Senate urged to subpoena Ombudsman’s copy of WB final report

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Panfilo Lacson on Thursday asked the Senate to issue a subpoena duces tecum to the Ombudsman to secure a copy of the complete report of the World Bank on the alleged bid rigging of road projects in the Philippines. A subpoena duces tecum is a writ ordering a person to produce in court certain documents or evidence. However, Lacson said Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago should first call for a hearing before the Senate could subpoena the document, which is now in the possession of the Ombudsman. The senator said the World Bank sent a copy of the report to the Department of Finance, which, in turn, sent it to the Ombudsman for appropriate action. Santiago earlier said that she would only re-open the probe on the blacklisting of three Filipino firms by the World Bank due to alleged corruption once she gets a copy of the full report. The senator said her copy of the World Bank report does not contain the allegations against First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo. She had asked the World Bank to furnish her the documents stating the allegations against Mr. Arroyo or other government officials. Lacson said issuing a subpoena duces tecum could not happen without the committee conducting a hearing. He believes that once they got hold of the comprehensive report, the Senate would be able to get loads of information, which could help them spot loopholes in the law. "For example, it can help us correct the foreign borrowing act or maybe the government procurement reform act needs revisiting," Lacson said in Filipino. - Amita Legaspi, GMANews.TV