Lao accuses Senate panel of hostility as senators grill him over deputy ombudsman post application

Former Budget and Management undersecretary Christopher Lloyd Lao on Tuesday accused the Senate blue ribbon committee of being hostile as the lawmakers grilled him over his previous application for the Overall Deputy Ombudsman post.

During the continuation of the panel’s probe into the alleged overpriced COVID-19 supplies, Senator Richard Gordon asked Lao to inform the panel of the reasons behind the withdrawal of his application to one of the key posts in the Office of the Ombudsman.

In response, Lao told the senators that there are statements made by certain politicians, criticizing him over his application.

“I think there was an issue raised in a newspaper and I don’t really enjoy those matters… I think it was a statement by several politicians against my person,” he said.

Gordon pressed Lao to name the politician who issued the statement. However, Lao said it is not his “nature” to drop the name of the politician who criticized him.

“I don’t care if it’s in your nature, it’s in the nature of justice to find the truth…Hindi kita binubully sagutin mo lang ang tanong (I am not bullying you, just answer the question). You’re being evasive again, sasabihin mo binubully kita,” Gordon told Lao.

At this point, Lao said the Senate is being hostile if they find the answers of the resource persons unsatisfactory.

“I believe the situation in Senate investigations is hostile when the answers propounded are not satisfactory,” Lao said.

This did not go well with Gordon, reminding Lao that it is him who is not answering the questions posed by the body.

“You do not want to answer, [now] we’re hostile?” Gordon asked.

Still, Lao insisted not to disclose the name of the politician.

“I’m giving you an answer…That’s my answer. I refuse to give names…It’s not that [the questions] make me uncomfortable. You’re forcing me to mention names, which I don’t want to do because I believe, people’s names who are not part of me should remain private,” Lao said.

“If they want to air their side and say they are the ones who said it, let them be. But kung ako sabihin mo ‘a hindi, si ganito, si ganyan.’  I’m not that kind of person kaya nga nag-withdraw din ako  sa application kasi magulo…mag-a-apply ka tapos ang daming insinuations,” he added.

Gordon then told Lao that these kinds of questions are “legitimate” and even in the Commission on Appointments, these queries are part of the scrutiny of the appointee.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, the chairman of the CA, said all nominees are being investigated by the commission.

“Itong 18th Congress na mga senador, napakababait. ‘Yung mga kamo’y pinuputol 'yung sagot, 'yung mga whatever, ganyan, wala, mild na mild ‘yan (The senators who are part of the 18th Congress are very kind. If you're saying they are interrupting while you are answering, that's very mild compared to senators in the previous congresses),” Sotto said.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon confirmed Sotto’s statement.

Again, Gordon asked Lao to disclose details on the issue that he had dealt with when he had withdrawn his application before the Office of the Ombudsman.

“I answered it, Mr. Chair, but I do not want to name names. You have to respect that,” Lao responded.

Gordon said he will just leave the matter as it is as Lao does not “respect the Filipino people.”

“You do not want to answer…That is my conclusion,” the senator said.

To recall, Lao previously applied for the Overall Deputy Ombudsman position, but had withdrawn his application to avoid “senseless” speculations.

Senator Leila de Lima earlier issued a statement, saying Lao’s application for the Overall Deputy Ombudsman post reeks of possible collusion to cover up corruption under the Duterte administration.—AOL, GMA News