Senate President says: Gordon to stay as Blue Ribbon chair
Published Apr 25, 2018 05:03 pm
By Vanne Elaine Terrazola
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III has spoken then as now: Senator Richard Gordon will stay as the chairman of the Upper Chamber's Blue Ribbon Committee.
Senator Richard Gordon (Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN)
Pimentel on Wednesday maintained that Gordon is qualified to lead the Senate Committee on Accoutability of Public Officials and Investigations, known as the Blue Ribbon.
"I need to give credit where credit is due, hindi hiningi ni Gordon ang chairmanship, bakante yan sa napakahabang panahon, siya ang pinakiusapan ko," Pimentel said during a briefing with members of the media.
Pimentel made the comment amid the reservations of several senators over Gordon's report on his committee's investigation on the controversial P3.5-billion dengue immunization program started under the previous administration.
Just last week, Senator Panfilo Lacson lashed out at Gordon for mentioning his friendship with former President Benigno Aquino as his reason for questioning the committee report which recommended that criminal charges be filed against Aquino for the purchase of Dengvaxia.
In a tweet, Lacson, while not mentioning a name, likened Gordon's mouth to a "incontinent anus with a defective sphincter pylori" which he said could destroy reputations.
Some senators have earlier lamented that Gordon has been monopolizing the hearings and not giving other members the chance to ask questions.
Pimentel, for his part, believes that the senators' issues with Gordon can be addressed thru a meeting.
"Maybe (we can set) a caucus about it. But during the Blue Ribbon (hearing) on the road right-of-way in GenSan (General Santos City), Sen. Pacquiao and I were able to talk. Maybe we did not experience what others have experienced, maybe it was just a coincidence. But as caucus will be enough to thresh out the issue," he said.
"He is working very hard, its just a little airtime for others, a little adjustment why do we need to oust the chairman if that’s the only problem," he told of Gordon.
Pimentel allayed concerns of his colleagues on the Blue Ribbon panel's report and said that "all can speak out" during the deliberation of the report in the Senate plenary.
Senator Richard Gordon (Czar Dancel / MANILA BULLETIN)
Pimentel on Wednesday maintained that Gordon is qualified to lead the Senate Committee on Accoutability of Public Officials and Investigations, known as the Blue Ribbon.
"I need to give credit where credit is due, hindi hiningi ni Gordon ang chairmanship, bakante yan sa napakahabang panahon, siya ang pinakiusapan ko," Pimentel said during a briefing with members of the media.
Pimentel made the comment amid the reservations of several senators over Gordon's report on his committee's investigation on the controversial P3.5-billion dengue immunization program started under the previous administration.
Just last week, Senator Panfilo Lacson lashed out at Gordon for mentioning his friendship with former President Benigno Aquino as his reason for questioning the committee report which recommended that criminal charges be filed against Aquino for the purchase of Dengvaxia.
In a tweet, Lacson, while not mentioning a name, likened Gordon's mouth to a "incontinent anus with a defective sphincter pylori" which he said could destroy reputations.
Some senators have earlier lamented that Gordon has been monopolizing the hearings and not giving other members the chance to ask questions.
Pimentel, for his part, believes that the senators' issues with Gordon can be addressed thru a meeting.
"Maybe (we can set) a caucus about it. But during the Blue Ribbon (hearing) on the road right-of-way in GenSan (General Santos City), Sen. Pacquiao and I were able to talk. Maybe we did not experience what others have experienced, maybe it was just a coincidence. But as caucus will be enough to thresh out the issue," he said.
"He is working very hard, its just a little airtime for others, a little adjustment why do we need to oust the chairman if that’s the only problem," he told of Gordon.
Pimentel allayed concerns of his colleagues on the Blue Ribbon panel's report and said that "all can speak out" during the deliberation of the report in the Senate plenary.