Puno appears at probe, but not Cabinet

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Malacañang stops Cabinet secretaries from appearing at a Senate probe meant to investigate presidential friend Rico Puno

MANILA, Philippines – Resigned Interior and Local Government Secretary Rico Puno appeared at a Senate hearing Friday, September 14, that was called to investigate him.

But President Benigno Aquino III prevented his Cabinet Secretaries from attending the probe. The Secretaries invited to the hearing are Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, Environment Secretary Ramon Paje, and Interior and Local Government Secretary-designate Manuel “Mar” Roxas.

The hearing was called by Sen Miriam Defensor-Santiago, chair of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws, who earlied accused the Palace of trying to “sabotage” her planned investigation of Puno. 

Santiago read a letter that she received from the Office of the President explaining the absence of the 4 Cabinet Secretaries. The Office of the President said that while Malacañang wants to ensure “utmost cooperation” with the Senate, the committee investigation seems to have no basis in the absence of a resolution “in aid of legislation.”

The Office of the President also told Santiago that her committee has failed to provide a list of questions that could be asked during the hearing.

Santiago debunked this justification, saying the Senate does not need a resolution for it to begin a probe. The lady senator also raised hell over Malacañang’s stand that it needs a list of questions prior to the probe, noting this has not been the norm in Senate investigations.

As of posting, only Santiago and Sen Alan Peter Cayetano were the senators in attendance. The other committee members include Senators Franklin Drilon, Panfilo Lacson, Manuel “Lito” Lapid, Antonio Trillanes IV, Manny Villar, Francis Pangilinan, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada and Vicente Sotto III.

Earlier, Cayetano said the presence of two senators will be enough to constitute a quorum.

Nasabihan po kami ng committee secretary na tuloy po ang hearing mamayang 10:30 ng umaga. Ayon rin sa Section 22 ng aming rules, kapag dalawa naman po kami na nag-a-attend ay may quorum na ang hearing,” he said. (We were informed by the committee secretary that the hearing will push through at 10:30 am. Under Section 22 of the Senate rules, a quorum can be declared even if only two committee members are attending.)

Cayetano noted this is not “unusual” in the Senate.

Kaya lang nasanay po tayo na kapag in aid of legislation at lalo na kapag televised ang hearing ay maraming senador ang nag-a-attend. But actually, marami kaming ibang hearing na normal na dalawang senador lang ang nag-a-attend,” he said. (There are many senators when a hearing is in aid of legislation or especially when it’s televised. But actually, we have many other hearings where only two senators are present.)

Santiago said in a statement: “In the Notice of Meeting sent to the 11 committee members, the Chair specified the topic as: ‘Evaluation of the DILG Undersecretary Rico E. Puno Event, under the Administrative Code and the 1990 DILG Act, as amended by the 1998 Police Reform Act.’ Thus, the Committee will review the Administrative Code, and the DILG Act, as amended by the Police Reform Act, and, depending on the outcome of the hearings, recommend their revision.”

Puno was forced to resign from his post following allegations he was being investigated by the late Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo. Puno has also been under fire for his attempt to enter the condominium unit of Robredo in Quezon City a day after the latter’s plane crashed in Masbate.- Rappler.com

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