Congressional inquiries prone to abuse but necessary —Robredo

Vice President Robredo on Sunday admitted that congressional investigations may lead to abuses, but they are important to shed light on irregularities in the government.

Robredo, a former Camarines Sur representative, said that some congressional investigations could be used for abuse --such as the 2016 House probe on Senator Leila de Lima's alleged link to illegal drugs trade. 

But the Robredo said legislators' investigations are helpful in detecting whether laws are properly implemented.

In 2016, a House committee on justice concluded that there was evidence showing possibilities of De Lima's alleged link to illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison, while she was Justice secretary. 

But the senator has denied the allegations since then.  

"Kinakatakutan ito noong mga nasa Executive [department] na 'pag nagkaroon ng congressional inquiry marami talagang lalabas na mga ayaw palabasin. While dangerous siya na magamit sa hindi tama, necessary pa rin ito," said Robredo.

(The Executive department is afraid of these hearings because it is publicizing information they don't want disclosed. While it is dangerous, it is still necessary.)

Robredo made the statement in reaction to President Rodrigo Duterte's earlier remark that senators are only posturing when they launch investigations against the government.

Earlier, both the Senate and the House of Representatives conducted hearings on the 2020 Commission on Audit report showing deficiencies in DOH's use of its COVID-19 response funds. 

Senate President Vicente Sotto III had said Duterte may have been  misinformed that the investigations had lead to nothing. —LBG, GMA News