Senate President Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Franklin Drilon on Wednesday branded as “non-issue” a call for all senators to undergo a lifestyle check.
The call was made by his own colleagues in the Senate – Senators Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., who are both implicated in the P10 billion “pork barrel” fund scam.
“Alam mo hindi ko alam kung saan pa pupunta itong kontrobersiya na ito. Alam mo, ang dapat asikasuhin ng lahat ay yung kasong nai-file sa Ombudsman. Yan po ang kailangan, yaan ang tunay na importante,” Drilon said in a radio interview.
(I don’t know where this controversy will bring us. You know what we should attend to right now is the case that has been filed with the Ombudsman. That‘s what we have to do, that’s the important thing.)
“Etong lahat pong batuhan ng kung anu-anong salita, that will not bring us anywhere. Kailangan natin pairalin dito ang sistema ng hustisya. Para makita na ng taumbayan kung sino man ang may sala, dapat sila ang makulong, at kung sino man ang walang sala ay siyang ma-acquit.”
(All these mudslinging, that will not bring us anywhere. What should prevail is the system of justice so the people will see who are liable, who should be jailed, and those who are not guilty be acquitted)
“Yan po ang ating kailangan (That’s what we need). Yung mga (All these) calls for lifestyle checks, that’s neither here or there,” Drilon added.
Besides, he said, the Statement of Assets and Liabilities (SALN) of all senators are open to the public.
“So the lifestyle checks for all the senators are non-issue,” Drilon said.
He said the real issue was whether public money had been properly used or if some of his colleagues were involved in the anomaly.
“Kailangan ilagay natin sa tama, ilagay natin sa sistema ng hustisya para malaman kung ano ba talaga ang nangyari. Kasi hanggang ngayon ang aming mga kasamahan ay under the shadow of doubt. Lahat ng tao, nagdududa kung tapat nga ba talaga ang mga senador sa kanilang mga tungkulin,” Drilon said.
(We have to put it in the right perspective, within the system of justice so we can find out what really happened. Because up to now, my colleagues are still under the shadow of doubt. Everyone is asking whether the senators are really sincere with their duties.)
“Kaya ang sa akin, huwag nating palabuin at guluhin ang issue. Nasa husgado ang kaso, at sa lalong madaling panahon ay dapat desisyonan na ang mga nasabing kaso,” he added.
(So for me let’s not muddle the issue. The case is now in the court and it should be decided on as soon as possible.)