Senator Panfilo Lacson admitted on Wednesday that he already signed the Senate Blue Ribbon's partial report stating that President Rodrigo Duterte must be held accountable for betraying public trust over his involvement in the Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corporation scandal.
However, Lacson told DZRH on Wednesday that despite signing, he would still interpellate over the said report, which was released by Senator Richard Gordon's office, chairman of the panel, on Tuesday.
"Actually pinirmahan ko na 'yung committee report, pero nag-remark na ako dun na I will interpellate kasi gusto kong linawagin 'yung ibang mga findings saka recommendations doon bago ako boboto sa plenaryo," Lacson said.
(Actually, I already signed the committee report, but I remarked there that I would interpellate this because I want to clarify the findings and recommendations before I vote at the plenary session.)
The senator, who is also a member of the committee, said he is assuming that he will not be alone in those who would want to interpellate the report, but he said that this could take a while because the majority of the panel members need to sign it first.
"Hindi naman pwedeng pirma ka nang nakapikit ang mata. So, medyo mahaba-habang proseso dahil nung Monday lang sinimulang ipadala ito sa mga opisina namin," Lacson explained.
(It’s not okay to just sign it with your eyes closed. So, this would take a long process because they started delivering the report to us on Monday.)
"Katakot-takot na interpellation ito. Ina-anticipate ko lang maraming interpellations sa floor," he also said.
(There will be a terrifying number of interpellation here. I anticipate a lot of interpellations on the floor.)
Gordon will be defending the committee report during the interpellation because the report came from his office, Lacson said.
"Siya 'yung chairman eh. Kasi siya 'yung gumawa nung committee report, siya nag-draft, ide-defend niya ito sa plenary," he explained.
(He is the chairman. He made the committee report, he drafted it. He will defend it during the plenary session.)
The report also recommended plunder, graft, and other criminal and administrative charges against Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, former government officials, and Pharmally executives.
