Senate suspends session until March 11; some hearings canceled over coronavirus scare

MANILA, Philippines — Senate employees will not be required to report for work on Tuesday as a precautionary measure in light of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

Before adjourning Monday’s plenary session, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said it would remain suspended until 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

He also noted that weekly hearings by the Commission on Appointments will push through Wednesday morning.

“We can still have our hearings on the commission on appointments because many would be bypassed if we do not have the hearings on Wednesday morning but with the agreements that our staff with the discretion of the senators involved, do not necessarily have to come to work,” Zubiri said.

“The public as well is refrained from visiting the senate premises at this time,” he added.

Zubiri also said that Senate committees may still conduct their scheduled hearings on Tuesday “at your own risk.”

“Because I know there’s one colleague here who wants to have a committee hearing tomorrow and we will not stop him. But at your own risk, we must be very careful in these trying times. Remember that it doubled the number of patients of COVID-19 doubled overnight and therefore with the testing kits available I’m worried about the alarming rate that could follow in the next few days,” he said, referring to Senator Francis Tolentino, chair of the Senate local government committee.

He initially said that his panel will push through with its hearing on Tuesday.

“The impression I got from the majority leader is those who have scheduled committee hearings can proceed at their own risk. Having invited so many resource persons for tomorrow’s first Bangsamoro oversight hearing, I will take the risk and I think it is my solemn duty to proceed with the committee hearing considering,” he said.

“Without prejudice to the good intentions mentioned a while ago by the good majority leader that we shield our employees from the threat the lingering threat of the coronavirus so I will proceed not taking the risk so to speak but as part of my duty,” he added.

Drilon stood up to express his view on the matter.

“The point that we are trying to drive up is this, yes the good chairman can take that risk but why should we risk our employees?” he pointed out.

Tolentino said he asked panel members and the committee secretariat if they are willing to proceed with the hearing as scheduled.

“I think even at this very late hour they have been trying to call several local government officials most of them are now here in Metro Manila,” he added, referring to the resource persons being invited to the hearing.

“The committee secretariat has prepared for this in fact for the last two weeks,” he said.

Tolentino then said he would seek guidance and advice from Senate President Vicente Sotto III on “how to proceed with the scheduled hearings tomorrow.”

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said the energy committee’s inquiry into the operations of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) will push through.

He, however, told reporters in a chance interview that his office would monitor developments on the COVID-19 to determine whether or not his committee would proceed with the hearing as scheduled.

Meanwhile, Senator Joel Villanueva and Senator Richard Gordon canceled their respective hearing on Tuesday.

Villanueva, who will conduct a hearing to tackle the proposed Education Roadmap Act, said his committee will just request for the resource persons to submit their position papers to the panel.

Gordon canceled the inquiry into the killings of the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) officials, which was scheduled Tuesday afternoon.

The Philippines has so far reported 20 positive COVID-19 cases in the country.

President Rodrigo Duterte has already declared a state of public health emergency on Monday following the recommendation of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.