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‘NASUSUYA NA’

Trillanes to ask for Gordon's removal as Senate blue ribbon chair


Opposition Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Saturday said he is planning to ask his fellow senators next week to remove Senator Richard Gordon as chairman of the Senate blue ribbon committee to give way to a more in-depth investigation of the recent killings of drug suspects resulting from police raids.

"Sa Tuesday, pag-resume namin, aside sa hihingin ko na magkaroon kami ng caucus ay hihingin ko na palitan na itong si Sen. Gordon bilang blue ribbon committee chairman... para talagang malalim, mas malalim 'yung imbestigasyon na mangyayari," Trillanes said in a radio interview.

"Kagaya ng nasabi ko last year pa 'yang issue na 'yan pero binigyan niya ng conclusion na wala raw mga EJKs (extrajudicial killings), wala raw state-sponsored EJKs tapos hininto niya 'yun [kahit] may mga testigo pa ang Commission on Human Rights noon, siyam na testigo 'yun, na ganyan din sana ang sasabihin na ituturo doon sa mga pulis na gumagawa," the senator added.

A report of the Senate committees on justice and human rights, and public order and dangerous drugs — chaired by Gordon and Sen. Panfilo Lacson, respectively — said there was no proof to indicate that the recent rampant killings are state-sponsored.

It also said that the committee did not find any evidence to prove that the so-called Davao Death Squad exists, contrary to confessed hitman Edgar Matobato's claim.

Trillanes said there is blood in the hands of Gordon.

"Kaya hindi pwedeng magmalinis dito si Sen. Gordon kasi 'yung dugo ay nasa kamay niya rito dahil we could have stopped this as early as last year pero ngayon lumampas na ng halos 10,000 ang patay," Trillanes said.

Nasusuya

The opposition senator admitted that removing Gordon from his blue ribbon chairmanship won't be easy, but said his fellow senators' frustrations in the previous hearings where Gordon chaired might convince them.

"Well susubukan natin, kahit hindi na yung conclusion niya doon sa hearing niya last year sa EJKs eh kung hindi the way he conducts 'yung committee hearing, eh hindi nakakapagtanong yung ibang senador eh," Trillanes said.

"Sa ngayon personal ko ito, pero base doon sa pamumulso ko sa ibang senador eh talagang nasusuya na rin sila how Sen. Gordon is conducting the investigation kasi hindi nga sila nakakapagtanong biruin mo pasok sila doon ng alas nueve, alas dos na hindi pa sila nakakapagtanong di ba? Meron naman silang punto de vista na hindi nakikita ng iba," he added.

Trillanes also accused Gordon of leading Senate probes to a direction favorable to the administration.

"Kung maala ninyo yung hearing doon sa immigration, dinala lang niya yung sisi doon sa mabababang opisyal samantalang may links 'yun diretso doon kay Paolo Duterte pero nang makita na mga text messages na exchange, nailabas ko na yun ah, bigay 'yun ng isang testigo roon pero wala na hindi na ako nakapagtanong at kina-cut na," he said.

"Ngayon, itong sa Customs na investigation, nakita niyo na sinabi na ng mga testigo na may Davao group tapos lumalabas yung pangalan ni Paolo Duterte gusto kong dadalhin doon pero pumasok kaagad at inaabogado si Paolo Duterte," he said.

"Teka muna, pagakakataon nga ito para malinis ng mga ito ang pangalan nila publicly 'di ba? Let them defend themselves hindi 'yung chairman kaya 'yun ang aking basis para i-request na palitan na siya or ibang committee ang mag-conduct or mag-create ng sub-committee para talagang puspusan at talagang sinsero ang investigation," he added.

Trillanes suggested that Senators Sonny Angara, Chiz Escudero, Grace Poe, and Lacson are eligible to replace Gordon in the helm of the Senate blue ribbon committee. — John Ted Cordero/MDM, GMA News

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