VARIOUS LAWYERS ORGANIZATIONS RELEASED A STATEMENT ON DUTERTE’S MEMO PROHIBITING SENATE PROBE

BY JAMAICA MERCADO

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

On Tuesday, October 5, Philippine Bar Association, and Integrated Bar of the Philippines, released their statements disagreeing the issued memorandum announced by President Duterte on his taped weekly briefing on Monday night.

Philippine Bar Association criticized the President’s order, saying that his action of barring his Cabinet officials from attending senate investigation on the alleged anomalous deals of the government with Pharmally Pharmaceuticals violates doctrine of separation of powers.

They called it “undue impairment of legislative prerogatives” when President ordered the military and police to ignore the warrants of arrest against the resource persons who refused to appear on the Senate. The group appealed to the President to immediately recall his directives, “[…] that in our view constitute clear violations of the Constitution.”

Furthermore, The Integrated Bar of the Philippines urged the President reconsider his decision. They also asked him to heed a Supreme Court decision. That although Executive and Legislative are co-equal branches, Executive branch “cannot frustrate the power of Congress to legislate by refusing to comply with its demands for information." They call for calm, sobriety and unity among the two branches of the government and its agencies. For both branches to cooperate and work together to combat corruption and abuse.

“It is only by granting our congress free access to information that we can empower them to formulate policies that fully reflect the will of our people.” IBP added.

President Duterte said that he was not against the investigation of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Pharmally Pharmaceuticals. He even said that the Senate can do whatever they want with the corporation. But he reiterated that Senator Richard Gordon, the chairman of the committee, cannot compromise the Senate’s COVID-19 response by letting the agency leaders get tied up for so long at their beck and call.

“[…] the Senate is not a criminal court. Stop using it simply as a witch hunt.” Said he.

For now, the senators focus on Pharmally officials as Cabinet Executives are barred from the Senate probe.