Lawmaker baffled ‘PDEA leaks’ will get a third hearing amid avalanche of criticisms

A member of the House of Representatives is baffled why Sen. Bato dela Rosa’s inquiry on the so-called “PDEA leaks” will get a third round in the Senate next week despite it receiving a deluge of criticisms not only from fellow senators but also members of the lower house.

“Nakakapagtaka na aabot pa ito sa third hearing. This is a clear waste of time and a waste of governments' money, waste of taxpayers’ money,” said Isabela Rep. Faustino “Inno” Dy V.

“For me this is a dead end. Wala na ho itong patutunguhan pero piinagpipilitan ang bagay na ito, may motibo, there is clearly a motivation why someone would keep pushing, will keep pushing for this to really malign someone, malign our president, malign the actress that was also involved, Maricel Soriano,” he added.

The center of the controversy is one former PDEA agent Jonathan Morales who was dismissed due to dishonesty and misconduct. The supposed documents he presented were already denied by the PDEA itself as non-existent, but still Dela Rosa is dragging the hearings on.

Senate President Migz Zubiri has already called on his colleagues to exercise caution in maligning personalities in the Senate hearings. Senators Chiz Escudero and Jinggoy Estrada both grilled Morales and attacked his credibility.

Dy said that it has already been proven that the documents Morales is presenting are spurious and that he has no credibility to vouch for what he is accusing the President of.

“Nakakapagtaka lang kasi yung timing. Kung kailan sinusubukang siraan ang Presidente, ang administrasyon ngayon. Tapos ngayon supposedly may ganitong klaseng PDEA leaks na mismong ang ahensya ng PDEA ay sinasabing walang ganitong dokumento,” Dy said.

Dy said he feels sorry for Soriano who was invited to the hearing without even a shred of proof of wrongdoing.

“Sabi nga niya doon sa hearing, hindi niya daw alam kung bakit siya naimbitahan, hindi ba? Kawawa naman ‘yung tao, nadadamay siya sa mga ganitong klaseng pagdinig sa Senado. ‘Yung personalities na involved, ‘yung mga tinututukan nila, naha-harass tuloy ‘yung mga tao,” Dy lamented.

Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre said that he recognizes the duty and right of the Senate to investigate and conduct hearings, and he trusts Dela Rosa to do the right thing.

“Ako naman nagtitiwala na si Senator Bato bilang dating pinuno ng ating pulisyang pambansa is a patriot and he knows what he’s doing. He, as a policeman, he knows the rules of evidence and I hope that he sticks to what he believes and what he knows,” Acidre said.

“Of course nagiging katawa-tawa na, na ipatuloy pa ang mga hearings kung saan nakikita naman natin na halos wala ng patutunguhan at kung ano-ano na lang ang mga kuwento. Ang mahirap dito, someone is benefiting from the opportunity and the audience para siraan ang Pangulo at ang administrasyon,” he added.

“At sana makita iyon ni Senator Bato na hindi rin makakatulong para sa Senado bilang institusyon na ang mga issue na ganito na walang basehan ay binibigyan nila ng oras, ng air time. Sana ‘yung efforts nila ilagay na lang nila sa pagpasa ng mga priority legislation,” Acidre said. 

He mentioned some proposed measures like the Government Procurement Act, the Natural Water Resources Act, and the Department of Water bill that has already been passed on final reading in the House of Representatives as important legislations that need their attention. (END)

———— MULA SA KAMARA DE REPRESENTANTES, TERENCE MORDENO GRANA, NAG-UULAT PARA SA ARMED FORCE RADIO, BOSES NG KAWAK PILIPINO ————— This is Terence Mordeno Grana, reporting for AFP Community News, One AFP for Stronger Philippines.