Kamara: Ipaaaresto ka namin Senado: 'Wag n'yo kaming diktahan
Nina BEN ROSARIO at LEONEL ABASOLA
Posibleng arestuhin si Senator Leila De Lima kung babalewalain niya ang show cause order na ipinalabas ng Kamara de Representantes na nag-uutos sa kanyang ipaliwanag kung bakit hindi siya dapat na ma-contempt sa pagpapayo sa dati niyang driver-bodyguard at karelasyong si Ronnie Dayan na magtago upang maiwasan ang imbestigasyon ng mababang kapulungan sa bentahan ng ilegal na droga sa New Bilibid Prisons (NBP).
Ito ang sinabi ng mga senior member ng House Committee on Justice kahit pa sinabi ni House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez na nais niyang humarap si De Lima sa House panel at personal na ipagtanggol ang kanyang sarili mula sa napakaraming akusasyon.
Empleyadong lasing, patay matapos sapakin ng ginising na katrabaho
Sinabi ni ABS Party-list Rep. Eugene De Vera, na nagsulong sa pagpapalabas ng show cause order sa pagdinig nitong Huwebes, na walang pagpipilian ang liderato ng Kamara kundi ang tumalima sa patakaran sa legislative inquiry at hilingin kay Alvarez na magpalabas ng warrant of arrest sakaling tumanggi pa ring humarap sa House hearing si De Lima.
Samantala, isa namang vice chairman ng House panel na ayaw pangalanan ang naggiit na dapat ding disiplinahin ng Senado si De Lima.
“By urging Dayan to hide, instead of encouraging him to respect the legislative proceedings, the senator already breached inter-parliamentary courtesy and committed a grave offense as a legislator,” anang opisyal ng justice committee.
'WE HAVE OUR OWN RULES'
Ibinasura naman ni Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III ang panawagan ng isang kongresista na sipain na bilang senador si De Lima dahil sa pagpapatago nito kay Dayan.
Ayon kay Pimentel, may sariling batas at alituntunin ang Senado at hindi ito maaaring diktahan ng Kongreso.
“We have our own rules also in the Senate. Rule of law tayo,” sabi ni Pimentel. “But you know for a member of the House to tell the Senate to do something, ibalik ko siguro sa kanila, ibalik ko sa House. Do your thing first, before you ask us to do something.”
KAYANG-KAYA
Idinagdag ni Pimentel na kumpiyansa siyang kayang-kaya ni De Lima na ipagtanggol ang sarili.
Nagpahayag naman ng kahandaan si De Lima na harapin ang lahat ng akusasyon laban sa kanya, at iginiit na mananaig din ang katotohanan.
“I did not watch the entirety of my public hanging. It’s a spectacle that diverts us from more important national issues, and I don’t believe I am one. But soon, I will face my detractors,” sabi ni De Lima.
“The glaring inconsistencies of statements from all ‘witnesses’ in the House inquiry to this Bilibid Prison drug trade conspiracy speak for itself. I refuse to indulge my accusers by addressing their web of lies and desperate attempts to implicate me as a corrupt public servant,” aniya.
“As a woman, it breaks my heart that my private life and personal relationship have become subject of the public and Congress’ ridicule. No woman, whoever or whatever she may be, whether a sitting senator or a humble secretary, deserves to be betrayed, to be treated with so much disrespect and without dignity, before the public eye, by any man she is with or had a relationship with.”
