Zubiri vouches for Senate independence amid criticisms of probes
Zubiri vouches for Senate independence amid criticisms of probes
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday vouched for the independence of the Senate amid criticisms that its committee investigations are being used for political persecution.
Zubiri made the statement in response to a scathing Manila Times column by Rigoberto Tiglao published last Friday, stating that senators are being “servile” to President Marcos when they snubbed a public order and dangerous drugs committee inquiry into an alleged Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) report linking Marcos to drugs.
That April 30 committee investigation was led by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, who invited dismissed PDEA agent Jonathan Morales regarding a 2012 PDEA pre-operation report against Marcos, who was then senator.
Dela Rosa – ally of former president Rodrigo Duterte – denied holding the investigation to persecute Marcos amid the President’s falling out with the Dutertes, with the elder Duterte accusing his successor of being into drugs.
The hearing was conducted motu proprio, meaning it was the chairman – Dela Rosa himself – who called for the investigation.
The senator, who was Duterte’s former police chief, said that he only wanted to know how a confidential report got leaked, warning that it exposes gaps in national security.
Dela Rosa denied being under any order to persecute Marcos, saying it was an investigation “in aid of legislation, not persecution.”
“The Senate is an independent co-equal branch of government. We in the leadership feel that the committee system is also independent. In other words, we have no choice but to support a chairperson’s position to investigate a particular issue to ferret out the truth, as long the hearing is fair,” Zubiri said during an interview over dwIZ radio yesterday.
“If we see that the direction of the investigation is getting political, then we will warn the senator not to use the Senate as a platform for persecution,” he added.
In the case of Dela Rosa’s hearing, Zubiri said the inquiry invited both the alleged whistleblower and PDEA director general Moro Virgilio Lazo, who denied the existence of a pre-operation report against Marcos.
The PDEA has issued a statement saying that Marcos is not on its drugs watchlist.
Zubiri said that at the end of the day, the senators have differing positions on the inquiry, which would be reflected in the committee report that would come out of the hearings.