MOST voters said they want more Senate hearings on the Mamasapano massacre and said President Benigno Aquino III should be held accountable for the deaths of the 44 police commandos, the latest The Standard Poll showed.
More than a year after the bloody encounter, 67 percent of Filipinos said they remain dissatisfied with the results of the Senate investigation and would like more public hearings.
Only 16 percent of the respondents said the Senate probe on the botched operation to neutralize two high-profile terrorists in Mamasapano should be concluded.
A majority of voters across all geographic areas—70 percent in Metro Manila, 62 percent in North and Central Luzon, 71 percent in South Luzon and Bicol, 68 percent in the Visayas, and 66 percent in Mindanao—said they were in favor of reopening the probe.
Most respondents in both urban (67 percent) and rural (68 percent) areas also said the hearings should continue.
Despite repeated explanations from Malacañang and its congressional allies on his limited role in the operation, President Aquino remained the top person blamed for the Mamasapano massacre, with 46 percent of respondents saying he should be held accountable.
Others that respondents held accountable were former Philippine National Police chief Alan Purisima (37 percent), the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (22 percent), former Interior Secretary and Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Roxas II (21 percent), the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (19 percent), and former Special Action Force head and senatorial candidate Getulio Napeñas (18 percent).
Only 12 percent of the respondents said no one should be blamed for the Mamasapano tragedy.
A plurality or 46 percent of voters said they are dissatisfied with the way the Aquino administration responded to the clash while only 26 percent said they were satisfied.
Across geographic areas, dissatisfaction was highest in Metro Manila (60 percent) and South Luzon/Bicol (52 percent), followed by North/Central Luzon (46 percent), Visayas (42 percent) and Mindanao (39 percent).
The survey, conducted by resident pollster Junie Laylo from Jan. 27 to Feb. 4 had 3,000 respondents—all of whom are registered voters with biometrics and who said they are sure to vote in next year’s elections. Respondents came from 79 provinces across the country and the 17 cities in the National Capital Region. It has a national margin of error of +/- 1.8 percent.
Aquino earlier described the Mamasapano incident as a tragedy that he will carry to the grave.