That being said, my version of the bill simply calls for the mandatory registration of all the Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards with the service providers as being practiced in other jurisdictions.
Alam naman natin na hindi gagawin at hindi pwedeng gawin ng Pangulo na ipaaresto at ipakulong ang kahit sinong tao, senador man o hindi.
Only a court of law can issue a warrant of arrest in accordance with the rule of law or under Rule 113 of the Rules of Court. Under Section 5, even a warrantless arrest or citizen’s arrest has clearly defined circumstances.
The President is a lawyer. He should know his law.
President Duterte has been grossly misinformed, hence he barked up the wrong tree. He should have asked his own Department of Public Works and Highways, being the procuring and implementing agency of the project.
It was the DPWH that prepared the Program Of Works, the Terms of Reference and all bid documents, conducted the bidding, awarded, prepared the contract, signed the contract, and issued the notice to proceed, including the cost of the building. The Senate representative was only an observer during the bidding process.
In fact, after the notice of award was issued, I took time to warn the contractor in the presence of some DPWH officials against giving SOP’s to anyone and in whatever form, particularly on the construction of the new Senate building.
The Senate is composed of 24 republics. We ourselves cannot impose on each other. While we always respect the decision of the majority, we also make sure that we follow our individual convictions and beliefs, based on conscience.
I cannot see how anybody, even if he is the President of our country, can influence us especially on an issue involving public funds – and most especially in the middle of a pandemic. At least that is as far as I see it in my almost 18 years as a Senator of the Republic.
I don’t know what President Duterte is talking about when he commented on my hairstyle. I haven’t changed the way I comb my hair, since long before he had lost his mind. But his insulting rebuke only shows that he and Sen. Bong Go are one and the same, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health. They even probably have a joint bank account.
Many people I talked to have noticed his incoherence and senseless ad libs even in his formal addresses to the nation including the State of the Nation Address (SONA).
That said, it is not difficult to think that he is in panic mode and is attempting as he has already done earlier to discourage the Senate from pursuing our investigation in the highly anomalous procurement of overpriced medical supplies that is starting to knock on the doors of Malacañang. The video showing Michael Yang, a Chinese national who had a signed contract as a presidential consultant, receiving a one-peso-a-year remuneration from the government and very casually introducing high officials of the controversial Pharmally Corp. is telling to say the least.
But make no mistake. The Senate will not flinch on this one. There is a lot more to discover and pursue so that all those responsible for this abominable crime against the Filipino people who continue to suffer amid the pandemic will be exposed and charged in court at the proper time.
