Senate anti-graft panel to read out findings in public

Sen. Francis “Tol” Tolentino (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Francis Tolentino on Saturday said the Senate blue ribbon committee, which he now chairs, will change its communication policy and have the results of its investigations “read out” at the concluding hearing, similar to how courts publicly disclose their decisions.

The “dispositive portion” of the committee report — summarizing the findings and proposed course of action — will be announced in the presence of the officials who were investigated, especially if they are being recommended for criminal prosecution, Tolentino said in a radio interview.

This would give the issue formal “closure” as the committee winds up the inquiry, similar to how court trials are concluded.

“Whenever possible, on the last hearing, the dispositive portion and the recommendations of the committee report will be read out by the general counsel in front of all resource persons, the media and the general public,” he explained.

First inquiries

Tolentino cited the change in procedure as the committee prepared to launch its first series of inquiries next week under the 19th Congress, starting with the recent controversy involving the importation of sugar and the soaring local prices of the commodity.

On Thursday, the committee will also tackle the allegedly “pricey and outdated” laptops bought by the Department of Education (DepEd) through the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM).

At the conclusion of each inquiry, the committee’s findings will be read out, as well as the actions to be taken, if any, against the investigated public officials, and the legislative measures that were proposed in the course of the probe, Tolentino said.

The committee will make sure that the report has already been read and signed by the members before it is released to the public, he added.

Better in person

Tolentino doused speculations that the committee, in taking up the DepEd laptop deal, would also revive the pandemic procurement controversy that hounded the PS-DBM and undercapitalized supplier Pharmally, a matter doggedly pursued by the previous blue ribbon chair, then Sen. Richard Gordon.

Under his watch, Tolentino said, the committee has also hired former deputy ombudsmen Gerard Mosquera and Melchor Arthur Carandang as general counsel and legal consultant, respectively.

Even with the Senate strictly enforcing health protocols due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, Tolentino said he would still prefer the hearings to be done in person instead of online.

“This will allow us to better observe [the resource persons’] demeanor. Besides, a number of resource persons have signified their intention to be present physically, supposedly to get a chance to clear their names,” he said.

For the sugar importation probe, among those set to appear before the committee are resigned agriculture officials, including former Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian, former Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) chief Hermenegildo Serafica and SRA board member Roland Beltran, Tolentino said.

No revisiting Pharmally

“The Pharmally scandal is another issue, over which [my committee] does not have jurisdiction as that was from the 18th Congress. We only acquire jurisdiction based on the referrals by the Senate plenary,” he said.

For seven months, the committee under Gordon grilled budget, health and Pharmally officials over the alleged misuse of P67.3 billion in public funds spent on medical supplies during the early stages of the pandemic.

But in the end, 11 of the 21 committee members did not sign the 113-page “partial” committee report, hence it was not transmitted to the Senate plenary at the adjournment of the 18th Congress.

Those who did not sign, including Tolentino, objected to the report’s last-minute inclusion of a portion that found then President Rodrigo Duterte liable for betrayal of public trust.

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