There is nothing in the rules of the Senate that bars the chamber from investigating sitting Presidents and other impeachable officials, Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV said on Thursday as he accused Sen. Richard Gordon of “intellectual dishonesty” for saying that it was the task of the House of Representatives to investigate President Duterte.
Gordon made his statement on Tuesday, a day after the Senate referred to the blue ribbon committee, which he chairs, Trillanes’ resolution seeking an investigation of Mr. Duterte’s alleged bank accounts.
Gordon had said that the House should be the one to investigate the President because Senate Resolution No. 602 was “a finding of probable fault in the President that he violated the Anti-Money laundering Act.”
Trillanes had initially asked the committee on banks, financial institutions and currencies, chaired by Sen. Chiz Escudero, to look into a report by a news website, Vera Files, that the President and his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, had joint deposits and investments exceeding P100 million at Bank of Philippine Islands, which they allegedly did not declare in their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth.
“The intellectual dishonesty of Senator Gordon is amazing. He can really come up with twisted arguments to protect his political master,” Trillanes said in a statement. —CHRISTINE O. AVENDAÑO