MANILA, Philippines — In a surprise move, Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez on Tuesday attended the Senate inquiry into the sugar importation mess after the blue ribbon panel had agreed to subpoena him.
The Senate blue ribbon committee earlier voted to issue a subpoena against Rodriguez to compel him to attend the panel’s hearings, which he earlier said he will no longer be able to attend “per instructions of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.”
Rodriguez said the President instructed him to attend Tuesday’s hearing upon learning that a subpoena was issued against him.
“I would like to sincerely apologize if we have to resort to the issuance of a subpoena to compel my presence today. I have no intention whatsoever to disrespect the honorable members of the Senate and the Senate institution,” Rodriguez explained during the hearing.
“That is why immediately when I learned that a subpoena was issued, I don’t want to, but I have to inform His Excellency even if he is in a state visit, and immediately he asked me to forthwith see the Senate President and immediately be present in today’s blue ribbon committee hearing,” he added.
In his earlier letter to the Senate, Rodriguez said that he will no longer be able to attend the hearings “per instructions of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.”
READ: Bongbong Marcos orders Rodriguez to snub Senate probe on sugar importation
He also indicated in the letter that he is nonetheless willing to answer “written inquiries directly related to the unauthorized issuance of Sugar Order No. 4.”
Rodriguez was not able to attend the second hearing of the Senate panel on August 30, as he has been directed by the President to focus on preparations for Marcos’ international engagements.
For his part, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said during Tuesday’s hearing that Marcos had called him to inform him that Rodriguez will be attending the hearing.
“The President called me earlier this morning and said he is sending the Executive Secretary today to participate in the deliberation to show a sign of respect to the Blue Ribbon Committee,” Zubiri said.
“So I appreciate the call of the President and I appreciate the call of Executive Secretary Vic that he would attend today’s hearing,” he added.
It was opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros who motioned to subpoena Rodriguez after the latter initially conveyed in a letter that he would not be able to attend Tuesday’s hearing.
The Senate blue ribbon committee had to go into an executive session where they voted on Hontiveros’ motion.
Panel chairperson Senator Francis Tolentino later disclosed that 11 members of the panel voted in favor of the subpoena and three disapproved while another three abstained on the issue of compelling the Executive Secretary to attend the Senate inquiry into the sugar import fiasco.
Tolentino later said he had already signed the subpoena but the Senate President has yet to sign the document.
However, before the subpoena was signed by the Senate President, Rodriguez already showed up at the hearing.
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