Escudero shrugs off claims of bias in Senate drug war probe

Manila: Senate President Francis Escudero is confident that the motu proprio inquiry of the Senate Blue Ribbon subcommittee on the Duterte administration's war on drugs will be fair even if Senators Ronald Dela Rosa and Christopher Go are allowed to attend and defend themselves against accusations of involvement. During a press briefing on Tuesday, Escudero emphasized that only the public can conclude about the fairness of the proceedings, set to start on Oct. 28 with Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III as chair. "Siguro ang makakapaghusga na niyan 'yung manonood ng pagdinig. Para sa akin, ito na ang pinaka-fair kaya nga si Senator Pimentel ang magche-chair ng komite, kaya nga Blue Ribbon Committee ang magche-chair, bagama't recess kami, at kumuha ng motu proprio jurisdiction sa isyung ito (Maybe the viewers of the hearing will be the judge of that. For me, this is the fairest, that's why Senator Pimentel will chair the committee, that's why the Blue Ribbon Committee will chair, although we are in recess, and took motu proprio jurisdiction on this issue)," he said. Dela Rosa and Go should know their roles in the proceedings, Escudero said. "Ika nga, kung dumating yung punto na sila ay magsasalita ka-ugnay sa anumang personal knowledge na alam nila kaugnay sa pinag-uusapan sa pagdinig (If ever it comes to a point that they will speak about their personal knowledge about the topic in the hearing), I will presume that they will be stating these facts on their oath as a member of the Senate without need of actually taking their oaths," Escudero said, confirming that dela Rosa and Go are also allowed to question the resource persons. "Marahil magandang pagkakataon din 'yan para mabigyan sila ng pagkakataong mabigay 'yung kanilang panig sa isyung ito dahil nga bugso ng inter-chamber courtesy, ay hindi nila kinakailangang dumalo sa Kamara (Perhaps it is also a good opportunity to give them the chance to give their side on this issue because due to inter-chamber courtesy, they do not have to attend the hear ings in the House of Representatives)," he added. In a separate interview, Pimentel assured that he will handle the proceedings objectively based on the evidences that will be presented. Pimentel stressed that unlike the House's quad committee hearings, the Senate will be investigating the Philippine war on illegal drugs, not just the drug war of the Duterte administration. He said families of the victims of alleged extrajudicial killings, retired police colonels Royina Garma and Edilberto Leonardo, former president Rodrigo Duterte, self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, former senator Leila de Lima, and Col. Jovie Espenido are among the resource persons expected to attend the first public hearing. Source: Philippines News Agency