by Ira Pedrasa, ABS-CBNnews.com
MANILA (1st UPDATE) – Senate President Franklin Drilon has signed the subpoena for businesswoman Janet Napoles for her to testify in the Senate Blue Ribbon committee on the pork barrel scam.
Before senators could vote on the issue to summon Napoles, Drilon took the floor and delivered a privilege speech.
“I wish to inform my colleague that I have decided to sign the subpoena requiring Napoles to appear before the Senate and the Blue Ribbon Committee. I repeat, I have decided to sign the subpoena requested by Senator [TG] Guingona to require Napoles to appear before the Senate and the Blue Ribbon Committee,” he said.
He said he has already informed Guingona, Senate President Pro-Tempore Senator Ralph Recto, and Majority Leader Senator Allan Peter Cayetano about his decision.
The debate on whether to call Napoles, the alleged architect of the pork scam, to testify in the Senate probe was earlier left to Drilon, but he twice refused to sign the subpoena for Napoles.
In dismissing the request of the Blue Ribbon Committee, Drilon had said he would first seek the opinion of the Ombudsman, where graft and plunder complaints are pending against Napoles and other co-accused.
Morales then said it is not the right time to call Napoles to the hearings. Nonetheless, she gave a caveat that she is not challenging the right of the Senate to conduct its work.
“That the Senate is supreme in its own sphere was never meant to be challenged. I thus submit to the collective wisdom of its members,” she said.
‘Media vilification’
Drilon said he realized that his decision to go on the side of caution “created an opportunity for certain members of the opposition particularly those who seek to block our anti-corruption reforms, to conduct a media vilification campaign against me and the Aquino administration.”
He said it was misconstrued as an effort to hide the truth.
“As your Senate President, I have always said that this Senate investigation will be relentless in searching for the truth. I consider the Pork Barrel Scam as a great injustice to the Filipino people,” he said.
“With this decision, let me emphasize that the Senate remains committed to the orderly administration of justice. We have a functioning justice system that will clear the innocent and punish the guilty. Our priority is to prosecute those involved and ensure that those who misused public funds will be held accountable for their actions. And those with no evidence and clearly innocent will be declared innocent and acquitted from these charges.”
Drilon said he will make sure that no stone will be left unturned in this pork scam issue.
“Ensuring that justice is upheld will always be the priority of this administration and that is the reason why we are now working towards holding accountable those who have taken advantage of the loopholes in the system,” he said. — with a report from Jing Castañeda, ABS-CBN News
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