Senate caucus on summoning Napoles reset
THE SENATE yesterday put off a crucial caucus on whether to summon alleged pork barrel queen Janet Lim-Napoles to its inquiry into the P10-billion pork barrel scam, citing the absence of some senators.
While Senate leaders seemed to dillydally on the matter, Sen. Ramon Revilla, one of three senators charged in connection with the scam, and Sen. Miriam DefensorSantiago, were raring to have Napoles testify in the chamber.
“Let’s get to the truth,” an emotional Revilla told reporters.
Yesterday, Senate President Franklin Drilon, through his chief of staff, advised his colleagues of the postponement of the caucus to Wednesday.
The reason cited by Drilon’s chief of staff, Renato Bantug Jr., was the unavailability of some senators “on account of sickness/official mission abroad.”
Santiago, who is suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, and Sen. Ralph Recto called in sick. Senators Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Paolo Benigno Aquino IV are on official trips abroad. Sen. Lito Lapid is also on official business.
Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said it was important for all the senators to be present because the vote on the matter could be close.
“So if we have a caucus later, then there will be one or two members who can change the decision and it could reach the floor,” he told reporters.
The issue of whether or not to subpoena Napoles has become a touchy one in the Senate given revelations about the alleged involvement of some senators in the scam.
Drilon deferred to Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, who had advised the Senate blue ribbon committee against compelling Napoles to testify.
Morales, in a Sept. 27 letter to Drilon, said she was standing by her earlier opinion that it was not advisable for Napoles to appear at the Senate inquiry ahead of the hearing on the plunder complaint against her.
But Morales said she recognized the Senate’s authority, and deferred to the senators to decide thematter.
When the committee resumed its inquiry in late September, committee chair Sen. Teofisto Guingona III castigated Justice Secretary Leila de Lima for not bringing in the whistle-blowers. De Lima said their appearance would preempt government arguments in the plunder complaint against Napoles.
At the Senate yesterday, Revilla said he would vote for the issuance of a subpoena for Napoles, indicating that her testimony was key to getting to the bottom of the scam.
“It is high time for the truth to come out,” Revilla said, indicating that he was unafraid of being dragged into the scam. “I’m not afraid because my conscience is clear.”
He said the personalities found liable should be jailed.
In a statement, Santiago said she had changed her mind about not summoning Napoles and would vote for the issuance of a subpoena for her.
Santiago said the Constitution vests the Senate with the power to issue subpoenas to individuals.
“It might upset the delicate system of checks and balances if the Senate itself dilutes this power by seeking an external agency such as the Ombudsman to express a legal opinion,” she said.