Opposition Sen. Leila De Lima has filed Senate Resolution 898 expressing the sense of the Senate that President Rodrigo Duterte should show courtesy to a co-equal institution like the Senate, amid threats he would stop his Cabinet members from attending the chamber’s ongoing probes.
At the same time, Sen. Richard Gordon took potshots at Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea for blaming them for the increasing COVID-19 cases and noting that key officials in the battle against the coronavirus were instead being asked to attend the Senate hearings.
At the start of the 6th hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, chaired by Gordon, he clarified only Health Secretary Francisco Duque III was called to the proceedings.
The committee is currently investigating the alleged anomalies in the procurement of medical supplies to respond to the current pandemic.
De Lima warned that any public attempt discrediting and preventing the Senate and any of its committees from performing its mandate could result in a constitutional crisis.
“This would weaken our republic to the detriment of our republic,” she said.
As leader of the country, the President might set a good example in allowing democratic process to run its course without undue interference, much less political attacks that do not aid in uncovering the truth behind anomalous government transactions, De Lima emphasized.
“Whereas petty, inflammatory and personal statements by the President against the Senate or any of its members only lead to the erosion of public trust and confidence in our democratic institutions,” she said.
According to the senator, it behooved each of the branches of the government to treat each other with courtesy in the performance of their respective constitutional mandates.
Earlier, Duterte called on the public not to believe the Senate investigations as they only resulted in “nothing” — no recommendation, no charges filed, and no persons jailed.
This statement was strongly debunked by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who cited their probe on Philhealth anomalies which led to the filing of charges against their officials and even the removal of some of them.
Due to the Senate probe on the irregularities in the DOH pandemic response funds, the President turned ballistic and hurled invectives and insults at members of the Senate.
De Lima noted that during the President’s rant last August 30, 2021, he vented his ire on Gordon saying in Tagalog, “Huwag ninyong ibalik sa Senado kasi magdaldal nang magdaldal yan, mag show off, magyabang. Marami yan, lalo si Gordon.”
Gordon is seeking reelection in next years’ national and local elections. He also threatened to do an expose on Sen. Panfilo Lacson if he would say he was honest.
“President Duterte also mocked the looks of Sens. Gordon and Lacson, apparently due to their “strange hairstyles,” said De Lima.
De Lima also took note of the President when he told the Senate not to investigate the ongoing programs of the government as “it muddles up and causes delays in their progress.”
During the Senate hearing, Duque brought with him several DOH officials to answer some of the senators’ queries on the agency’s alleged misuse of billions of pandemic response funds.
“I want to make it on record that we only invited the Secretary of Health, according to our director general. But we are being accused of taking time from the business at hand, and we are being blamed for the sudden increase of (COVID cases). We were being blamed for the increase because we invited them here, and the government cannot act,” said Gordon.
Earlier, Medialdea stressed senators should just file the necessary cases against officials over the alleged overpriced procurement of COVID-19 items instead of wasting their time by conducting an inquiry.
Medialdea pointed out the Senate hearings were being conducted in a time where there is an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.
“Mr. Medialdea, I know you. We are friends but you know this has a serious impact, don’t blame us,” Gordon urged Medialdea.
He also said the Senate only required the presence of PhilHealth chief Dante Gierran, but he is free to bring his staff.
Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III stressed the legislative branch of the government has the mandate to check how public funds were being spent.
Sotto said the public must know how the money was being utilized.
“It just so happens that the Constitution says the legislature has the power of the purse. We are looking for how people’s money is being spent,” he said.