MANILA , Philippines — Senator Richard Gordon asked colleagues on Thursday to refrain from making side remarks during an ongoing hearing in the Senate.
“Don’t say that! Because we’re investigating here,” Gordon suddenly said while asking Philippine National Police chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde during the hearing of the Senate committee on justice.
Gordon was presiding over the hearing as chairman of the committee.
“What do yo mean you don’t do that! What do you mean we don’t do that? There’s such a thing as a chain of command,” the senator went on.
“When you’re relieved and its unfair, you’re talking about due process earlier, you’ll have to say: ‘Due process dictates that you tell me what I’m accused of. Why are you suddenly relieving me, because it causes me severe considerable embarrassment?”
Gordon was asking Albayalde about his relief as Pampanga police director after an anti-drug operation in 2013 in Pampanga.
Thirteen Pampanga policemen were ordered dismissed in 2014 but they were only demoted by one rank in 2017.
“I’d advise my fellow senators to refrain form making remarks on the side. If you have something to say, say it on the forefront,” Gordon said.
As if following Gordon’s advice, Senator Imee Marcos took the mic and said: “I think it’s not usual practice in the PNP to dispute, to contest orders. You simply obey them.”
At that time, aside from Gordon, only Marcos and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, were the only committee members present in the hearing. /jpv
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