Sotto: PSG won't be summoned to Senate COVID-19 vaccine hearing

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday said the Presidential Security Group (PSG) would not be summoned for the Committee of the Whole hearing next week on COVID-19 vaccines.

This came after President Rodrigo Duterte warned Congress of a "little crisis" should the PSG be forced to attend the legislative inquiry.

"Bakit hindi niya papayagan? Pinapatawag ko ba? Last time I heard, ako [ang] chairman. Bakit iniiba ang topic ng hearing ko which is the roadmap of the P72.5B for vaccines?" Sotto said in a message to reporters.

"Who in heaven’s name told him I’m calling for the PSG? I think the President is being misled,"  he added.

The Senate Committee of the Whole is set to conduct a hearing on January 11 to tackle the government's immunization plan against COVID-19.

Sotto earlier said he wanted PSG commander Brigadier General Jesus Durante III to present himself before the Senate in another hearing, not the one set next week.

Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, who filed the resolution calling for the said hearing, also said that the main focus of the discussion will be the vaccine rollout.

"'Yung sa usapin ng PSG, nasa mga senador na ito kung tututukan ito o hindi. Kung indikasyon ito ng magulo at kanya-kanyang kilos sa vaccine rollout, ligal man o hindi, ang mahalaga sa akin ay ano ang ibig sabihin nito sa usapin ng kung paano matitiyak na magiging maayos, patas, ligtas, at epektibo ang vaccine rollout ng bansa," Pangilinan said in a statement.

But he also stressed that it is in the power of Congress to exercise check and balance.

"Kung hindi pa handa at nagkakanya-kanya at iba-iba ang direksyon ng mga ahensya ng Executive branch, responsibilidad at tungkulin ng Senado sa ilalim ng Saligang Batas na magsilbing check and balance at busisiin ito," Pangilinan said, underscoring that shortcomings and negligence of government officials should be addressed.

Last week, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Durante must be summoned to attend the upcoming hearing to shed light on the use of unauthorized vaccines to supposedly immunize some of his troops from COVID-19.

Executive privilege

After Duterte ordered the PSG to keep mum about the inoculation issue, Drilon acknowledged that the President is exercising the executive privilege.

"Ang health ng Pangulo is in issue kaya 'yan po ay tanggapin natin na talagang may karapatan ang Pangulo na mag-invoke ng executive privilege," he said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

Nevertheless, he said this privilege cannot stop the Senate from holding inquiries.

"Hindi ibig sabihin hindi na pwedeng mag-imbestiga ang Senado dahilan sa ito naman ay sinasabing in aid of legislation, ibig sabihin hindi personalan," Drilon said.

In light of the entry of unregistered vaccines in the country, he noted that there is a need to strengthen the Food and Drug Administration and the Bureau of Customs.

The minority leader said the PSG need not be invited anymore but other resource persons who may give information about the issue may still be asked to appear.

"Hindi na kailangan... Sa prinsipyong executive privilege, sa ilalim ng EO 464 na sustained ng Supreme Court, puwedeng ipagbawal ng Pangulo ang pagharap ng PSG sa Senado pero hindi po ibig sabihing hindi na kami puwedeng gumawa ng trabaho," he said.

Duterte, who previously disclosed that some members of the military had received a COVID-19 vaccine from China's Sinopharm sans FDA approval, said he is ready to protect his soldiers and that the Congress should not dare force them to testify against their will.

"Don’t threaten with contempt, pag ginawa ninyo 'yan there will be a little crisis. I am prepared to defend my soldiers. I will not allow them for all of their good intentions to be brutalized in a hearing," Duterte said.

"I think I will now tell Durante: Do not obey the summons. I am ordering you to stay put in the barracks," he added.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines also called off its fact-finding investigation on the controversial inoculation following Duterte's pronouncement.—AOL, GMA News