. Mr. Roque said the President’s taking fault is a sign of leadership. “Spoken like a true leader, the buck stops with him. It’s an unfortunate incident which should not happen again. Closer coordination can be expected between the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and the PNP (Philippine National Police) in future ground combat operations.” The PNP and the AFP men were both on patrol operations in the area where communist rebels are operating. — Arjay L. Balinbin

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