Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Tuesday, October 29 said the Senate, as a whole and as a policy, deems it unacceptable to allow foul language or any form of expletives, to be uttered during congressional investigation or hearings.
Escudero pointed this out a day after former president Rodrigo Duterte, testified at the Senate Blue Ribbon Subcommittee’s investigation into his administration’s controversial campaign against illegal drugs.
The Senate leader commended Sen. Risa Hontiveros for stepping up to preserve the Senate’s dignity and integrity during the course of the public hearing.
“Tama at sang-ayon ako dun sa ginawa ni Sen. Risa nung pinoint out niya, pinaalalahanan niya ang dating pangulo at komite na panatilihin ang order sa Senado, na ang pagmumura ay hindi normal, ang pagmumura ay hindi parte ng anumang proceedings, at ang pagmumura ay hindi dapat isang bagay na maging manhid tayo na tinatanggap natin normal at bahagi ng araw-araw nating pamumuhay (It was right and I agree when Sen. Risa pointed out and reminded the former president and the committee to maintain order in the Senate and that cursing is not normal, foul language should not be part of any proceedings and we should not be numb to it and accept it as normal and part of everyday life),” Escudero said during a Kapihan sa Senado.
He is glad though, that the subcommittee chair, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, provided a venue for the former chief executive to give his sworn testimony, express his views about the war on drugs, and extrajudicial killings
“Hindi madaling papel ang ginampanan ni Sen. Koko kahapon at para sa akin, nagawa at ginawa sa abot ng kanyang makakaya ang pag-preside, pag-chair sa hearing na yun (Sen. Koko had a difficult role yesterday and for me, he was able to do and he did all his best to preside, to chair that hearing),” he further said.
Former senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Antonio Trillanes IV also commended Hontiveros for standing up against an “invader” in the Senate.
“Yesterday, the Upper Chamber was ‘invaded’ by the former president of the Republic. Only one consistently and steadfastly stood up to preserve the dignity of the Philippine Senate. She happens to be a woman who answers, ‘present’ during a roll call. Her name: Risa Hontiveros,” Lacson said on X (formerly Twitter).
“The only bright spot in yesterday’s Senate hearing was Sen. Risa’s standing up to the evil Duts (Duterte). Yan ang leader! Matapang! Matalino! Magaling! #RisaNa,” Trillanes also posted on X.
Right to due process
Duterte, during the Senate hearing, took “full legal and moral responsibility” for all the successes and failures of the war on drugs.
In his expletive-laden responses to senators’ inquiries, Duterte stood pat on his decision to launch a brutal campaign against illegal drugs, as he admitted that he ordered police officers to encourage criminals to resist so they can be killed.
“A civilized society does not operate that way. And I believe we are a civilized society,” Escudero said.
As a lawyer, Escudero also said Duterte’s admission on the matter of the “neutralization” of suspected drug users and pushers raised questions about the former leader’s adherence to the rule of law and due process.
“Again, meron tayong due process na tinatawag na hindi pwedeng kalimutan at isantabi lamang (we have what we call due process that we shouldn’t forget or set aside),” he said.
“Nakakalungkot na bilang abogado, alam niya dapat yun. Kung talagang emosyonal siya, mabigat para sa kanya yung mga krimen, nakikita niyang duguan mga bata, patay na…lahat naman siguro tayo ganun din (ang nararamdaman). Huwag niyang akuin na siya lang ang masama ang loob dun (It’s sad that as a lawyer, he should know that. If he is really emotional, and he feels so bad about these crimes, he sees children who are bloodied, who died…all of us will surely feel the same way. He shouldn’t feel he alone has the right to feel that way),” the Senate leader added.
“Pag may nakita na patay, ginahasa, minutilate na bata o sinumang lalaki or babae o matanda, lahat siguro naman tayo magagalit eh. Pero yun ang pinagkaiba ng gobyerno (When we see a person killed, rape or mutilated, whether man or woman, child or older citizens, all of us I’m sure will get angry. But that’s why having a government is different),” he pointed out.
“Siguro sa ordinaryong tao, hindi mo pwedeng ilagay sa kamay mo ang batas. Kahit nga gobyerno hindi nilalagay sa kamay ang batas, dinadaan sa proseso (For ordinary people, you cannot put the law in your own hands. Even the government cannot put the law in its own hands, they go through due process),” he stressed.
“Again, a civilized government can do nothing less than provide an ensured due process to anyone and everyone, gaano man kasama, gaano man kabigat sa dibdib natin (no matter how bad, no matter how unbearable a crime is for us),” the Senate chief explained.
“Dahil uulitin ko, hangga’t hindi ikaw mismo yung inaakusahan ng mali, hindi mo mararamdaman yung bigat at kahalagahan nito (Because, I repeat, until you are not the one who is wrongly accused, you will not feel the depth and importance of due process),” he reiterated.