TEMPERS flared anew between Senators Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate justice and human rights committee, and Leila de Lima at the resumption of Senate hearings Thursday on the rash of summary executions in the Duterte administration’s war on illegal drugs.
The clash was triggered by De Lima’s two motions—to allow Commission on Human Rights Chairman Chito Gascon to explain Commissioner Roberto Eugenio Cadiz Jr.’s critical remarks against Gordon; and to defer discussions on the death penalty bill in the same hearing.
Cadiz had earlier called Gordon a “coward” for prematurely suspending the inquiry into extrajudicial killings.
Gordon bristled.
“You can’t control this committee. I don’t want another distraction,” Gordon told De Lima. “We can’t be forever distracted.”
Gordon said he was not demanding an apology from the CHR—although he said Wednesday night that CHR officials would not be called to testify unless they apologized for Cadiz’s remarks.
“This is not a joke, This is the Senate, 24 senators elected by the whole country. There are no extra powers except that we are representing the country,” Gordon said.
But on Thursday, Gordon told De Lima that Gascon had called him to apologize for Cadiz’s statements.
Gordon pointed out that he did not suspend the inquiry, but only a hearing of the panel.
Gordon also read a text message from Gascon, while showing his mobile phone to the Senate panel.
“I apologize for whatever aggravation it caused you and the honorable members of the justice and human rights committee,” Gordon said, quoting Gascon’s text message.
“The apology of Chairman Gascon is taken in consideration. I respect him as a gentleman. He doesn’t have to apologize to me,” Gordon said, then overruled De Lima’s first motion.
De Lima then insisted on her second motion, but Gordon ruled her out of order, saying she could make only one motion at a time.
“You can’t control [this committee] the way you controlled it the last time. I don’t want to fight with you. I respect you and I am not going to veer from the purpose of this investigation,” Gordon told De Lima.
He then reminded De Lima that the testimony of her witness, the self-confessed hitman Edgar Matobato, had sent the committee on “a wild goose chase.”
De Lima shot back that it was inappropriate for Gordon to mix other issues into the hearings.
Gordon replied that it was De Lima who was introducing other issues, then overruled her second motion.
“The motion is overruled. You may bring it to the floor next time,” Gordon said.
But De Lima said the plenary was not the “proper venue” and that the committee should settle the matter. While she was talking, Gordon cut her off, saying “Noted, noted.”
Senator Manny Pacquiao, one of the authors of the death penalty bill, was then allowed to sponsor his measure.
Gordon said the committee will come up with a report on Monday, which will be submitted to the Ombudsman.
