VILLAR WRAPS UP PENDING WORKS IN PUBLIC ORDER COMMITTEE
Finalized committee reports of inquiries and investigations

Senate President Manny Villar, former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs, is wrapping up the results of the public hearings and inquiries he spearheaded in the committee based on his authored bills and resolutions. So far, the committee has finalized seven committee reports.

"As a courtesy to the new chairman of the committee, it is but proper for me as well as the committee members and staff to finish pending reports and activities. I don't want to leave things undone or half undone. In this way, the turnover will be smooth, and the committee can start on a clean slate anew," says Villar.

Villar chaired the committee since 2004 or during the first and second regular sessions of the 13th Congress. Since he assumed the Senate presidency last month, Senator Frank Drilon took over his committee chairmanship of the Public Order and Finance committees.

The Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs is one of the most active and busiest among the Senate's 36 permanent standing committees. It has conducted 26 public hearings or committee meetings and 22 technical working groups or consultative hearings.

"We have finalized seven committee reports so far and more are being processed and being signed by the members of the committee. The committee handled some of the most controversial issues such as jueteng payola, cellphone theft, media killings among many more," adds Villar.

The seven reports already finalized by the committee are: Committee Report (CR) No. 86, based Senate Bill 2438 or the proposal to establish an integrated jail facility; CR No. 87, based on Senate Resolution 184 or the investigation into the Valentine's Day bombing; CR No. 88, based on Senate Resolution 159 or the investigation into the shooting incident during the Ati-Atihan Festival in Aklan; CR No. 89, based on Senate Resolution 156 or the investigation into the alleged recruitment-for-a-fee scam in the Philippine National Police (PNP); CR No. 90, based on the inquiry into the privilege speech of Senator Jinggoy Estrada denouncing the actuations of the PNP relative to the security provided for former President Joseph Estrada; CR No. 91, based on Senate Resolution 303 or the investigation on the proliferation of cybersex; and CR No. 92, based on Senate Resolution Nos. 99 and 426 or the inquiry on the proliferation of cellphone theft.