Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Jil Bongalon (left), Lanao del Sur 1st district Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Members of the House of Representatives said the Senate is slowly losing integrity and credibility over its continued inquiry on the alleged leaked confidential information from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

In a press briefing on Wednesday, May 8, Assistant Majority Leaders Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong (Lanao del Sur 1st district) and Rep. Raul Angelo Bongalon (Ako Bicol Party-list) said the Senate itself, as an institution, is “suffering” over the hearings of the Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, chaired by Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

The lawmakers said the allegations of former PDEA agent Jonathan Morales against President Marcos over his supposed drug use are presented without an ounce of proof.

“As it develops, the Senate is losing its integrity and nada-drag po yung reputasyon ng ating Senado (the reputation of our Senate is being dragged) to the point that the public now is questioning the Senate. What is really your motive? Kasi sa nakikita ko, wala hong patutunguhan itong investigation na to (Because from what I see, this investigation has no end goal) other than smear campaign,” Adiong said.

“And to point out and target individuals that were allegedly mentioned in the document, and they cannot even provide the document and they cannot even verify whether that document is authentic or not. So, the objective really is in question because the motive, to me personally, the motive is not to enlighten the public, not to revisit any existing laws and improve them but a smear campaign,” he added, noting that the Senate inquiry was supposed to be in aid of legislation.

With all these developments, Adiong stressed that the hearing is a “farce” and is “politically motivated targeting this administration’s downfall”.

“And I hope that the Senate will really realize na kami po sa (we in the) House of Representatives, they are our friends and they are our partner because dalawa po ang chamber ng (because there are two chambers of) Congress. Please protect the reputation of the Senate,” the lawmaker noted.

“Protect it kasi (because) people are now starting to question the reputation of the institutions,” he emphasized.

Bongalon echoed this sentiment, saying that as a former chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Dela Rosa "should know better" than to entertain the testimony of a “polluted” resource person who has been dismissed from PDEA because of dishonesty and misconduct.

“Personally, I am very disappointed with the way Sen. Bato dela Rosa conducted the hearing. Why? What we have is a witness who is a pathological liar, who perjured himself, who is facing a case of false testimony in Pampanga, who is facing a case in Pasig for falsification if I’m not mistaken slight physical injuries,” Bongalon said.

‘We expect him to be well-versed and knowledgeable, especially in rules and evidence and investigation,” he said, referring to Dela Rosa.

Bongalon said the senator should promptly stop the investigation since the witness’ lack of credibility could also threaten the Senate’s own.

“So, what is at stake here? Credibility—the quality of the legislative inquiry that the Senate is conducting,” he added.