SENATOR Leila de Lima on Monday vowed to push for a Senate inquiry into the spate of killings of suspected drug pushers as she fended off attacks from the Duterte administration.
“I will not be intimidated. I will still push my proposal to conduct Senate inquiry unless I will be overruled by a majority of my colleagues,” De Lima said in a press briefing.
De Lima said she was baffled by the reactions of the government over her plan to conduct a thorough investigation into the series of killings, most of which she said carried the telltale signs of summary executions.
“If the police are confident that all these cases of killings of drug suspects were aboveboard, they should welcome all inquiries being conducted,” she said.
Reacting to threats from Solicitor General Jose Calida to file a case against her, De Lima retorted: “What case are they going to file against me? That I’m also involved in drugs? I won’t be surprised [if] they will start labeling me a protector and coddler [of drug lords]. It’s crazy!”
She also debunked Calida’s allegations that she was calling for a probe to gain media mileage.
“That’s not for him to say that. I’m sure of myself,” De Lima said.
“I’m sure that in filing the resolution, that it’s in aid of legislation. I know what is the nature of a Senate inquiry, I have read the rules. It’s in the Constitution. It is a Senate inquiry in aid of legislation. It will be broad,” De Lima said.
She also said the Senate has contempt power if the police snub her investigation.
Senate President Franklin Drilon, meanwhile, said Calida cannot stop De Lima’s probe.
“While we laud and support the campaign against illegal drugs, the Senate cannot sit idly on allegations of extrajudicial killings that saw a spike in the recent months,” Drilon said.
“We will assert our constitutional duty to investigate illegal, unjust, improper, or inefficient acts committed by any public official in order to strengthen our existing laws… and to further aid the campaign of the President against illegal drugs,” Drilon said.
He said the Senate is mandated by the Constitution to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation. He said that the Senate is authorized to conduct investigation of “malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance in office by officers and employees of the government, its branches, agencies, subdivisions and instrumentalities.”
“We will not hesitate to invoke the power of the Senate to compel the attendance of witnesses and resource persons if such attendance is necessary for the Senate to perform its constitutionally mandated function,” Drilon added,
He underscored that the Supreme Court, in the case of Senate v. Executive Secretary, upheld this power when it ruled against Executive Order 464 in 2006, deciding that attendance of witnesses and resource persons “is compulsory in inquiries in aid of legislation.”
The Senate chief said that Calida’s remarks “undermine the independence of the Senate and our very own democracy.”
“I am alarmed by the remarks made by Calida. His remarks were uncalled for and reek of arrogance, unbecoming of a solicitor general,” Drilon said.
“What is he afraid of?” he added.
Drilon said that the Solicitor General “should not interfere nor impede any legislative inquiry of the Senate.”
“As a lawyer, he should be aware that the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld the power of the Senate to conduct investigations as constitutional and legitimate,” Drilon said.
Drilon also said that Calida’s action is not only an affront to the power of the Senate, but also compromises the effort of the President to foster transparency and accountability under his presidency.
Senator Juan Edgardo Angara said he will participate in any inquiry the Senate will conduct regarding the killings and the drug problem.
“I hope the Senate inquiry will support our law enforcers in this war as well as ensure human rights of all are respected. We do not intend to embarrass but rather support our law enforcement officials in their fight to keep our streets peaceful and protect our youth and our people from the drug menace,” he said. — With Francisco Tuyay