Miriam: Senate should subpoena Napoles

Senator Miriam Defensor- Santiago. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago on Monday said that she would vote to subpoena alleged “pork barrel scam” mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles if she were not on a sick leave.

Santiago, in a statement, also said Senate should not “dilute” its power to subpoena by seeking the opinion of the Ombudsman.

“If the Ombudsman opines that we should issue subpoena, then that would set a bad precedent.  It would constitute the concession by the Senate to an external agency to determine how we shall exercise our power,” the senator said.

Santiago said she initially disagreed with the need to hold “an inquiry in aid of legislation” on the pork barrel controversy.

“But the (Blue Ribbon) committee chair exercised his discretion to hold the hearing.  Following Senate tradition, the Senate should support the rulings of the committee chair,” she said.
Senators were supposed to hold a caucus on Monday to decide on whether they should summon Napoles to attend Blue Ribbon committee hearings on so-called “P10 billion pork barrel scam.” However, reports said the caucus was postponed.

Both Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales and Justice Secretary Leila De Lima earlier expressed apprehension over the Senate’s bid to get Napoles’ testimony, as well as that of the whistleblowers, due to its possible repercussions to the plunder cases filed against officials and individuals involved in the misuse of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).