Duterte welcomes legal challenge to memo before SC

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night said senators finally saw the light in its plan to raise a legal challenge before the Supreme Court on his memorandum barring members of the Cabinet from attending the hearing on alleged anomalies in the procurement of COVID-19 supplies.

“At last, the members of the Senate blue ribbon committee have finally seen the light. We welcome this move of bringing the legality of the memorandum to the Supreme Court and we would like to congratulate the members for realizing albeit late that it is the court which will eventually decide on the constitutionality of the order and we will defend it,” Duterte said in his weekly public address.

“This is by far the most decent thing the committee has done and we are most eager to answer whatever questions you have regarding my not allowing officials of the executive to attend your hearings that are for legislative purposes,” he added.

The president officially issued the order barring Executive department officials and employees from attending the Senate probe through an October 4 memorandum signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

The memorandum argued that the Senate probe had reached a point where the participation of individuals under the executive department had greatly affected the government’s ability to fulfill its mandate amid the pandemic, echoing President Rodrigo Duterte’s earlier pronouncements.

The memorandum accused the Senate of overstepping its authority in its efforts to hold people accountable.

Senate blue ribbon committee chairman Richard Gordon called Duterte’s memorandum “unconstitutional” given that there were no issues of “national security, executive privilege, and diplomatic discussions as mentioned in the case of Senate vs. Ermita.”

Earlier, Minority Leader Franklin Drilon raised the possibility of challenging the memorandum before the high court, saying it has red flags of unconstitutionality.

Duterte has dismissed criticisms of senators on the directive, adding that he will not withdraw the said order.

“Gusto ko dalhin nila sa Korte Suprema. Itong pinapawithdraw nilang order ko. P****, yung prohibiting people from Executive department from testifying. There ain’t no way I will withdraw it,” he had said.

“You can do your worst, I can do mine. Kayo nag umpisa nito,” he further pointed out.

Duterte also once again slammed Gordon during his pre-recorded Talk to the People on Monday night.

“Ito dapat si Gordon maglipat siya sa judiciary. Doon siya magsigaw-sigaw,” he said.

“‘Yang ugali na ‘yan, this is not feudal times you have to be courteous if you want to be treated with courtesy, you have to practice it,” Duterte added. —LDF, GMA News

Duterte welcomes legal challenge to memo before SC
Source: Filipino Viral News PH