Gordon to senators on Pharmally report: You don’t vote on party lines
Senator Dick Gordon (SCREENGRAB FROM SENATE)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Richard Gordon on Monday said fellow senators should not vote based on party lines after his committee released its findings on the Pharmally controversy, which stated, among others, that President Rodrigo Duterte “betrayed [the] public trust”.
Gordon, who chairs the Senate blue ribbon committee, made the remark as he disclosed that only eight senators so far have signed the committee report.
He said at least 11 members of the committee should sign it so that it can be brought to plenary for further debates.
“Sila Sen. [Imee] Marcos was very active in the beginning and the others, sila Senator [Cynthia] Villar. We know that there are alliances, now when you start voting on party lines, that’s when—even the United States — they get into trouble,” Gordon said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel.
“You don’t vote on party lines. Otherwise, don’t create the blue ribbon committee. Because the blue ribbon committee, justice is blind. It doesn’t see party lines, it just sees malfeasance, misfeasance, and nonfeasance,” he added.
Gordon said the eight senators who have signed the report are himself, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senators Manny Pacquiao, Panfilo Lacson, Koko Pimentel, Risa Hontiveros, Francis Pangilinan Leila de Lima.
Lacson earlier clarified that while he signed, he has “strong reservations” over the comment in the report that President Rodrigo Duterte “betrayed [the] public trust.”
According to Gordon, some senators are hesitant to sign the report because they want Duterte excluded from those who should be held accountable.
The report states that Duterte “betrayed the public trust”, citing the President’s “threats, his non-action on this gargantuan scam and in a time of grave danger, his cover-up efforts, his tyrannical use of presidential powers to prevent officials and employees from participating in the hearings.”
The report likewise recommended the possible filing of charges against Duterte once he steps down from office, recognizing that he is currently enjoying immunity from suit as the president of the country.
