Senator Panfilo Lacson yesterday dismisssed insinuations by Senator Richard Gordon that he did not sign the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee report on the Dengvaxia controversy because former President Benigno Aquino had helped him in his alleged involvement in the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.
In not signing Gordon’s draft report, Lacson stressed that knowing Aquino and having worked with him, he does not believe the former President is capable of committing graft and corruption.
But Gordon said he was not surprised that Lacson disagreed with his committee’s findings since he was a former ally of Aquino and one who helped him deal with the Dacer-Corbito double murder case.
In his report, Gordon recommended the filing of criminal charges against Aquino, former Health secretary Janette Garin, and former Budget chief Florencio Abad for violation of the anti-graft and corruption law for the apparent haste in the procurement of vaccines.
Lacson, who was appointed by Aquino as rehabilitation czar after super typhoon Yolanda devastated the Eastern Visayas region, however, denied getting any help from the former Chief Executive.
The former PNP Director General had reportedly left the country the same day his warrant of arrest for the twin murders of publicist Salvador Dacer and his driver, Emmanuel Corbito, was releassd by a Manila court. He had been a fugitive for more than a year.
Speaking in an interview over radio DZBB, Lacson assailed Gordon for his unreasonable remarks when he simply aired his personal opinion on the findings of the Blue Ribbon committee.
Lacson said that it was impossible for Aquino to have helped him in his case because he spent most of his time hiding duringAquino’s term. He returned to the country on March 26, 2011 after leaving on January 7, 2010.
He said this means “shooting from the hip” that Gordon should attack him .
Lacson said there was nothing wrong in him saying that he ffound it difficult to believe that Aquino was capable of committing graft and corruption.
Despite the rift, Lacson said he would not initiate Gordon’s removal as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee.
“For all we know, this will be a learning experience for all of us, for Dick and myself included, para alam mo na, mai-correct namin ang direction niya na tinatahak tuwing magkakaroon ng pagdinig ang Blue Ribbon,” he said.
He said he hoped that in the next hearing, Gordon will give them the opportunity ask questions. He also criticzed the Blue Ribbon chair for insulting DOH Undercretary Kenneth Hartigan-Go when he said, “mukha ka namang intelihente.”
“He went as far as hurling insults. So what kind of treatment did he give resource persons? It’s evident in the transcripts of the hearing. So during the floor deliberation, we will see how he conducts an investigation and if it is necessary to sign his committee report,” Lacson said.
Aquino himself slammed Gordon, calling the hearings “The Dick Gordon show.”
“Was there a panel? It seemed that it was a solo act. Anyway, in legislative inquiries that I participated in, the process is [to] gather facts then arrive at a conclusion. The Dick Gordon show started with a conclusion and tried to produce facts to support it,” Aquino told Rappler in a text message.
It was not the first time Gordon was accused of monopolizing inquiries. Even other senators have given up attending Gordon-led hearings because they could not speak or ask questions to resource persons.
Those who signed the Blue Ribbon report included Senators Juan Sonny Angara, Grace Poe, Sherwin Gatchalian, Ralph Recto, Gregorio Honasan II, JV Ejercito, Miguel Zubiri and Vicente (Tito) Sotto III.
But Recto, Senate President Pro Tempore said majority of those who signed, signed with reservations and also opposed the panel’s recommendation on Aquino.
Lacson said he might sign the minority report, in the event he finds its recommendations more rational than that of Gordon’s.
“If the majority of the senators, all of us 23, think that the minority report is more rational and sensible, then that report may be adopted on the floor,” he said.
