Senate probe on 'PDEA leaks' a smear campaign, admin solons say

The Senate inquiry on the supposed Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency documents linking President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to illegal drugs is part of a smear campaign against the administration, members of the majority in the House of Representatives have said.

At a news conference, Marcos' allies in the House were asked if the investigation by the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs was part of the destabilization campaign.

The committee is chaired by Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, a close ally of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“The Senate is losing its integrity because of what is happening in the Senate hearings of Senator Dela Rosa. As it develops, the Senate is losing its integrity and the public now is questioning the Senate’s motive. As I see it, this investigation is a smear campaign,” Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Adiong said.

“It is politically motivated targeting this administration’s downfall, and that would not happen. The President has the trust of the people,” he added.

GMA News Online has sought comment from Dela Rosa as regards the Adiong's remarks.

Former PDEA intelligence officer Jonathan Morales has testified to preparing and signing the leaked document.

However, PDEA chief Moro Virgilio Lazo told the Senate inquiry that the document did not exist.

“Why did the Senate allow such inquiries when these are nothing but lies, uncorroborated statements? There is no evidence whatsoever to talk of. When you want to do a probe, you must establish the veracity of your documents,” Suarez said.

Former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, a critic of the former president, has adverted to destabilization efforts against the Marcos administration from the Duterte side.

 “If you really look at the development, the timing, maybe there is something happening deeper, beyond what we are seeing, what is happening in the hearings, and the rallies that they also hold. You connect the dots,” Adiong said.

 “You don’t need Senator Trillanes to tell you these. Just like a jigsaw puzzle, everything is coming into place, the picture is very clear that they are against the administration,” he added. —NB, GMA Integrated News