Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 1) — Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri on Wednesday bared that the recommendation to consider filing charges against President Rodrigo Duterte is the reason he did not sign the draft committee report on the multibillion-peso Pharmally controversy.
In the draft report, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee said charges against the President must be reviewed as he “betrayed public trust” for not holding his appointees accountable despite them being implicated in the scandal.
However, Zubiri told reporters he doesn’t believe there are enough grounds for Duterte to be sued.
“I’ll be very honest about it. Kung wala doon ‘yung pangalan ni [If it didn’t include the name of] President Duterte for plunder, I’ll sign it,” he said.
“Circumstantial evidence eh, by association kaya sinama. Kung tanggalin lang ‘yun, I’ll sign. If it’s just the Pharmally executives, wala akong problema,” the senator added.
[Translation: He was included just because of circumstantial evidence, because of association. If his name is removed, I’ll sign. If it’s just the Pharmally executives, I have no problem with it.]
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian shared the same view.
Zubiri also said a number of senators earlier appealed to Senator Richard Gordon, the chairman of the Blue Ribbon Committee, to amend the report, but no changes have been made.
The draft report failed to get Senate approval after not being able to secure a majority vote, or signatures from nine out of 17 regular members.
In the final session of the 18th Congress later in the day, Gordon said he is disappointed but he respects the decision of some of his colleagues.
He added, however, that they owe the public some explanation on why they rejected the report.
“May karapatan ang ating bayang malaman kung ano ang ating mga boto, lalo na sa isang isyu na napakalaki, na nagimbal ang buong bansa habang may pandemic,” Gordon said.
[Translation: Our nation has the right to know the reason behind our vote, especially on such a huge issue which shocked the entire country in the middle of a pandemic.]
The draft report also sought charges against Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, as well as other government and Pharmally officials.
Gordon said he will leave it to the next administration to handle the issue and hold accountable erring individuals.
Senator Risa Hontiveros, the lone opposition senator in the next Congress, meanwhile, said she would be “very willing” to push for the reopening of the investigation on the Pharmally mess.
CNN Philippines’ Eimor Santos and Kristel Limpot contributed to this report.
