Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs (Senate PRIB)

House Deputy Speaker and Quezon 2nd district Rep. David "Jay-jay" Suarez has told the Senate to shift its focus to urgent national concerns instead of continuing its probe into alleged leaks of confidential information from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

During a press conference in the House of Representatives on Monday, May 6, Suarez says that while he respects the Senate’s position, he thinks the particular inquiry is nothing but a waste of time and resources.

“I do hope and I pray to our colleagues in the Senate na (to) focus on issues that have more national significance to the lives of the Filipino people,” said Suarez.

“This is a mere political circus, I think this is part of a bigger orchestrated destabilization movement against the Marcos administration,” he stressed.

The Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, chaired by Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, will continue its inquiry on the alleged PDEA leaks on Tuesday, May 8.

The supposed leaked confidential documents linked President Marcos to illegal drugs.

However, PDEA Director General Moro Virgilio Lazo has already denied the existence of the pre-operation report and authority to operate that allegedly contained such information.

“Nakita naman na natin na nag-issue na ng statement ang PDEA. Diniscredit na nila iyong document, wala daw katototohanan iyon. Tapos yung credibility nung hinarap na witness questionable. So, sa akin, kung yun na iyon, di yun na iyon,” Suarez noted.

(We have already seen that PDEA has issued a statement. They have discredited that document and said that there is no truth to it. The credibility of the witness is also questionable. So, to me, if that's it, then that’s it.)

“Bakit pa natin bibigyan pa ng more attention? (Why should we give it more attention?)” he asked.

Suarez said Senators should instead focus their efforts on more important matters, such as amending the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).

“Bakit hindi natin tutukan yung mga problema na hinaharap ng ating bansa na mas may kinalaman sa pag-angat ng antas ng buhay ng ating mga kababayan?” he underscored.

(Why don't we focus on the problems facing our country that have more to do with improving our countrymen's standard of living?)