Lacson doubts approval of Dengvaxia report without amendments

Senator Panfilo Lacson. CATHY MIRANDA / INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

Senator Panfilo Lacson doubts that Senator Richard Gordon’s draft committee report on the Dengvaxia mess would be approved by the Senate plenary without amendments on its recommendations.

Though 11 senators have already signed the draft report, Lacson said many senators have had “reservations” particularly on the report’s recommendation that former President Benigno Aquino III should face graft charges.

READ: Aquino, Abad, Garin ‘caused’ Dengvaxia ‘tragedy’ – draft report

“Pero sa dami ng nag pirma na with reservations, particular na dun sa culpability ni President Aquino, I doubt kung, or unless maconvince niya na mabago yung pag-iisip namin,” he said over a dzBB interview on Sunday.

(But with all those who signed with reservations, particularly on the culpability of President Aquino, I doubt it, or unless he can convince us to change our minds.)

“Pero sa floor, ibang usapan ‘yun kung pipirma ako sa pag-aadopt. Ibang usapan ‘yun eh. Or ilan ba kaming pipirma para i-adopt without amendments, I doubt, kasi ang daming pumirma with reservations eh. At ‘di pa yun, may dissenting report na ginagawa ang minority,” he added, referring to Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon’s dissenting opinion on Gordon’s draft report.

(But on the floor, it’s a different discussion if I sign to adopt it. That’s different. Or how many will sign to adopt it without amendments, I doubt, because so many signed with reservations. Not only that, the minority is making a dissenting report.)

READ: Drilon disagrees with Gordon, files dissent on Dengvaxia report

Lacson said he might even consider Drilon’s views if he sees it as “more rational” than Gordon’s conclusions.

Lacson earlier said it is hard to believe that Aquino was “capable of committing graft and corruption.”

READ: Graft case recommendation vs Aquino leaves Lacson in disbelief

The lawmaker also lamented anew how Gordon has “monopolized” the Senate hearings on the P3 billion botched anti-dengue immunization program.

Pressed if he would initiate Gordon’s ouster from the blue ribbon committee chairmanship, Lacson said he is not inclined to do so.

“‘Di naman para sa akin mag-husga ‘yan, dinadaan ‘yan sa pag-uusap ng mayorya. Pwedeng i-caucus, pero wala pa namang nag mumungkahi, na mag caucus kami para pag-usapan kung kelangan na bang palitan. If it comes to that, we will evaluate and we will come into… parang magkaroon kami ng consensus kung dapat nga ba kaming magpalit ng BRC chair,” he said.

(It’s not for me to judge; it should be done through a discussion with the majority. It can be done through a caucus, but no one is proposing for us to have a caucus to discuss whether we need to change the chair. If it comes to that, we will evaluate and we will come into… to have a consensus if we need to change the BRC chair.)

“Baka sakaling magbago ang kanyang attitude sa pag co-conduct; for all we know this would be a learning experience for all of us, for Dick, for myself… Baka naman sa susunod na pagdinig, pagbigyan na niya kaming magtanong… baka maging conscious na siya,” he added.

(Maybe his attitude in conducting this will change; for all we know, this would be a learning experience for all of us, for Dick, for myself… Maybe in the next hearing, he will let us question… maybe he will be conscious about it.) /je

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