Lacson on Duterte barring Cabinet from Senate probe: It’s their loss; we have documents

For Senator Panfilo Lacson, it is the Executive branch’s “loss” if President Rodrigo Duterte hinders his Cabinet secretaries from attending the Senate probe into the alleged overpriced procurement of pandemic-related supplies.

In a radio interview, Lacson explained that Cabinet secretaries really need permission from the president before attending the Senate probe based on the Constitution.

But with the documents that the lawmakers have gathered, Lacson implied that Duterte’s recent order might put them in the disadvantage.

“Aba, it’s their loss kasi may mga dokumento na kaming hawak. May matatanong na kaming mga tao na hindi Cabinet secretary,” he said, adding that they can call on other undersecretaries and assistant secretaries.

(It’s their loss because we have already gathered documents. We can ask persons who are not Cabinet secretaries.)

“Mako-compel namin, pag hindi pumunta, mayroon naman sa aming rules of the Senate, pwede naming ipa-contempt. Kaya nga dapat magkaisa na lang, magkasama na lang ‘yung Executive at saka ‘yung Legislative kasi after all, akala ko isa lang talaga yung hangad natin,” he added.

(We can compel them if they won’t attend  because we have rules in the Senate where we can hold in contempt a resource person. So they should cooperate. The Executive and Legislative should work together because, after all, I thought we share the same goal.)

Lacson cited Executive Order 464, which was issued by then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the same purpose.

“Gagawin mo lang ‘yun pag may tinatago ka o meron kang ayaw na lumabas,” he said.

(You will only do that if you have something to hide.)

He likewise recalled Duterte’s previous remark that he will sack officials with just a “whiff of corruption.”

“Isa lang objective e. Sabi nga ng pangulo, whiff lang ng corruption may tatamaan na. Ito hindi na ito whiff. Di lang amoy, kita na natin, base sa mga dokumento,” he said.

(We have one objective. The president said just a whiff of corruption but this is not just a whiff. We know it is more than that based on the documents.)

“Dapat umaksyon na nga yung executive. Sa isang banda, at this point in time meron nang corresponding action or preemptive sa mga susunod na procurement kasi marami pa ito a, hindi pa tapos itong mga procurement na ito,” he added.

(They should have acted on this. At this point, there is a corresponding action or preemptive action on the next procurements because this issue doesn’t stop here.)

In his latest public address aired Tuesday morning, the president said he will bar the Cabinet members from attending the probe without his clearance as he said that officials spend most of their time in the Senate hearing even if they are not being asked by the lawmakers for their testimonies.

Duterte also said he will personally campaign against Senate Blue Ribbon Chairman Richard Gordon should he run for public office next year.

Gordon is leading the Senate investigation into the alleged irregularities in the government’s expenditures on COVID-19 response, which infuriated Duterte, who claimed there was no corruption behind the emergency purchases.

Earlier, Duterte accused senators of holding legislative inquiries for “exposure” in light of the upcoming polls. — BM, GMA News