Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri (Senate PRIB)

Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said members of the “Marcos group” are angry at him for allowing the Senate probe on the alleged leaked confidential information from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to continue.

During the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs hearing on Monday, May 13, Zubiri told the panel chairman Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa that he faced fierce criticism from this group, although he didn’t specify any name.

“Galit yung Marcos group sa akin, yung mga loyalist, dahil daw pinayagan kitang mag-hearing ngayong araw na ito at nakaraang dalawang linggo,” said Zubiri.

(The Marcos group is angry with me, the loyalists, because they say I allowed you to have a hearing today and the past two weeks.)

Recently, several pro-administration lawmakers from the House of Representatives questioned Zubiri’s leadership for letting Dela Rosa pursue a hearing that is supposedly based on nothing but hearsay.

Zubiri, leader of the Senate, said even the “Duterte group” is angry at him because of the issuance of a warrant of arrest against controversial church leader Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

Despite these criticisms, Zubiri maintains his confidence with Dela Rosa’s handling of the Senate investigation into the alleged PDEA leaks.

“Ang pinoproteksyunan natin dito ang institusyon, ang Senado, (What we are protecting here is the institution, the Senate), because the Senate believes in the committee system. So, never narinig ni Senator Bato sa akin na itigil yung (Senator Bato never heard from me to stop the) committee,” the senator said.

“I just told you be cautious and make sure it’s evidence-based,” he added.

During his opening statement, Zubiri cautioned his colleagues to not veer off course from the issue at hand. He stressed that the hearing should not be used for political gains.

With this, the Senate President told Dela Rosa to prioritize evidence over mere allegations from the probe’s primary resource person, former PDEA agent Jonathan Morales.

“As I said, reputational damage is being done when we put out disinformation, or fake news ika nga, kung walang ebidensiya. So mag-iingat lang po tayo (as they say, if there is no evidence. So let's just be careful),” noted Zubiri.

“Gusto ko po kapag nanonood po ang taumbayan sa atin, na patas po tayo at base sa ebidensya, para di po tayo dito gagamitin ng ibang grupo sa pamumulitika,” he continued.

(I want that when the public is watching us, we are fair and based on evidence, so that we are not used by other groups in politicking.)

Zubiri said the same evidence-based conduct should be prioritized once the Senate starts its investigation into the alleged "gentlemen’s agreement" between the Philippines with China during the previous Duterte administration.