Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero told Senator Imee Marcos on Friday, April 11, not to use the Senate as a platform for her political objectives and instead urge her to use her name, title, and influence as a bridge toward unity, not a wedge for division.

Escudero said this after Marcos expressed her disappointment over his supposed refusal to sign a contempt order against Special Envoy on Transnational Crimes Ambassador Markus Lacanilao during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, which examined the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte on March 11.

According to him, the people and the country expect and deserve no less than this.

Escudero stated that members of the Senate are fully aware that under the Rules of the Senate, the power of a committee chairperson to order the arrest or detention of any resource person cited in contempt was subject to the approval of the Senate President.

"This safeguard exists to ensure that the powers of the Senate are exercised prudently with due regard for the rights of all and not wielded for personal or political ends," he said.

"For reasons unknown, Senator Imee Marcos appears to have disregarded this longstanding rule or conveniently forgotten it that the approval of the Senate President is not automatic nor ministerial simply because she desires it," he added.

Escudero clarified that he did not refuse to sign the contempt order Lacanilao. What happened was that Marcos released her statement and flaunted to the media her signed arrest and detention order even before he could see, much less, receive a copy of it.

He also said that Lacanilao was ordered detained without the requisite approval and due process, stating that no less than Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo has "succinctly pointed" out in his concurring opinion in the Ong case that witnesses accused by Congress of “giving false or evasive testimony” must be accorded stricter due process requirements, none of which was apparently given to Lacanilao before he was ordered detained.

After several hours of Lacanilao’s "unauthorized" detention, Escudero said that he directed his release, both as a matter of regularity and out of humanitarian consideration as his grandfather was to be laid to rest Friday.

"In order to comply with the requisites of due process, I am, issuing a 'show cause order' today for Ambassador Lacanilao to explain within five days why he should not be cited in contempt as requested by Sen. Imee Marcos. I shall decide on whether or not to sign his arrest/detention only thereafter," Escudero said.

"The public we serve can rest assured that I will review the committee proceedings and that I will exercise my duty and discretion in accordance with the law to determine their propriety devoid of political agenda or motivation, and with the best interest of our people, country, and the Senate as an institution in mind," he added.

Escudero stressed that he will not allow the Senate or the Office of the Senate President to be used to further "petty partisan interests", especially by those actively seeking reelection in coming May mid-term polls. Marcos is a reelectionist. 

"The Senate is an institution of reason and rule; it is not a tool to be leveraged for propaganda or self-promotion," he added.

As Marcos stated that this episode "sets a terrible precedent", Escudero said he also sees this as such, but for different reasons. He reckoned that he believes it was a dangerous precedent to allow senators to flout the Senate’s own rules for personal gain.

"For when procedures meant to safeguard due process and institutional integrity are ignored for media mileage or political ambition, that is when the credibility of the Senate is threatened," he said.

Lacanilao was cited in contempt through a motion made by Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa after he and Marcos quizzed him about the International Criminal Court (ICC) Transfer of Custody document filled out by Lacanilao for Duterte's arrest as the Philippine government's representative.