Senator Richard Gordon. RICHARD A. REYES/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Senator Richard Gordon wants to cite the National Intelligence Coordination Agency (Nica) for contempt not only for sending an “incompetent” representative to a Senate hearing but also for submitting a supposed “confidential” document about an alleged missile silo in Zambales based on an article lifted from a satirical website.
Gordon noted that Nica Director Rodolfo Dan Arsaga Jr. was a no-show at Monday’s resumption of the hearing of the Senate blue ribbon committee, which he chairs, when the latter himself expressed his readiness to provide information about the alleged missile silo in an executive session.
“I think we should cite the Nica for sending us somebody who’s obviously incompetent to answer questions,” said the senator.
To support its claim about the existence of a missile silo, Gordon said Nica even submitted to the committee a “confidential” document with an article from a website.
“You know what, when we researched the website, this is what it contains, this specific article which was submitted to us by Nica, this specific article is partly for satirical and entertainment purposes and the events should not be construed as pure facts although the mentioned tangible objects exist,” he said.
“The Senate blue ribbon committee is not gonna get fooled. That’s why we’re gonna bring him back here and ask him why he should not be cited for contempt.”
“It’s amazing. I mean if that’s the state of intelligence we have in this country, maybe we really are in trouble,” the senator added.
Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said the Nica official should not only be cited for contempt but he should also be fired.
Gordon then ordered the committee to send a “missive” to the Nica why they should not be cited for contempt “for sending an incompetent individual” to represent the agency.
He said they would also examine the proposed P700 million budget of Nica next year. JE/rga