Abaya on laglag bala fiasco: ‘Obviously, there were some lapses’

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This may be as close as he gets to saying sorry about this matter.

“After accusing media of blowing the issue out of proportion, Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Emilio Abaya Jr. on Thu, Nov 12, admitted during the Senate probe that there were government lapses in handling the laglag bala fiasco where innocent Filipinos had become victims,” reports Ernie Reyes on InterAksyon.com.

Abaya was quoted as saying to Senator Teofisto Guingona III, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigating the scam: “Obviously, there were some lapses at [may] pagkukulang ng ating pamahalaan (and the government also missed some things).”

The report noted: “Aside from the Guingona panel, the scam is jointly being investigated by Senate Committee on Public Services chaired by Senator Serge Osmeña III based on the various resolutions filed by Senators Ralph Recto, Cynthia Villar, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Grace Poe, Nancy Binay, JV Ejercito, and Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile.”

Abaya also expressed belief that those present during the inquiry, including American missionary Lane Michael White, are not guilty of the crime of Illegal Possession of Ammunitions.

Referring to OFW Gloria Ortinez who was supposed to board a plane bound for Hong Kong to work there in early part of the month, Abaya stated, “From the very start, nagsalita ako at naniniwala ako na walang kasalanan si Nanay Gloria, and iba pang bisita natin dito (From the very start, I said that I believed Nanay Gloria was innocent, just like our other visitors here).”