House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco (L) and Anakalusugan Rep. Michael Defensor (R). FILE PHOTOS
MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Lord Allan Velasco should encourage the conduct of investigations in the House of Representatives rather than stop them, Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor said Monday.
Defensor made the remark after President Rodrigo Duterte, even without hard evidence, bared the names of lawmakers included in the list made by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) that identified several government officials allegedly involved in corruption.
The President’s announcement sparked calls for investigation on the lawmakers linked to corruption.
According to Defensor, Velasco seems to avoid investigations, saying that he earlier sought a probe on various issues—such as the tower sharing of telecommunication companies and clarification on policies related to Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN)—as early as October last year.
However, Defensor said he was asked by Velasco to instead hold the hearings in January this year.
Defensor used to serve as the chairperson of the House committee on public accounts but was removed from his post in December 2020.
“To be fair with Speaker Velasco, I’m not sure if may conscious moves siyang ginagawa [to block investigations]. Pero I’m very, very sure ayaw niya ng investigation… Dito kay Speaker Velasco, nagtataka naman ako kasi yung sa tower nga kailangan namin gawin kaagad yun,” Defensor said.
(I’m very sure he doesn’t want investigations. With Speaker Velasco, I’m just wondering why we immediately investigated the issue with the tower.)
“Of course yung nagbaha, the investigation should’ve been conducted on that. Sabi nga nila ginawa daw but, to be honest, talagang consciously ayaw niyang magpa-investigate, and I don’t know the reason why,” the lawmaker added.
(When flooding happened, the investigation should have been conducted on that. They say it was done, but to be honest he doesn’t want that to be investigated, and I do not know the reason why.)
Defensor underscored the importance of the measures to be filed and passed to address the issues as he pointed out that it is a “critical” task of Congress to hold investigations in aid of legislation and practice its oversight functions.
“All I’m saying is it is a critical task of Congress to do investigations, to do its task in oversight. And I don’t think Speaker Velasco should stop any of that. In fact, it should be encouraged,” Defensor said.
In a text message to INQUIRER.net, Defensor clarified that his sentiments cover investigations on all issues and not only the issue of the alleged links of some House members to corruption.
Earlier, former Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano claimed that the House was supposed to investigate the alleged links of some of its members to corruption.
However, Cayetano said this was blocked by the current leadership in the lower chamber.
“So actually, bago naalis si Mike Defensor at si Jonathan Alvarado, ‘yan ay iimbestigahan na, pero ‘yung bagong liderato ng House pinigilan ‘yon, sinabi, ’Wag n’yo munang imbestigahan,’” Cayetano said in an interview with reporters on January 1.
(Actually, before Mike Defensor and Jonathan Alvarado were removed, an investigation was undeway but the new House leadership stopped it, claiming don’t investigate that yet.)
Meanwhile, Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza slammed Cayetano for the “unsubstantiated claims” against the House leadership, calling them “fake news.”
“Cayetano is trying so hard to stay relevant even to the point of spreading fake news… Nakikita kung gaano talaga sya kadesperado [It shows how desperate he is],” Atienza said.
“Cayetano has an ax to grind against Speaker Velasco. You cannot expect him to say something good about the current House leadership,” Atienza added.