MANILA, Philippines — The Senate blue ribbon committee on Tuesday issued a subpoena against Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, commanding him to attend its inquiry into the sugar importation fiasco.
The panel held an executive session to vote on the motion of opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros to issue a subpoena against Rodriguez to compel him to attend the investigation.
After the executive session, blue ribbon chairperson Francis Tolentino disclosed in a public hearing that 11 members of the panel voted in the affirmative, three in the negative, while three abstained on the issue of compelling the Executive Secretary to attend.
“Following a vote of 11 in the affirmative, three in the negative, and three abstentions, the committee secretary is hereby directed to issue a subpoena to be signed by the chairman and to be approved by the Senate President and to be served to the Executive Secretary immediately to require his presence and to answer questions coming from the members of the blue ribbon committee,” Tolentino said.
READ: Rodriguez not attending Senate probe on sugar importation fiasco