Senate must restore public trust – Drilon

MANILA, Philippines - Senate President Franklin Drilon believes the Senate still deserves the respect of the public despite the controversies of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) coming one after the other.

Speaking at the opening of plenary sessions for the second regular session of Congress yesterday, Drilon said the Senate and its members must exert all efforts to recover the trust of the public in the coming weeks and months.

The PDAF scam, which involved the alleged diversion of public funds meant for various programs and projects to the pockets of certain individuals, has led to the arrest of three senators, all accused of plunder and other related crimes.

Drilon said it pains and saddens him to witness and bear the relentless attacks against the Senate as an institution by critics of PDAF and the DAP for the past 12 months.

“The intense public beatings, the avalanche of intrigues and the arrows of insults shot into our gates might have succeeded in reducing the worth and the weight of the Senate in the minds and lives of our people,” he said.

“I recognize that as public servants we must remain receptive to and tolerant of criticism. But should we as individuals and as a collegial body allow the Senate to continue to be casually scorned?”

Drilon said the Senate as an institution remains a constitutional body entitled to respect, even if some of its members may have been found to have erred through their individual acts.

“I believe that it is the incumbent duty of each one of us to defend this institution from groundless and reckless assaults against its very dignity and integrity,” he said.

“We owe it to this chamber to combat falsehoods concocted by cowardly minds who spread their lies through proxy voices and pens; to speak up for the Senate even when it may seem to be more politically convenient and safer for us to be silent, to just wait for the tempest to pass.” 

Drilon asked his colleagues to set aside whatever political aspirations they may have for the 2016  elections.

“(We must) work hand-in-hand for the rebirth of the Senate,” he said.

Drilon said one way for the Senate to regain the trust of the people is to work harder in passing legislation and instituting reforms in the government.

“(We have to show) to the people that we indeed deserve their trust by working hard and instituting reforms with public accountability as the primary goal and transparency,” he said.

Drilon said the best way for his colleagues to prepare for 2016 is “to do our job.” 

“As we move forward in our second regular session, we would prioritize legislation that would stimulate the economy and generate more jobs, promote fair competition in business, increase the take-home pay of our workers, strengthen our campaign against graft and corruption and criminality, expand access to health and education, and protect our country’s territorial sovereignty,” he said.

Sen. Nancy Binay, a member of the minority bloc, agrees with the call of Drilon to focus on their work and to work together to restore the good reputation of the Senate.

“We support the call,” she said.

“We have always stated that we should focus on work first. Even my father, the Vice President, has repeatedly said that ‘I declared my intention to run for president,’ but as of the moment, he would perform his work as the housing czar and of course as vice president.

“The Senate was badly beaten during the last year so I guess it’s high time that we redeem ourselves.” 

Absent

Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and Senators Jinggoy Estrada and Ramon Revilla Jr. were marked absent yesterday because they are not yet suspended as senators.

Enrile has asked the Sandiganbayan to reconsider his 90-day suspension on grounds that only his fellow senators can suspend him.

Estrada’s lawyers have also appealed his suspension.

Revilla has not been suspended from his Senate duties.

Drilon said the three senators, now detained in Camp Crame, are treated the same way as Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV when he was in detention.

Trillanes was detained on rebellion charges during the  Arroyo administration.

Senate Deputy Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III inquired how the absence of his three colleagues would be reflected in the Senate records after Drilon opened the second regular session of the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said the three senators were marked absent because they are under detention since the Senate  leadership has not yet implemented the Sandiganbayan’s suspension order against them.

“The suspension is not yet effective, the decision itself said that it will be effected unless a MR is filed, therefore upon consultation with the secretariat, they note that they are absent because they are under detention,” he said.

Cayetano does not agree that the Sandiganbayan’s suspension order remains unenforceable due to the motion for reconsideration.

“I disagree with it, but we have to follow it,” he said.

“Why do I disagree with it? Because it is clear in our plunder law that the accused should be suspended at once so that the official cannot use his powers to influence the case. –  With Cecille Suerte Felipe