Press Release
February 15, 2006
NO NEED FOR NEW GROUND RULES OF DECORUM FOR SENATE APPEARANCE OF CABINET MEMBERS -- PIMENTEL
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Nene Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban)
today said there is no need for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyos
proposal for Congress and Malacañang
to draw up the ground rules of
decorum that would govern the appearance of Cabinet members during
congressional hearings as a condition for the recall of Executive
Order 464 banning them from attending such activity without her
clearance.
Pimentel said the senators, in particular, are already guided by the
internal rules of the Senate for conducting hearings and inquiries
and treating resource persons and witnesses. On top of this, he said
government officials, including members of Congress, should adhere
to the Code of Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
He said it is wrong to say that the senators are insulting the
Cabinet members and other officials of the executive branch if they
try to grill these resource persons or guests on how they have spent
the funds intended for their agency programs, specially in the face
of serious allegations of anomalies involving their agencies.
What is wrong if we ask the Cabinet members how they spent the
funds released to their agencies in the previous year? Why is Gloria
preventing us from asking her Cabinet members to account for these
funds when this is a legitimate question? This is not intended to
insult anyone. But whoever feels insulted must be hiding something,
the minority leader said.
Pimentel debunked the Presidents accusation that the investigations
being conducted by the Senate, particularly on how billions of pesos
in public funds for fertilizer subsidy and public works were
diverted to the Arroyo election campaign in 2004, are in aid of
destabilization.
She is merely playing with the meaning of that word. How can she
accuse us of destabilization when we are trying to find out who are
responsible for the massive stealing of public funds? he said.
Pimentel traced the root of the conflict to the persistence of
Malacañang
to hide the truth behind the allegations of cheating,
stealing and lying hurled against the President that continue to
cast doubts over her legitimacy.
He branded EO 464 as a crude attempt to clip the investigative
powers of Congress in violation of the principle of checks and
balance enshrined in the Constitution due to the Presidents
desperation to save her tottering administration. |