Marcoleta to Lao: Seek protection from SC vs. senators' 'harassment' during probe

Former Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service (PS-DBM) officer-in-charge Christopher Lloyd Lao was advised by a House leader on Monday to seek remedies from the Supreme Court to protect him from the senators’ "harassment" on the alleged overpriced procurement of pandemic supplies.

During the final hearing of the House committee on good government and public accountability, Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta cited several jurisprudence that, he said, could be Lao’s recourse.

“I wonder why you did not go to the Supreme Court in order to protect you against the kind of harassment or intimidation or the undue influence you are made to answer under the risk. Sometimes, you have been scolded, like what you testified today, you have a recourse in the course of law,” Marcoleta said.

He cited the jurisprudence on the SC case of Bengzon vs. the Senate blue ribbon committee, which had favored the side of the petitioners as the High Tribunal saw that the basis of the inquiry was only a privilege speech which did not contain any suggestion of contemplated legislation.

He also mentioned the 2001 case of Ong vs. the Court of Appeals which he said ruled that the Senate blue ribbon committee has no power to issue an order of arrest.

In response, Lao said he wanted to go to the court after the second Senate hearing on the procurement of pandemic supplies as the “things did not turn out the way it is expected to.”

However, he was not able to go to Manila due to statements that imply that he is already flying out of the country.

“If I ride the plane and arrived in Manila airport, I might be projected as planning to leave the Philippines so I was also afraid that I will be arrested, Mr. Chairman,” he said.

The former DBM official also told the House panel that he was “threatened all the time by legislators” of being cited in contempt or sent to jail.

“Ngayon sinasabi ko na sa’yo (Now I am telling you), sinabi sa kasong ito  (in this case) that was decided by the SC. Not even the rules of procedure of the Senate of the Philippines included the rules of Blue Ribbon committee, wala silang power mag-issue ng (they have no power to issue an) order of arrest. What they can do is to go to court and ask for an order of arrest,” Marcoleta argued.

The House leader asserted that the Senate panel cannot assume power reposed upon the prosecutorial bodies and courts.

“Dapat ito ay ‘yung tiningnan mo nang mabuti kaysa pinayagan mo ang sarili mo na magisa ka doon sa tingin natin ay hindi na nga in aid of legislation,” he said.

(You should look at these thoroughly instead of letting them grill you during the investigation which we think are no longer in aid of legislation.)

Lao agreed with Marcoleta’s position that despite the numerous hearings conducted by the Senate, there are “no established proof” that a public official was involved in the alleged questionable transactions.

The former DBM official said these are only “insinuations.”

GMA News Online has already sought Senate Blue Ribbon chairman Richard Gordon’s comment on Marcoleta’s statements but he has yet to respond as of posting time.—AOL, GMA News