Members of the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law Batch 1997 called on Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano to follow legal procedures amid the recent developments in the Senate.
In a collective statement, the group urged Cayetano, their batchmate, to adhere to established facts and legal processes in connection with the case of Senator Ronald dela Rosa before the International Criminal Court.
“Keep only to the known facts, be mindful of the law and the decision of the Supreme Court and avoid interpretations for convenience and accommodation,” the group said.
The group said the Senate, despite being a co-equal branch of government, should not obstruct the Executive branch in enforcing the law, including the service of a warrant of arrest against dela Rosa.
The statement also criticized the Senate leadership’s interpretation of “protective custody,” which the group said was used to help dela Rosa avoid arrest.
“You are responsible to produce the person under your ‘protection’ when so required by the Executive or the Judiciary – a responsibility that has been conveniently overlooked by the Senate President, especially now that the fugitive Senator is nowhere to be found,” the statement read.
The group also urged Cayetano to review the case filed by Senator Francis Pangilinan and noted that cases filed before the ICC remain valid despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the tribunal in 2019.
The statement further criticized the Senate leadership over its reported refusal to comply with a subpoena issued by the Office of the Ombudsman in connection with last week’s incident at the Senate.
“Acknowledge that the Senate and, by extension, its agent, the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms, does not have the power of the sword and must, therefore, yield to the directives of the duly constituted law enforcement officers of the country,” the group said.
