At least three senators rejected on Monday a colleague’s proposal that Senator Grace Poe, who is running for president, and other aspirants for the May 2016 elections should inhibit from the reopening of the Mamasapano probe to ensure that the inquiry would remain impartial and free from partisan politics.
It was Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, who called on Poe and other senators running for a higher office in May, to inhibit from the inquiry scheduled on January 25, exactly a year after the Mamasapano operation that left 44 elite policemen and other civilians dead.
READ: Poe should inhibit self from Mamasapano probe, says Alan Cayetano
Asked if he agreed with Cayetano, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said: “No, I don’t. No one will be left.”
“I am interested to listen if Senator Enrile has any new revelation. That’s the purpose of reopening,” added Recto, a guest candidate in Poe’s senatorial slate.
Recto was referring to Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, who initiated the reopening of the Mamasapano probe, which was already concluded by the Senate committee on public order headed by Poe, along with committees on peace, unification, and reconciliation, and finance.
Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said Cayetano’s proposal was okay if all candidates would inhibit.
“Kung si Grace lang, that’s not fair,” Sotto, who is also part of Poe’s slate, said in a text message. “Trabaho niya ‘yun, tapos siya pa hindi pwede? The chairman of any committee has the same standing as any member.”
“Although on second thought, huwag na lang; wala palang matitira na member. Anyway, kita naman ng public kung sino ma-epal o grandstanding at hindi,” he added.
Senator Serge Osmeña, who is seeking re-election as an independent candidate, said senators who are running in this year’s elections may inhibit from voting but not from participating in the proceeding.
“Probably only from any voting but not from attending and asking questions,” Osmeña said in another text message.