Drilon: Up to Guingona to stop ICC probe

Senate President Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Franklin Drilon on Monday said it will be up to the chairman of the blue ribbon committee to decide whether or not to continue its investigation on the allegedly overpriced Iloilo Convention Center (ICC).

“I am certain that Senator (Teofisto “TG”) Guingona will take consideration of the views of his  colleagues – of the almost unanimous view of his colleagues – on this matter. That is for Sen. Guingona to decide,” Drilon said in an ambush interview when asked about his colleagues’ call to stop the probe.

Guingona is the chairman of the committee looking into the alleged overpricing of the ICC, a pet project of Drilon.

But after holding one hearing last week, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III reportedly said that the committee should not continue its probe.

Drilon’s accuser, former Iloilo provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada, admitted during last week’s hearing that he had no evidence to prove that Drilon, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson and Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez had conspired to jack up the cost of the project.

Even Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who initiated the Senate probe on the deals between Hilmarc’s Construction Corp. and local government units, described Mejorada’s testimony a “dud.”

As to former Iloilo Representative Augusto Syjuco’s plan to testify before the committee, Drilon said: “That is a matter addressed to the chairman, including the proposal that they should submit first an affidavit before they are allowed to speak before the committee.”

The senators are proposing that witnesses should first submit an affidavit before facing a Senate inquiry.

“I think that was proposed by a number of senators. Para naman hindi abusuhin ang proseso sa Senado,” Drilon said.

(I think that was proposed by a number of senators. So the processes of the Senate won’t be abused.)

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