ZAMBOANGA CITY – Mayor Beng Climaco said she remains thankful to President Aquino for his continued support for Zamboanga City, especially in the recovery and rehabilitation efforts and all other assistance given by the national government following the September 2013 rebel siege here.
“I am very thankful that we have a President who has been very supportive of our needs in Zamboanga City,” Climaco said.
She said her satisfaction on Aquino’s six-year presidency was based on the satisfaction and happiness of the people who have directly benefitted from the President’s assistance, especially those displaced by the siege.
“When I saw the temporary shelters in (the village of) Kasanyangan, I saw how the IDPs lives were being developed,” Climaco said. “Not only that, President Aquino and his entire team never left us since the siege, and even assigned four cabinet secretaries to take charge and supervise the recovery and rehabilitation efforts in Zamboanga.”
Climaco said President Aquino continues to extend assistance to Zamboanga and its people through job generation, skills training and livelihood programs.
President Aquino’s delivered his 6th and last State of the Nation Address on Monday.
Moro National Liberation Front rebels under Nur Misuari raided Zamboanga and attacked innocent civilians and sparking three weeks of house-to-house fighting that displaced over 120,000 people.
Climaco has reaffirmed her stand against the plea bargaining proposal of those accused of rebellion and violations of international humanitarian law in connection with the siege. She said there is also an unconfirmed report that some former hostages were offered bribe as much as P50,000 just to sign affidavits of desistance.
“The City Government cannot and will never consent to the plea bargaining proposal and I have consulted this with members of the City Council and they, too, are one in saying that we would rather lose the battle in our fight for justice than having a plea bargaining agreement with the accused that is not acceptable by the people, especially the siege victims,” Climaco said. (With a report from E. Dumaboc)
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