From Louis Barok Biraogo’s column in the Manila Standard: Lacson, with his extensive background as a former Philippine National Police chief, offers a scathing critique that should make any serious lawmaker reconsider the merit of this probe.
Dela Rosa’s PDEA leaks probe is beyond a joke
By Louis ‘Barok’ Biraogo
May 17, 2024, 12:05 am
In a spectacle that has both alarmed and dismayed observers, the Senate probe into the so-called “PDEA leaks” has become an unwelcome distraction from pressing national issues.
Former senators Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Antonio “Sonny” Trillanes IV have rightly criticized this investigation, spearheaded by Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa.
Their criticism is not only justified but necessary, as the proceedings have devolved into a farce that undermines the integrity of our legislative processes and endangers the stability of our government.
Lacson, with his extensive background as a former Philippine National Police chief, offers a scathing critique that should make any serious lawmaker reconsider the merit of this probe.
He points out the fundamental flaw in the basis of the investigation: the dubious credibility of Jonathan Morales, a dismissed Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency intelligence officer.
Morales’s so-called “intelligence report,” which allegedly implicates President Marcos in illegal drug use, lacks any official standing.
As Lacson succinctly puts it, “An agent can type an intelligence report. The said report was never submitted even for initial evaluation by his immediate superior. There is no official report on record. It is a scrap of paper.”
This revelation is not merely a technicality; it goes to the heart of the investigation’s legitimacy.
If the cornerstone of the probe is a piece of paper that has not undergone any formal vetting process, then what are we doing here?
Why are we wasting valuable legislative time and resources on what amounts to nothing more than hearsay?
Trillanes, ever the incisive critic, takes it a step further by suggesting the entire probe is a component of a larger, more insidious plot.
He claims the hearings are part of a “communications plan” designed to destabilize the government and lay the groundwork for an ouster plot against President Marcos.
While such assertions may sound like the stuff of political thrillers, they are disturbingly plausible in a country where political machinations often unfold in the shadows.
The Dela Rosa-led investigation has not only failed to produce credible evidence but has also been tainted by the character of its star witness.
Morales’s credibility has been thoroughly dismantled, especially after former PDEA director general Arturo Cacdac revealed Morales’s history of planting evidence.
Such serious allegations against Morales render his testimony worthless and raise serious questions about why he was ever considered a reliable witness in the first place.
So why does this probe persist?
The answer, perhaps, lies in the intersection of incompetence and ulterior motives.
Dela Rosa, himself a former PNP chief, should know better than to pursue such a flimsy case.
His persistence, despite the mounting evidence against Morales’s credibility, suggests that there are other forces at play – forces more interested in political theater than in the pursuit of justice or truth.
The probe must be terminated immediately.
It serves no public good and distracts from the real issues the Senate should be addressing.
The longer this charade continues, the more it erodes public trust in our institutions.
Moreover, it creates unnecessary turbulence in an already volatile political landscape. We cannot afford to indulge in these games when so much is at stake.
In contrast, Lacson and Trillanes have demonstrated the kind of principled leadership sorely needed.
Lacson’s meticulous attention to procedural integrity and Trillanes’s fearless confrontation of political manipulation are qualities that should be lauded.
They remind us that there are still public servants who value truth and accountability over political expediency.
The Senate must refocus its efforts on genuine issues that affect the lives of ordinary Filipinos.
Our lawmakers should be working to improve healthcare, education, and economic opportunities, not chasing ghosts conjured up by discredited operatives. The real dangers facing our nation – poverty, corruption, and a fragile democracy – cannot be addressed through spurious investigations that only serve to divide and distract.
The PDEA leaks probe is a dangerous distraction that must end.
It has been exposed as a baseless endeavor driven by questionable motives and supported by unreliable testimonies.
We should heed the calls of Lacson and Trillanes to terminate this farce and redirect our energies toward the real work of governance.
Only then can we hope to build a stronger, more resilient Philippines.