P-Du30 sa mga gabinete: Senate hearing, dedmahin

ni Lolet Abania | October 5, 2021

Pormal na naglabas ng direktiba si Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte hinggil sa pagbabawal sa kanyang mga Cabinet secretaries na dumalo sa isang Senate investigation tungkol sa umano’y maling paggamit ng pondo sa pandemya.

Ayon kay Pangulong Duterte nitong Lunes nang gabi, nakapag-isyu na siya ng isang memorandum na nagbabawal sa kanyang mga aides sa pagsali sa ginagawang pagsisiyasat aniya, “because we cannot allow blatant disrespect of resource persons at the ongoing hearings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.”

Si Sen. Richard Gordon ang tinutukoy ni Pangulong Duterte na chairman ng committee aniya, “You are not God and you cannot play God. No. You cannot continue this hearing ‘til Kingdom come.” “You are not a senator forever and the time of reckoning will come. You and the Senate cannot compromise the government’s COVID-19 response by getting agency leaders tied up for so long at your beck and call,” pahayag ng Pangulo sa kanyang taped late night speech ng Lunes.

Ipinakita naman ng Senado sa ginaganap na hearing ngayong Martes, ang ilang bahagi mula sa memo na nilagdaan ni Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

“On the premise that the principle of separation of powers requires mutual respect among the different branches of government… the President has DIRECTED all officials and employees of the Executive Department to no longer appear before or attend the above mentioned Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearings, effective immediately,” batay sa nakasaad sa statement.

“Instead, they shall focus all their time and effort on the implementation of measures to address the current State of Calamity on account of COVID-19, and carrying out their other functions,” dagdag pa ng memo.

Si Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III at iba pang mga opisyal ay wala Senate hearing ngayong Martes, habang naroon lamang ang customs, internal revenue, at civil service executives ang dumalo sa pagdinig.