📷Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero
Senators have selected the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to lead an investigation into the Duterte administration’s war on drugs, Senate President Chiz Escudero said on Sunday, October 20.
In a radio interview with DZBB, Escudero said that Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel will likely serve as the subcommittee chairman on the Committee on Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations (blue ribbon) for the investigation.
While Senator Pia Cayetano is occupied with her reelection campaign, Escudero said Senators Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa and Bong Go were among those who agreed to the arrangement.
Dela Rosa and Go requested that the Senate conduct a parallel investigation alongside the House Quad Committee’s (QuadComm) inquiry.
“Nakausap ko na sila at nasabihin ko na kung maaari makipag-coordinate kay Sen. Bato at Sen. Go kaugnay ng mga testigong nais nilang maimbitan at ng schedule din na magiging pagdinig,” Escudero said.
The Blue Ribbon committee was selected to investigate because it can conduct a motu proprio inquiry while Congress is in recess.
Escudero hopes the hearings will take place during the recess, as the Senate will be preoccupied with discussions on the national budget and other issues when the regular session resumes on November 4.
When asked if any parameters had been established for the investigation due to concerns that senators connected to the drug war might use the hearings to retaliate against witnesses who testified at the House QuadComm, Escudero replied that no such parameters had been set.
“Well, hindi paghihiganti ang tingin ko roon. Ang tingin ko roon ay karapatan at obligasyon nila ‘yun bilang mga halal ng bayan na ipakita ‘yung kanilang panig at ipakita ‘yung panig nila ng katotohanan kaugnay sa mga isyung pinupukol sa kanila. They owe nothing less to the public…Para sa akin, para ipakita naman ‘yung kanilang panig na hindi nabigyan ng pagkakataon sa House hearings,” the Senate president said. (TCSP)
