Esperon twits Colmenares for absence in Senate probe: ‘Sarado sementeryo ‘di ba?’

National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO BY LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. on Tuesday scoffed at former lawmaker and Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares for using Undas as a reason to skip the Senate investigation into alleged red-tagging activities of military officials.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, who led the hearing as chair of the Senate defense panel, was about to suspend the hearing when Esperon said he received photos supposedly showing Colmenares in Quezon City.

“May nagpadala po ng picture samin nasa Quezon City daw. Nandito na si Mr. Colmenares nasa Quezon City,” Esperon told the Senate committee.

“Okay lang, baka nandiyan ang kanyang mahal sa buhay na namatay, tama rin naman siya we can respect that. Pero sarado ‘yung sementeryo ‘di ba? Okay lang. Baka gusto niyang umatras ‘di kami aatras,” he added.

Esperon, who also serves as vice-chair of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, made these remarks after Lacson said there would be another hearing on the matter.

“We’re just hoping that those who were invited today will appear in the next hearing, at least si Congressman Colmenares committed to appear in the next hearing kasi ang kanyang number one reason [why he could not attend today’s hearing is] he wanted to spend Undas with the family. He is out of Metro Manila,” Lacson said.

READ: Makabayan bloc members skip Senate’s probe into ‘red-tagging’

“I promised right here, openly, that I will give them the same opportunity, the same time, the same space that the committee has given you today,” he told military and security officials.

Show the photo

Reacting to Esperon’s remarks, Colmenares challenged the former Armed Forces chief to show the alleged picture of him at a public place in Quezon City on Tuesday.

“Hindi totoo ang sinabi ni Gen. Esperon na I am in a public place in Quezon City. At lalong wala ako sa sementeryo,” Colmenares said in a statement sent to reporters.

“Iyan ang problem ng mga illegal surveillance, which I believe is without a court order as required by their Anti-Terror Law. Madaling i-retoke. Ipakita n’ya kung saang public place ako sa QC nandun today if he wants to stand by his claim,” he added.

READ: Parlade: Colmenares, Makabayan bloc members under surveillance

Aside from Colmenares, Lacson’s committee also sent invitations to members of the House Makabayan bloc.

They did not attend the hearing but sent a legal counsel to represent them.

Their legal counsel, Atty. Maneeka Asistol Sarza, said the lawmakers were not able to attend the inquiry because they were in “separate relief missions” following the onslaught of Super Typhoon Rolly.

READ: Makabayan bloc to Senate: Don’t be used as vessel for ‘red-tagging’ by military officials

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