Koko to make sure Senate undistracted by De Lima-Duterte spat

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. KRISTINE SABILLO/INQUIRER.net

Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Tuesday denied that he was deliberately shying away from the “word war” between President Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Leila de Lima.

“Di naman ako tahimik (I am not being silent about it). I’m just respectful,” Pimentel said at the sidelines of a conference on the prospects of nuclear power held in Manila.

“I know the chairmanships have been distributed. I know that the chairman or the chairperson calls the shots with his or her committee,” he said.

De Lima is currently the chairperson of the Senate committee on justice, which has been holding hearings on the increasing number of summary killings linked to the President’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Because of her inquiry and her previous investigation, as head of the Commission on Human Rights, of the Davao Death Squad, the female lawmaker has earned the ire of Duterte, who recently called for her resignation.

READ: Duterte tells De Lima: Resign, hang yourself

Nevertheless, Pimentel said that he still needs to look at “what is best for the Senate.”

“Meaning, we should have a productive Senate not a distracted Senate,” he said. “I will talk to my fellow senators to find out if…(they) are already being affected with the word war between the senator and the President.”

READ: Senate ethics body to tackle complaint vs De Lima

Asked to comment on Duterte’s call for De Lima to resign, he said, “That’s addressed to her. Di kami makikialam du’n (We won’t meddle).” IDL/rga