Tuguegarao City, Cagayan – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Tuesday, September 14, said he will be requiring Cabinet members invited to Senate inquiries to secure his clearance first before attending.
The President said in a statement, “This time, I will require every Cabinet member to clear with me any invitation, and if I think if walang silbi except to harass and be berated in front of the public, hintuin ko na ‘yan at pagbawalan ko na.”
Duterte also said he will limit what the Senate can do over the executive body as he is the President, and will do what he can if he thinks there is an abuse of authority involved, adding that officials are asked to attend hearings over and over again for a span of 7 hours awaiting their turn to be investigated.
“You can cite the person in contempt pero ako na magsabi na ako ang may utos na hindi mag-attend but I’m letting you know that it was my order for them not to attend. I think I can do it as President,” Duterte said.
The Chief executive has released these statements as the Senate probes into the questionable and overpriced medical supplies purchased in 2020, during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If I feel there is abuse of authority there or exceeding authority of the reasonable time that the Congress conducts a hearing, I will limit you to what you can do with the Executive department of the government. Dito sa Executive department, I have the hand, If gusto ko, nakita ko reasonable, go, especially if it’s really pursuant to the truth na hinahanap niyo,” Duterte added.
Previously, the President threatened that he will bar the attendance of Cabinet members into congressional inquiries if they would conduct “rude questioning.” TNF